Haiti's Earthquake: 1 Week Later.

[mckitterick]

In Haiti, more than 200,000 are confirmed dead while many millions are injured, hungry, thirsty, and homeless. Let's keep the aid flowing, because the need won't end any time soon. In fact, things are getting worse as food and water run out. I hope others would do the same for me.

Here's a list of places to donate. Here's the US gov't list of aid agencies (my favorite at the moment is the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, because it gives 100% of donations straight to need (overhead is funded by the ex-prezs' foundations, I believe).

EDIT: Here's a great charity evaluator site to help weed through your options.

As always, remember that those easy-to-use cell-phone donation programs cost more than website donations, because there's one more intermediary sucking down some of the donation (credit-card company + cell-phone company), and the agency doesn't get the money until the phone company pays - usually after you pay your bill - so direct donations reach your chosen cause faster, too.

Chris

Comments

[affreca.livejournal.com]

There's also something to be said for charities that were established in Haiti prior to the earthquake, such as MSF or Partners in Health.

For evaluating giving, I recommend checking out Charity Navigator to get a sense of how charities spend their money.

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip!

[jjschwabach.livejournal.com]

Medical supplies remain a serious problem. At lunch, I overheard a doctor in a field hospital (on TV, that is) saying at the current pace of treating patients, she had enough supplies to last 12 more hours. Four, by the time I posted this.

At MSF, there's a breakdown of what your money buys. (I mention them because so much of what they buy *is* medical supplies.)

Whatever you can afford to give, whatever charity you favor, give. Seriously.
$10, $20 -- it doesn't have to be a huge amount. A huge amount would be nice, if you can afford it, of course. Save a life tonight...

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Thanks for spreading the word.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Others DID do the same for New Orleans, but the Bushies dumped the foreign food supplies.

Yes, outrageous, stupid, evil ....

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Seriously?

They were even worse than I recalled.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. Google "hurricane katrina destroyed food aid shipments" for what remains of the reporting.

[bammba-m.livejournal.com]

According to our PolioPlus people, we get all of the $5 from the text donations. Every cent, and it's instantaneous. You get charged on your next bill, and if you don't have a text plan, you get hit with a fee for sending the text. I don't know this to be fact, this is what our fund raising folks told me. Even if they don't get the whole $5, it's still easier for folks who might not otherwise make a donation.

Also, none of those sites mention Rotary (or Shelterbox), which is a testament to how crappy the organization is at PR. (Here's a link to more on what RI is doing: http://www.rotary.org/en/Contribute/WaysToGive/Announcements/Pages/100114_announce_HaitiReliefFund.aspx)

[mckitterick.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info - good to know!

[roya-spirit.livejournal.com]

Chris: Text donations processes have changed, and some companies are sending the full donation immediately. I found that info here.

My phone provider, Verizon, is one of them that is sending the amount immediately. I would suggest everyone checks for themselves, but regardless if the money gets there now or later, it will still be needed.