How giving to disaster relief can empower your finances and your family

“How on earth can I fit charitable giving into my budget?” That’s the question one of my coaching clients blurted out on a Zoom call last autumn. Like many women juggling careers, caregiving, and side hustles, she was stretched thin. Yet she also felt a deep tug watching families lose homes to wildfires, evacuate during floods, and recover from tornadoes on the news.

It reminded her of the women in her own family who got through crises with grit and grace. Those images inspired this article: supporting disaster relief isn’t just charitable; it’s a powerful way to align your money habits with your values.

Disasters: A growing threat

If recent data is any indication, natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more severe. According to the World Meteorological Organization, the number of weather-related disasters has increased fivefold over the past 50 years.

Heatwaves are lasting longer. Wildfires are spreading faster. Floods are becoming more destructive. Earthquakes, though less predictable, continue to displace millions every decade.

Scientists point to climate change as a key driver: warmer temperatures fuel storms, melt glaciers, and stress fault lines. Meanwhile, urban development in vulnerable areas adds to the risk. This growing mix of heat, water, fire, and instability spells trouble for communities everywhere and an urgent call to action for the rest of us.

Why women’s voices (and wallets) matter

Historically, women have led community resilience efforts, whether organising school fundraisers or cooking meals for neighbours. Today, our economic power is growing: women control roughly 32% of global wealth, according to various reports, and female‑owned businesses are on the rise. When we direct that power toward disaster relief, we’re not only helping others but also modelling conscious spending for our children.

A fascinating study from positive psychology found that simply counting your own acts of kindness for a week increased subjective happiness and gratitude. In other words, generosity is good for mental health. That matters because financial decision‑making is emotional. When we feel abundant and connected, we make wiser, more values‑aligned money choices.

Donating on any budget: Practical tips

You don’t need a six-figure salary to make a meaningful difference. Small, intentional choices—made consistently—can stretch farther than you think. Here are a few ways to give that work with real-life budgets:

The percentage approach. Allocate a fixed percentage of your earnings—say 3 % or 5 %—to charitable giving. This scales with your income, so you won’t feel strained when you have a lean month.
Micro‑donations. Mobile apps and online platforms allow you to round up everyday purchases to the nearest pound and donate the difference. Those pennies add up.
Create a family charity jar. Enlist your kids. Each time you save on a sale item or skip a coffee shop treat, put the difference in a jar. Once hurricane season begins, donate the lump sum to a disaster relief fund. This not only teaches kids about saving but also fosters empathy.
Match your contributions. If you own a small business or manage a team, offer to match employees’ donations to hurricane relief. This encourages giving and builds camaraderie.

Aligning values with finance

I’ll never forget the look on my daughter’s face when we donated to hurricane relief together last year. She had helped pack our family’s emergency kit and selected a Red Cross video for us to watch. When she saw that our small contribution could provide blankets or hot meals to another mum and child, her eyes lit up. She understood that money is a tool, and giving is a choice.

By choosing to donate to hurricane relief, we were also teaching her something bigger—that aligning your spending with your values can counteract the message that women must pick between self‑care and altruism. Setting aside part of your budget to help others says, “My family’s financial goals include making the world safer for other families too.”

Beyond the wallet: Building resilience at home

FEMA emphasises that “severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment,” urging preparation. Start by reviewing insurance policies and updating household emergency plans. Store important documents in a waterproof, fireproof safe.

Assemble a go‑bag with essentials like medication, water, snacks and contact lists. Involve older children in the planning; ask them to research local evacuation routes or pack their own emergency kit. When kids feel empowered, anxiety decreases.

Women’s financial voices are needed more than ever

Storms may be unavoidable, but helplessness is not. As climate change fuels stronger hurricanes and rising seas increase flood risk, women’s financial voices are needed more than ever. Incorporating charitable giving into your budget isn’t about sacrifice; it’s about alignment. It’s about letting your bank account reflect your values, teaching your children empathy and strengthening community resilience.

The next time you see headlines about an impending storm, don’t switch off the news in despair. Instead, ask, “What can I do with the resources I have?” Whether it’s a micro‑donation, a family jar or a monthly pledge to donate to disaster relief, your actions matter. They transform concern into tangible hope—and isn’t that the kind of wealth we all want to build?