Why ask what people need before donating supplies?

If you want to help, first find out what the other person is lacking. Your willingness to donate expresses care, but asking questions and learning more allows you to direct that care toward what the recipient actually needs.

I once discussed a news report about an entertainer who called on friends to donate medical supplies. What moved me at the time was that she first asked nursing staff what help the hospitals actually needed. Later, when a friend introduced another kind of equipment, she again asked doctors and hospitals in Taiwan whether it was needed before making contacts and arranging the donation.

She did not pay for everything or carry out the whole effort alone. Other people contributed money, while she did what she could to make contacts and deliver supplies. When she could not manage everything, she asked friends for help. Giving money is one kind of contribution; being willing to care and to keep the work going is another. Start by helping in whatever way you can, and share the work with others.