Haiti Lifelines…
15
Jan
2010
by MjM
In an attempt to consolidate earlier posts, below is our updated list of organizations providing aid to Haiti. We would also like to remind you that there are some bad guys out there taking advantage of folks, so check in with Charity Navigator to make sure an organization is legit before you give.
Ken Berger, Charity Navigator CEO
>>> Texting Options:
- Text HAITI to 90999. $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill and given to the American Red Cross.
- Text CERF to 90999. $5 will be charged to your cell phone bill and given to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund.
- Text HAITI to 45678. $5 will be charged to your cell phone bill and given to The Salvation Army.
- Text QUAKE to 20222. $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill and given to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
- Text SAVE to 20222 (US Only). $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill and given to Save the Children.
>>> Twitter people/orgs/lists to follow for latest accurate updates:
- Wendy Harman of the Red Cross (also @redcross)
- Alison McQuade of Global Giving (also @globalgiving)
- @concern for Concern Worldwide
- @pih_org for Partners in Health
- @nprnews/haiti-earthquake (info gathered by NPR)
- @HaitiRecovery (info gathered by the New York Times)
- @TIME/haiti (infor gathered by Time)
>>> US and International Organizations
American Jewish World Service- dedicated to alleviating poverty, hunger and disease among the people of the developing world.
American Red Cross- pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake, and is prepared to take further action as local responders assess the situation.
AmeriCares- provides immediate response to emergency medical needs – and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs – for all people around the world.
Artists for Peace and Justice- supports an orphanage, medical clinics, street schools, and a pediatric hospital—the only free hospital serving the children of one of the largest slums in the western hemisphere.
Beyond Borders- working to coordinate their response with other organizations. If you have medical skills or the ability to translate from English or Spanish into Haitian Creole, they may be able to connect you with a group sending teams to Haiti.
CARE- leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty.
Catholic Relief Services- official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community of the United States.
Church World Service- working with partners in the U.S. and around the world to build interfaith and intercultural coalitions to eradicate hunger and poverty and promote peace and justice.
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund- for immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts.
Concern Worldwide- targeting extreme poverty.
Direct Relief International- provides medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people affected by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest at home and throughout the world.
Doctors Without Borders- international medical humanitarian organization.
Food for the Poor Haiti Earthquake Relief- providing emergency relief to earthquake victims.
GlobalGiving.org- providing emergency assistance and critical necessities including water, food, shelter, and medical care.
Haitian Health Foundation- provides health care, development, relief, and the hope of a future to more than 225,000 of the poorest people in over 100 rural mountain villages in southwestern Haiti.
Hope for Haiti- supporting education, nutrition, and healthcare programs.
International Medical Corps- relieves the suffering of those affected by war, natural disaster and disease, by delivering vital health care services that focus on training.
Madre- international women’s human rights organization.
Medical Teams International- has two disaster relief teams ready to go to Haiti. The first team leaves January 14. They are also are mobilizing shipments of medical supplies and distribution other emergency aid as needed.
Mercy Corps- exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.
International Relief Teams- dedicated to organizing volunteer teams to provide medical and non-medical assistance ot the victims of disaster and profound poverty worldwide.
Operation USA- helps communities at home and abroad overcome the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid.
Oxfam America- providing clean water, shelter, sanitation and helping people recover.
Partners in Health- bringing the benefits of modern medical science to those most in need and working to alleviate the crushing economic and social burdens of poverty that exacerbate disease.
The Salvation Army- preparing to send more than 44,000 lbs of pre-packaged emergency rations to the country, along with emergency disaster teams.
Samaritan’s Purse Haiti Earthquake Relief- dispatched a team just hours after the quake to help with water, shelter, medical care and other emergency needs.
Save the Children- with offices in Port-au-Prince, is racing to provide immediate life-saving assistance, such as food, water, shelter and child-friendly spaces.
UNICEF- provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more.
Water Missions International- provides clean, safe water to people in developing countries and disaster areas through a variety of technologies.
World Concern- provides emergency aid, medicine, clean water, food, education, and livelihood programs to refugees and survivors of war, extreme poverty, disease and famine – all around the globe.
World Vision- dedicated to working with children, families, and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.
>>> Facebook Groups and Pages
- Earthquake Haiti
- Haiti Earthquake!
- Support the Victims of the Earthquake in Haiti
- Help Haiti From Their 2010 Earthquake Disaster
- 2010 Haiti Earthquake
>>> The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747.
In addition, the International Committee of the Red Cross has set up a website to help locate family members.
So Much Done, So Much to Do…
15
Jan
2010
by MjM
Thank you.
