DENVER -- Want to help the tsunami victims?

First off, don't give old clothes or send canned foods, says Call 7 For Help Consumer Champ Bill Clarke. Those items are already clogging up the relief pipeline where people really need food, water, medicine and bulldozers.

TSUNAMI Interactive: Earthquakes Archive: Asian Tsunami Map

"Donate money," says Clarke. "It's fast and effective."

If you want to help, think before you give, suggests Clarke.

"Because for every legitimate and experience agency that can do really good things with your money right now, there may be dozens more that mean well, but have no experience in disaster relief," says Clarke.

Others may call themselves non-profits, but if you don't know anything about them -- if you've never heard of them -- don't give them any of your money. Not this time -- not ever.

The Better Business Bureau has a list of 27 agencies geared up for this kind of disaster. You can visit the BBB Web site to get the list. It's not all inclusive, but a great place to start. You can also look at an extensive list of local and national organizations here on TheDenverChannel.com.

There also also questions for you to ask if someone else wants you to help by contributing cash or a check. Right now, money is more useful than donations or food or clothing or anything else, says Clarke.

Also, make sure you are giving to registered non-profit. If you're in doubt, ask to see some proof before you give a center. Just because someone has a Web site doesn't make them legitimate.

There are several Web sites that help donors check out the charities to see if they're legitimate organizations and to see how much of their money is directly going to aid victims, and how much money is going to the charity's administrative costs. You can evaluate charities at CharityWatch.org, CharityNavigator.org and GuideStar.org.

Finally, be patient.

"Even if your contribution arrives tomorrow, delays in getting the right things to the right places are inevitable, especially following a disaster of this magnitude," says Clarke.

You can find a list of giving tips on the Red Cross Web site.

Incidentally, the Wall Street Journal Tueday morning reported that a number of well-established relief agencies are reaching their cash limit right now. Doctors Without Borders said it has stopped accepting donations for emergency operations in Southeast Asia, for the time being. The Red Cross, by Monday afternoon, said donations had hit $92 million. That money goes into a general international response fund but for now, all the money's going for tsunami relief.

World Vision said that when it hits its limit, it will redirect the extra money to what it called similar activities to help needy children and families.