GG_Britt

Thanks for your question! Educating yourself about what's going on and what nonprofits are doing good work on the ground is the first step. If you feel passionate about spreading awareness and correcting misinformation, supporting a group like Internews would be a great first step. See what they're doing here: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/internews-west-africa/

Donating miles usually varies depending on the airline you use. Here is an useful article about different airlines' policies: http://matadornetwork.com/change/5-ways-to-use-your-frequent-fler-miles-for-good/ You can check to see if your airline has a partnership with any of the groups responding to the emergency in West Africa. I've seen some airlines that partner with MSF and Save the Children, both of which are working on Ebola relief in West Africa.

Here's an interesting article about the importance of educating against misinformation: http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2014/sep/29/media-and-communications-the-first-line-of-defence-against-ebola

It is scary to think that Ebola could continue to spread, but you should not spend too much energy worrying. It may get worse before it gets better in West Africa. However, the US healthcare system has the strength to contain and control this virus, as compared to the health care systems in West Africa countries where the virus is spreading rapidly. While it's not impossible that additional cases will emerge, the CDC (and many other experts!) don't foresee a widespread epidemic in the US.

In many cases you'd have to donate through your airline, rather than through the nonprofit directly (although some nonprofits like More Than Me do allow you to donate directly!). For instance, it looks like Cathay Pacific allows you to donate miles to MSF: http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/about-us/community-relations/charitable-donations.html