A month after Superstorm Sandy devastated the Northeast coast, charities have raised more than $244-million for relief and recovery efforts.

That figure is roughly equivalent to the amount raised a month after last year’s Japan earthquake and tsunami ($246.9-million). But it’s dwarfed by the $709-million raised a month after the Haiti earthquake of 2010 and the more than $1.4-billion raised by this point after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Among the organizations reporting fundraising totals this week:

• American Red Cross: $168-million

• Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City: $41-million

• Robin Hood: $15-million

• Salvation Army: $11-million

• United Way of New York City: $9.4-million

Emma Carew Grovum, Sarah Frostenson, and Anais Strickland contributed to this report.

Send an e-mail to Heather Joslyn.

As of Friday, charities have reported raising more than $174-million for relief and recovery efforts in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, which devastated the New York and New Jersey region on October 30.

That’s more than the $136-million that U.S. charities had raised within 10 days of last year’s Japan tsunami and earthquake. But it’s dwarfed by the outpouring that followed the 2010 Haiti earthquake ($380-million 10 days after the event) and 2005′s Hurricane Katrina ($740-million nine days after the storm).

Here are the charities reporting new fundraising totals as of Friday:

• American Red Cross: $117-million
• Salvation Army: $5.1-million. The figure includes more than $4.5-million in online donations, more than $540,000 through its toll-free fundraising phone number, and $58,000 from its text-to-give program
• Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City: $32-million as of…

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Here are the latest totals from charities that are raising money for Superstorm Sandy relief and recovery efforts. Combined with previously reported figures, more than $116.2-million has been raised.

• American Red Cross: $103-million in donations and pledges
• Salvation Army: $4.7-million, including $4.3-million in online donations and nearly $440,000 through its toll-free fundraising phone number
• United Way of New York City: $3-million from corporate, foundation, and individual donors
• United Way: $1.9-million has been reported raised by the charity’s U.S. headquarters, largely from pledges by companies such as Starbucks, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, FedEx, and Nationwide Insurance.
• New York Cares: $700,000
• Brooklyn Community Foundation, the office of Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz, and the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce: $600,000 for the Brooklyn Recovery …

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Charities that raise money after a disaster are often confronted by donors who are skeptical about how their donations will be spent.

As a result, groups that provide disaster relief need to take extra steps to be “transparent and accountable” during a crisis, says Bob Ottenhoff, chief executive of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy.

“Donors want to know why you’re raising money and what you’re going to do with it,” Mr. Ottenhoff said during a conference call Monday with Chronicle readers about disaster fundraising in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.

To assuage those concerns, Terry Axelrod, founder of the fundraising consulting company Benevon, advised nonprofits to be clear about where their work fits in with larger relief efforts. For groups that provide direct relief, Ms. Axelrod recommends sharing personal stories, providing nightly e-mail updates, and asking…

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As Hurricane Sandy relief efforts are about to open their second week, a national nonprofit coalition formally announced its new publicity campaign to teach people how to give more responsibly after a natural disaster or a tragedy.

The campaign’s message is simple: Financial donations are the best way to help those affected by the storm.

While canned food, bottled water and used clothing may be satisfying to give, cash donations have more impact, since they allow relief organizations the flexibility to plug a need where they see fit, the groups say.

The coalition, which includes the Center for International Disaster Information and the Ad Council, will be airing the video below on television, as well as radio, print, and Web public-service advertisements.

Dig deeper: Read a Chronicle article, published in the summer, about the campaign and other efforts by charity leaders to …

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In addition to the American Red Cross’s announcement that it has raised $85-million as of Sunday for Superstorm Sandy relief efforts, more charities updated their fundraising totals on Monday. The total raised by all charities reporting to The Chronicle is more than $92.3-million.

Fundraising totals for today:

• Salvation Army: $3.4-million, of which more than $3-million has been donated online, $50,700 through its text-to-give program, and $351,000 through its toll-free fundraising phone number
• United Way of New York City: $2.1-million, of which $1.9-million is from corporate commitments and more than $200,000 has been donated online
• Catholic Charities USA: $500,000
• Direct Relief International: $500,000
• Jewish Federation of North America: $245,000
• Church World Service: $48,194
• Habitat for Humanity International: $23,000
• Brother’s Brother Foundation: $18,010

In…

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As of Sunday, the American Red Cross reported its fundraising total has reached $85-million for Superstorm Sandy relief efforts.

The take was boosted in part by a telethon Friday night sponsored by NBC and NBC Universal. The event featured entertainers who are natives of the hard-hit New York and New Jersey region, including Jon Bon Jovi, Mary J. Blige, Bruce Springsteen, and Jon Stewart.

The Red Cross and NBC Universal say that the event raised $23-million.

Emma Carew Grovum contributed to this article.

Send an e-mail to Anais Strickland.

The American Red Cross has sent emergency-response vehicles to New Jersey neighborhoods to feed residents affected by Hurricane Sandy. (Les Stone/American Red Cross)

More donations continue to pour in to support Superstorm Sandy relief efforts.

Charities have reported the following fundraising totals today:

• American Red Cross: $35-million
• Salvation Army: $1.7-million raised online; $24,200 from text-to-give appeals; $122,000 through the charity’s toll-free phone number, 1-800-SAL-ARMY
• Humane Society of the United States: $326,000
• Team Rubicon: $212,000
• Jewish Federations of North America: $43,000
• Church World Service: $28,000
• Brother’s Brother Foundation: $10,000

In addition, Network for Good, which is raising money for the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, AmeriCares, Save the Children, and…

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The United Way and the AARP have established two relief funds to help the victims of Superstorm Sandy on the East Coast.

The United Way Hurricane Sandy Recovery Fund will benefit individuals, families, and communities in the federally declared disaster areas. United Way of New York City is leading fundraising and distributing the funds with United Way USA to other local United Ways. The New York City chapter says it will not charge administrative fees on the donations.

The AARP Foundation is matching donations up to $500,000 and distributing those funds to other organizations providing recovery services.

As charities prepare for the crucial year-end giving season, donors in New York and New Jersey are facing a growing wave of emergency appeals to support recovery efforts from the Superstorm Sandy. But those appeals shouldn’t affect the year-end giving efforts of groups that have a strong relationship with their existing donors, according to a panel assembled for a conference that The Chronicle co-hosted.

The panel—which featured Terry Axelrod, founder of the fundraising consulting company Benevon; Bob Ottenhoff, chief executive of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy; and Chronicle reporter Raymund Flandez—discussed how organizations can effectively raise money in the wake of Sandy.

During the call, Ms. Axelrod suggested that fundraisers should call or e-mail donors in the affected areas to see if they are OK.

“You may find that some of them say, ‘We’re unscathed and…

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