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NEW YORK, NY September 02, 2005 —Relief agencies say frustrated New Yorkers who want to help the relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina should stick with sending cash, and not try to assist in person.

REPORTER:The professionals providing relief say they know the media accounts are heart wrenching. But they say there's a good reason why people should donate cash instead of sending supplies, or going down south in person. Big agencies like the Red Cross and America's Second Harvest say it's cheaper for them to buy things in bulk. And Dennis Michalski, of the New York State Office of Emergency Management, says it's dangerous to self deploy to a disaster zone.

MICHALSKI: There's no housing, there's no power, no infrastructure to support them, you have to be in top physical condition to go in there!

REPORTER: New York State's Health Department is preparing to send teams of doctors and nurses who have registered with the nurses and medical associations. For WNYC I'm Beth Fertig.