There’s nothing else to say. You have all been magnificent in your response to the crisis in Haiti. The power of individuals coming together to form a specific community for a purpose has never been more clearly demonstrated. Over a million dollars raised via texting for Yele Haiti. Over EIGHT million dollars texted to the Red Cross. With millions more coming into the dozens of active non-profits in Haiti via websites and good old-fashioned passing the hat gatherings. Thank you. Well done.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Brian Williams reports from Port au Prince, Haiti
And the money just keeps coming – corporations, governments, celebrities, and good citizens just like you around the world – all continue to give.
Corporate America has really stepped up, donating money and materials to the cause. There was a million dollar smackdown going on among banks, as JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and Bank of America all pledged that amount to Haitian relief and recovery. Investment bank Jeffries Group also pledged $1 million and threw in Friday’s global commissions and some volunteered salaries to boot. Nicely played, sirs.
Meanwhile, #2 home improvement chain Lowes donated $1 million to the Red Cross, leaving #1 Home Depot looking a little, um, conservative, with their $100,000 pledge. Hopefully, some building materials might get loaded onto a plane soon, too.
The burning question for everyone, of course, is what about the celebrities!? Well, not to be outdone by a silly little international banking consortium, supermodel Gisele Bundchen donated a whopping $1.5 million to the Red Cross! Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Oprah, Sandra Bullock, and Ted Turner each pledged a million, while Madonna, Tyler Perry, and Lance Armstrong have pitched in $250,000 apiece for various organizations. Celebs like Alyssa Milano, Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, and Christina Applegate are banging the drum for donations using Twitter, Facebook, and public appeals. Probably the most well-known is that Wyclef Jean Yele Haiti campaign mentioned above. Ben Stiller’s StillerStrong was already raising money for a school in Haiti when the earthquake hit. For now, any donations received will go to emergency relief.
But what about the king of Hollywood, George Clooney? He led the way when the towers fell in 2001 by organizing a telethon to raise money for the victims and their families. He’ll be it again, this time on all the MTV networks (VH1, Comedy Central, and CMT) as well as on ABC,NBC, HBO, and CNN. The telethon is currently scheduled for January 22nd.
Finally, we want to remind you that America isn’t in this fight alone. Money is pouring in from all across the globe. Governments were quick to release funds for the effort. The United Kingdom and Brazil both pledged $10 million in relief funds. Canada is loading two warships, helicopters and planes with supplies, as well preparing to send a large relief and rescue force. And the United Nations has released $10 million in emergency funds.
Also:
Israel – two planes with a field hospital and around 220 emergency personnel.
Cuba – 30 doctors to join staff already operating field hospitals in Haiti.
Columbia, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela also promised help.
The people of the world are generous, too. More than £2 million (approx $3.25 million) has been donated online so far to the UK’s Disasters Emergency Committee, which supports numerous organizations including the British Red Cross, Save the Children, and Oxfam. The Canadian Red Cross has also received millions of dollars worth of donations. Relief organizations in every country, on every continent are benefiting from the generosity of their citizens.
So, three cheers for us!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!! But wait, there’s more.
This Sunday, we’re going to beat Mr. Clooney to the punch by having a telethon of our own. One by One Media, WS Radio, and Causemedia Group (Whatgives!? parent company) are joining forces for 24 hours beginning at 6:00pm PST on January 17th to help raise awareness and mo’ money, mo’ money, mo’ money for disaster aid. Jim Turner, leader of One By One Media, will host the Haiti Assistance Relief Telethon (HART). 
Please stay tuned, as the kids used to say. We’ll have updates soon about guests and ways you can give!
By the way, thanks again…
When it’s Time to Rebuild in Haiti…
13
Jan
2010
by MjM
Right now in Haiti, it’s all about crisis management. Help the injured, feed the displaced, provide clean drinking water, create temporary housing, restore order, make it through the morning, the day, the week. But soon – as soon as possible – it will be about rebuilding. In a country as poor as Haiti there is a huge risk that the old, unstable shacks that tumbled so fatally on Tuesday will be replaced by new, unstable shacks that are destined to be future death traps.
Unless someone steps in to change that pattern. Someone like Cameron Sinclair and his fellow professionals of Architecture for Humanity.
For over 10 years Sinclair and thousands of design, construction, and development professionals have been lending their expertise to reconstructing communities after a disaster. Now, they’re ready to do it again, this time in Haiti. Their partnership with Yele Haiti demonstrates their commitment to working from within the local communities. By joining with Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group they’ll ensure that design and construction efforts will include environmentally sound access to electricity, sanitation and clean water.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. They need money. Lots of money. And they’ll keep needing it for quite some time. So here’s a donation widget you need to copy and paste on your website or Facebook page (just click on “copy” and follow the instructions). The widget allows donors to click and donate directly to Architecture for Humanity through their PayPal account. Be sure to click on the ’share’ button to spread the word on your favorite social networks! Put it up. Leave it up. Remind your friends to remember to donate. Until everyone is home again.
