A Glendale resident emerged among the winners of those contributing designs for public service announcements.

The USAID Center for International Disaster Information and USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance announced winners of the annual PSAid contest, a public service announcement design competition for college students. Winners in the 17th annual contest created public service announcements to explain why “Cash is Best” when donating to international disaster relief efforts.

Research reveals the number of people donating in the U.S. is on the rise, according to a USAID news release. However, not everyone is providing items that suit the needs of communities affected by disasters.

USAID explains most people don’t realize material donations — like food, water and clothing—are expensive to ship, are sometimes culturally inappropriate, and require sorting and storage that can actually hinder relief efforts. When it comes to international disasters, monetary donations are fast and flexible, allowing humanitarian organizations to directly purchase what is needed on the ground, while also helping to stimulate the local economy.

This year, winning entries were selected among 128 submissions from 179 students spanning 16 universities and community colleges, in the categories of video, static image and GIF PSAs.

In the video category, the entry “Cash is for…” designed and produced by Eunice Sun placed third overall.

Sun, a Glendale resident, attends Arizona State University.