In-kind donations are often more welcome than cash, new research finds.
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Thequestionmattersforhumanitarianandcharitableaidorganizations,too.Overthepastdecade,moreofthemhavebegunprovidingfoodassistanceintheformofcash,asanalternativetoin-kinddonations(suchasgroceriesorpackagedgoods).Researchshowsthatthesecashtransfersworkatfacevalue:theyfulfillasimilargoalasin-kindfoodaidwhilebeingcheaperandeasiertodistribute.Buthowthesecashdonationsareperceivedbythosewhoreceivethemisn’taswell-studied.
KelloggresearchersSamanthaKassirer,AtaJami,andMaryamKouchakiwantedtohelpchangethat.“Paststudieshavecomparedtheeffectofofferingcashversusnoaidatall,”Kouchakisays,“whereaswewantedtocomparepeople’sresponsetocashversusfoodaid.”
“Wecan’tjustassumethatbecausesomeone’sinneed,they’regoingtobehappywithanythingwegivethem,”addsKassirer.“It’sanincrediblyvulnerableplacetobein,withsomuchpotentialforstigmaorbacklashfromyourcommunity,andalsoforhowyouseeyourself.”
Theresearchersconductedabatteryofexp
