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Hurricane donations: what helps and what hurts

Monetary donations are always best. Donating things that are not specifically requested can sometimes cause more problems than assistance.

In the aftermath of hurricanes Harvey and Irma, many people in Tennessee are looking to help victims of the storms. Local relief groups say some donations are more helpful than others.

Both Remote Area Medical and the Salvation Army of Knoxville sent crews to Texas. Now, RAM has a truck of supplies heading to Florida and the Salvation Army has crews from around the country mobilizing there.

RELATED: WBIR teams up with local groups to hold Hurricane Donation Drive

"This is a disaster that doesn't go away in a week" Chris Hall, the chief operations officer of RAM said.

The RAM warehouse is at capacity, stocked with items like food, water and diapers.

"The things following Hurricane Harvey that were needed the most are shovels, push brooms, cleaning supplies to clean up the houses in the aftermath," he said.

What’s not helpful, Hall said, is clothing.

"They really do not have the space to set up a market where you can separate the clothes by size, female, male, children, adults," he said.

Clothes are often put into storage and take up space that could be used for other necessities. With a full warehouse, RAM is now asking people for monetary donations to help get volunteers to disaster areas.

The Salvation Army of Knoxville is only accepting monetary donations.

“We understand it might not give donors the warm fuzzies that going and buying a shopping cart full of water or diapers might give, but it's the best way to help those people that are in the greatest need in the fastest way," Rob Link, director of community relations at the Salvation Army said.

Both groups said they are amazed by the generosity of the community here in East Tennessee.

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