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Among the donations that poured into the American Red Cross building after the earthquake in Haiti three years ago was a box of Frisbees. In a flood of well-intentioned but unneeded donations, this box stuck out to Meghan O'Hara, who oversees in-kind donations for the organization.

O'Hara says someone clearly wanted to help — the person mailed the box from Germany — but all she could think was, "Wow. That $60 or $70 could have been sent to so many different organizations to help out in so many different ways, and now we have a box of Frisbees."

Disaster relief groups call this the "second disaster": the flood of unwanted donations, despite repeated requests for cash. In response to this recurring dilemma, organizations and volunteers are looking for new ways to bridge the gap between what donors give and victims need.

Getting What They Want

One of the more interesting ideas came recently from three young friends who walked in off the street to volunteer in New York after Superstorm Sandy.

"Really, our goal was just to make some sandwiches or something like that and then go home, and that would kinda be it," says 25-year-old John Heggestuen.

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Thanks, But No Thanks: When Post-Disaster Donations Overwhelm