How Recovere Prioritises Needs
When disaster strikes, people reallllly want to help. This altruism is beautiful and heart warming, but without coordination, well-meaning donations can and do overwhelm front line services who are trying to help people in urgent need. Imagine losing everything and someone donates 10,000 tins of expired fish, or winter clothes in the summer! I have seen (and heard of) so many items that were given by well meaning donors, that are all now in land fill. Unsolicited Bilateral Donations (UBDs) are items sent to people abroad without being requested. They infamously clog supply chains, burden aid agencies, and often fail to meet the needs of affected communities. At Recovere (Recovery), our mission is to ensure that every act of generosity is both impactful and timely, preventing the unintended consequences of misguided giving.
For a bit of context, unsolicited donations have been a challenge in disaster recovery efforts for a long time. According to research from the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management (2013), up to 60% of unsolicited donations are inappropriate for affected communities. Items such as expired food, inappropriate clothing as I mentioned, and even junk goods have been documented as arriving in disaster zones, creating logistical nightmares.
A report by the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy (2018) highlights that unsolicited goods can take weeks or month to sort, store, or dispose of. This is time that could be spent delivering critical supplies to those in need. A vivid example comes from the Haiti Earthquake in 2010, where inappropriate items, including expired medical supplies and mouldy blankets, delayed aid efforts and increased costs.
How Recovere Prevents Unsolicited Donations
Recovere’s platform encourages donors to pledge their new or as-new items rather than shipping them directly into affected areas. When you pledge an item on Recovere, it enters our Virtual Warehouse-a catalogue visible to all registered organisations. Organisations look through our catalogue of generous offers and choose what they need, OR, request what they need for their community. Our donation requests are based on real needs, not assumptions. Nothing is sent until an organisation matches with the item, ensuring every contribution has a purpose, and a new home.
Recovere empowers organisations to share their communities' priorities. Whether it's medical supplies, clothing, or educational materials, registered organisations can specify exactly what they need. Donors can respond to these requests or pledge items they already have, knowing they are contributing meaningfully.
Join the Movement
Recovere is a free tool available to communities worldwide, enabling smarter giving. Let’s work together to ensure that no donation is wasted, no community is overlooked, and every act of generosity truly makes a difference
Juliette Wright, CEO Founder
Jun 13, 2025
3 min read
When disaster strikes, people reallllly want to help. This altruism is beautiful and heart warming, but without coordination, well-meaning donations can and do overwhelm front line services who are trying to help people in urgent need. Imagine losing everything and someone donates 10,000 tins of expired fish, or winter clothes in the summer! I have seen (and heard of) so many items that were given by well meaning donors, that are all now in land fill. Unsolicited Bilateral Donations (UBDs) are items sent to people abroad without being requested. They infamously clog supply chains, burden aid agencies, and often fail to meet the needs of affected communities. At Recovere (Recovery), our mission is to ensure that every act of generosity is both impactful and timely, preventing the unintended consequences of misguided giving.
For a bit of context, unsolicited donations have been a challenge in disaster recovery efforts for a long time. According to research from the Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management (2013), up to 60% of unsolicited donations are inappropriate for affected communities. Items such as expired food, inappropriate clothing as I mentioned, and even junk goods have been documented as arriving in disaster zones, creating logistical nightmares.
A report by the Centre for Disaster Philanthropy (2018) highlights that unsolicited goods can take weeks or month to sort, store, or dispose of. This is time that could be spent delivering critical supplies to those in need. A vivid example comes from the Haiti Earthquake in 2010, where inappropriate items, including expired medical supplies and mouldy blankets, delayed aid efforts and increased costs.
How Recovere Prevents Unsolicited Donations
Recovere’s platform encourages donors to pledge their new or as-new items rather than shipping them directly into affected areas. When you pledge an item on Recovere, it enters our Virtual Warehouse-a catalogue visible to all registered organisations. Organisations look through our catalogue of generous offers and choose what they need, OR, request what they need for their community. Our donation requests are based on real needs, not assumptions. Nothing is sent until an organisation matches with the item, ensuring every contribution has a purpose, and a new home.
Recovere empowers organisations to share their communities' priorities. Whether it's medical supplies, clothing, or educational materials, registered organisations can specify exactly what they need. Donors can respond to these requests or pledge items they already have, knowing they are contributing meaningfully.
Join the Movement
Recovere is a free tool available to communities worldwide, enabling smarter giving. Let’s work together to ensure that no donation is wasted, no community is overlooked, and every act of generosity truly makes a difference