'Cash is Best' Message Wins in PSAid's Collegiate Competition for International Disaster Relief Awareness

WASHINGTON, April 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The USAID Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) is pleased to announce the winners of the 14th annual Public Service Announcements for International Disasters contest (PSAid).

PSAid is a nationwide contest that calls on college students across the country to submit public service announcement (PSA) entries that demonstrate why monetary donations are the most effective way to support international disaster relief. Through the contest, students learn donation best practices and help convey why "Cash Is Best" in helping aid groups respond to disasters that occur internationally.  

"This project educated me. I didn't understand the importance of monetary donations before I started," said Areia Worden, first place winner in the digital image category. "The ability to now be able to educate others by utilizing my passions for design feels rewarding and impactful."

The 2019 PSAid winners are:

Video

1. "Donate Smart, Fast. Donate Cash" by Sofia Ruescas, St. Mary's University
2. "Why Cash is Best" by Claudia Forero and Alexandra Estrella, Arizona State University
3. "Anything, Anywhere, Anytime" by Lisa Trahin, Arizona State University

Print

1. "Be The Change" by Olivia Cardinale, Loyola University Chicago
2. "Cash is Best" by Sarah Hermosillo, Arizona State University
3. "Moneybag" by Riley Padua, Arizona State University

Digital Image

1. "Let those in need decide" by Areia Worden, Arizona State University
2. "Change Your Perspective" by Allie McGuffin, Arizona State University
3. "Green is the New Black" by Donghyun Yi, Fashion Institute of Technology

"Disasters happen fast, and that's why it's important to show what is the fastest and e­fficient way to help," said Lisa Trahin, third place winner in the video category. "In my video, I show how cash can travel in more ways than one without leaving a big carbon footprint."

This year's winning entries were selected from 112 submissions chosen from a pool of submissions from 167 college students in the categories of video, print and digital image PSAs. Universities played a key role in PSAid, with many professors incorporating the contest into their curricula and a number of classrooms participating in webinars with CIDI staff. The winning PSAs could be featured in prominent magazines or aired during popular television programs, and will be used in CIDI's Cash is Best education efforts.

The 2019 contest entries were judged by a panel of experts from the humanitarian and communications fields. This year's judges were Carol Chan, Acting Director, USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance; Jeff Joseph, President, Software & Information Industry Association; Lara McDougall Reed, President, Pan Galactic Digital; Erin Taylor, Director of Communications for Humanitarian Response, Save the Children; and Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director, Banfield Foundation.

The winning entries may be viewed on the contest website at www.PSAid.org.

About USAID CIDI
USAID CIDI was created in 1988 by the United States Agency for International Development Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance to inform the public about the advantages of giving monetary donations to relief organizations and warn about the risks of donating unsolicited material goods. Through its "cash is best" messaging, CIDI's goal is to support donors and relief agencies as they work to provide quick, effective and efficient relief to people affected by disasters. CIDI provides donations guidance to individuals, groups, embassies, businesses and corporations. For more information about USAID CIDI and helping international disaster survivors, please visit USAID CIDI at www.cidi.org.

SOURCE USAID CIDI