Donations for Humanitarian Assistance within the U.S. BEWARE OF SCAMS.

Beware of Charity Scams and Fraud When disaster hits, communities rally to support those affected. If you're interested in helping those distressed by Hurricane Matthew, visit USA.gov. If you decide to donate money to charities, make sure you do your due diligence on the charity you're giving to. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is especially warning Florida residents to be aware of scams and price gouging. Tax Relief for Victims of Hurricane Matthew Did you know the IRS offers special tax law provisions to help you recover financially from the impact of a disaster? Find guidance on disaster assistance and emergency relief, including how to amend tax returns or file an extension. Get information and tools for frequently requested tax benefits—relief, incentives, and more—at USA.gov. Filed a Tax Return Extension? The IRS has an important reminder for taxpayers who filed for an extension and face an October 17 filing deadline: the adjusted gross income (AGI) amount from your 2014 return may be needed to electronically file a tax return. The IRS reminds all taxpayers that they should keep a copy of their tax returns and supporting documents for a minimum of three years. Going forward, keeping copies of tax returns is even more important as the IRS makes changes to protect taxpayers and authenticate their identity.

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HAITI. USAID AID for Humanitarian Assistance. $12 million Hurricane Matthew.

USAID announces $12 million in additional humanitarian assistance for Hurricane Matthew response The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today announced more than $12 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help communities affected by Hurricane Matthew. With this funding, the United States is providing nearly $14 million for immediate Hurricane Matthew relief efforts in Haiti, Jamaica, and The Bahamas. The funding announced today will provide critical food assistance and relief supplies to hard-hit areas in Haiti's southwestern peninsula, as well as transportation and logistics support to help USAID's United Nations and non-governmental organizations partners reach communities in the Grand' Anse and Sud regions. There are currently 1.4 million Haitians in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN, which issued a flash funding appeal to the international community on October 10. Nearly $7 million of this additional funding will support the UN World Food Program's (WFP) efforts to provide urgently needed food assistance to 750,000 people for three months. It is also being used to provide and transport 6,600 boxes of ready-to- use supplementary foods to prevent and treat malnutrition. More than $2 million of this assistance will help ramp up WFP's logistics and telecommunications capacity to enhance efficiency and coordination of land, sea, and air cargo operations in Haiti. The remaining nearly $3 million has gone toward the provision of more than 515 metric tons of relief supplies-including blankets, hygiene kits, kitchen sets, chain saws, water containers, generators, and heavy-duty plastic sheeting-that USAID has been airlifting to Haiti and The Bahamas. USAID is also providing a three month's supply of chlorine to be used in piped water systems throughout Haiti, with an immediate focus on high-risk areas, as well as water purification tablets that will help provide safe drinking water for 475,000 people. USAID deployed an elite Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to Haiti, Jamaica, and The Bahamas on October 3 in advance of Hurricane Matthew's arrival to lead the U.S. government's response efforts to the strongest storm to hit the central Caribbean in almost a decade. The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is providing airlift and logistical capacities to support USAID's efforts to deliver critical humanitarian assistance to areas cut off by the storm. DoD has also authorized up to $11 million in Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid funds to be spent in support of USAID's disaster relief efforts.