Bitcoin Forum

Inspired by bitcoins4sandy.com I have an idea to set up a disaster relief fund. This fund would be fully funded by bitcoin and when needed, would be converted to whatever currency and used. The funds in the relief fund would go to provide shelter, or food, or help rebuild homes/business/etc.. in times of natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy we just delt with here in NY. I have an unused account with walletbit that could be used and have extra web space on one of my sites.

What does everyone think? Good idea? Bad idea? I want your opinions.

bitcoins4sandy is serving as a conduit.  The funds collected will be forwarded to the Red Cross.  To set up the kind of disaster relief fund you're proposing would require compliance with the legal framework within which charitable organisations must operate. 

I didn't think of that, brings up a good point.

Bitcoin 100 acts as a kind of interface allowing charities to accept BTC.  Maybe you can help get more charitable organisations linked in with them.

http://bitcoin100.org/

Disaster relief funds are an absolute nightmare to administer from both a legal and an accounting point of view.  Something which can operate at a local level is often more useful for getting help to people quickly.

I'll have to look into that, thanks

It's a pointless idea unless you plan to actually pay for rebuilding things with Bitcoins rather than converting to some other currency.

Well seeing how that's a technical impossibility unless bitcoin is made into a physical form, it would need to be converted to usd or whatever.
If bitcoin does become a physical form, we'd have governments to deal with I'd think. At least in it's current form, only ones who care about btc is us.