Though misunderstood at first, Doctors Without Borders’ bold decision to stop accepting tsunami-relief donation could help revive public trust in nonprofits.

By Paul Barbagallo

A different message
But after collecting record sums through the Internet late last year, MSF had to rework its January mailing to address the tsunami disaster and alert prospects and donors on how it will receive such funds.

“That mailing focused on the fact that it was the ongoing support of our donors that allowed our medical teams, many of which were already working in the affected region, to rush to help those in urgent need,” Walsh says. “Going forward, the emphasis will continue to focus on the link between MSF’s quick response to emergencies and the strong private support we receive from our donors.”