Haitian Earthquake Relief

Jan 13

If you keep up with the news, then you already know that a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, January 12th.  CNN’s ticker scroll is saying that the death toll could possibly be 50,000+ thus far, and could reach 100,000+.

Having said that, if you’re looking for reputable organizations to donate money, clothing, etc. to the Haitian Earthquake Relief, then this information is for you:

  • Yele Haiti is sponsored by prominent Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean. You can donate through its website or via text message.  Wyclef is urging all of his followers on Twitter to text “Yele” to the number 501501. If you send the text, the organization will receive $5. The amount will be added to your next cell phone bill. Consider retweeting Wyclef’s updates and get some of your Twitter followers to donate, too.
  • American Red Cross is also using texts to raise donations.  You can text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti.
  • AmeriCares has pledged $5 million to Haitian quake relief, and is soliciting donations to a general emergency disaster relief fund to help it accomplish that.
  • CARE is sending relief workers into the city of Port-au-Prince and needs funds to support its efforts. Suggested donations range from $50 to $1,000, but you can name your own amount if you prefer.
  • Catholic Relief Services has an office in Haiti, and luckily it’s still standing even though one of its neighbors collapsed. The organization is accepting donations of any amount.
  • Direct Relief International has committed up to $1 million in aid through two on-the-ground partners, and is sending containers of medical material aid.
  • Oxfam has 200 people on the ground to deal with the crisis, and began its efforts by trying to get clean water to victims of the quake. One of its staffers recorded a podcast describing the situation. You can donate on the American or UK site, depending on where you’re located.
  • Google Support Disaster Relief is a website Google has updated to respond to the crisis. Google has promised $1 million in support, but the site is also an easy place to donate money to either UNICEF or CARE. It also provides hospital addresses and links to sources for news on the situation.