An Easy way to donate for Haiti releif efforts

Red Cross ^ | 01/14/2010 | Red Cross

[mpackard]

I dont know if this has been posted..... As a Katrina survivor I will tell you that the Red Cross and The Salvation Army were heros... You can text the word Haiti to 90999 to donate $10.00 to the relief efforts. I intend to donate much more than this but I found this to be a very convenient way to do something.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Thanks for posting this, mpackard. Personlly.....I don’t donate to the Red Cross for various reasons....but Salvation Army is always on my list.

[sionnsar]

I don’t donate to the Red Cross anymore. Mercy Corps, yes.

[fight_truth_decay]

Palin had put up the same text message $10 to the Red Cross on her web site as well.

[imskylark]

I always donate to World Vision.

[Skooz]

To donate to the Salvation Army Haiti Relief

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

I know someone associated with this charity. It is well established in Haiti and they do good work. My mother spoke with her, today, and she said that the org is located 200 miles from the epicenter and didn’t receive damage. They are currently receiving 30 orphans from Port-au-Prince. Check it out if you want:

http://www.haitione.org/

[JohnG45]

Didn’t the Red Cross skim off $250 million of what was specifically designated by donors for 9/11 relief (or was it Katrina)for future events?

After that, I don’t trust the Red Cross as far as I could throw them.

The Salvation Army, on the other hand, is top notch!

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Sincere thank you, Skooz.

[dblshot]

My company just announced it will match donations, Yeah!Announcement included this:
The 7.0 earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12 has caused a tremendous human tragedy. We encourage BG Americas & Global LNG employees to join together and contribute to help survivors receive emergency medical assistance and basic necessities. The region will match, on a one for one basis, all contributions up to $1,000 per employee, effectively doubling the value of your contribution. We recommend donations to the following organizations that have mobilized quickly to assist Haiti: • The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund. • UNICEF has issued a statement that “Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them.” UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti via their Haiti Earthquake Fund. • Mercy Corps is sending a team of emergency responders to assess damage and seeks to fulfill immediate needs of quake survivors. The agency aided families after earthquakes in Peru in 2007, China and Pakistan in 2008, and Indonesia last year. Donate online, call 1-888-256-1900 or send checks to Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund; Dept NR; PO Box 2669; Portland, OR 97208. • Doctors Without Borders is on the ground and has set up clinics to treat injured in Haiti. Donate any amount so they can keep their efforts going. • Oxfam is rushing in teams from around the region to respond to the situation to provide clean water, shelter, sanitation and help people recover. Donate to Oxfam America online. This is an opportunity for all of us as individuals as well as a region to help other human beings in need. Every dollar contributed will make a difference. Your support of Haiti in the country’s time of desperate need is greatly appreciated. Should you choose to contribute, please turn in the attached form with a copy of your receipt to Houston PCA so your donation can be applied toward the region’s match.

[sthtexaslady]

UMCor, United Methodist Church is good also. 100% of the monies is sent to the relief intended. I think the Catholic organization is also a good one but don’t know the name.

[BeAllYouCanBe]

I have been supporting this missionary for almost 12 years now and they are doing fantastic work.

Check his web site and give if you can.

http://www.jesusinhaiti.org/

[tahoeblue]

Yes - I remember the stories about the Red Cross taking a good percentage of disaster relief donations and putting them aside for use for later operations. They got a lot of flack for this, but I don’t know if they changed their policies.

It would be nice if anyone comes across a pointer to what the Red Cross is going to do with these donations, if they would post it.

[sionnsar]

Didn’t the Red Cross skim off $250 million of what was specifically designated by donors for 9/11 relief (or was it Katrina)for future events?
After that, I don’t trust the Red Cross as far as I could throw them.

That was my recollection too. I don't trust them anymore. Mercy Corps, World Vision, and Salvation Army, yes.

[ArrogantBustard]

Catholic Relief Services

[Sans-Culotte]

Yes - I remember the stories about the Red Cross taking a good percentage of disaster relief donations and putting them aside for use for later operations. They got a lot of flack for this, but I don’t know if they changed their policies.

I do not think they have changed. I logged onto their site to make a contribution, and did not see a specific Haiti donation option. They had one for "disasters, such as the Haiti earthquake", but the implication was that you are donating to a general fund that may or may not help Haiti.

[mpackard]

I believe that you can specify which of the disasters you want it to go for but the fact that they use the money for general operations didn’t matter a BIT to me when they were here helping in the aftermath of Katrina. When you need them they are there and that meant a lot to a lot of us.
I agree, though, that the Salvation Army is the best of the best. I just found this to be very easy and convenient.

[KosmicKitty]

I donated to my son’s church as they have a relationship directly to a church in Haiti so I know that they money is going straight to people in the position to assist those who ned it and not to anything or anyone else. People from the church have been doing mission trips to Haiti for several years. My son just got back from one last week!!

There was already a group of construction workers heading down there from the church to work on a school in Haiti, so now they’ll be going to do emergency repairs.

Haven’t thought too much of the Red Cross. The one in my immediate area is run by this woman who’s a witch with a “b”. She has personally alienated a number of people I know who do a lot of charity work.

[agooga]

MercyCorps is my agency too.

[Mrs.Z]

Franklin Graham’s SAMARITAN’S PURSE

my husband and I have volunteered with them in Galveston and after Katrina

they are the real deal

almost every dollar goes where it needs to go.

[TYVets]

We donate to The Salvation Army

[Grammy]

I have seen a lot of Red Cross bashing here the last few days, and as a volunteer for the Red Cross, I feel it is time for some new info for you all.

First of all, the Red Cross is made up of many many many small chapters around the country. These are chapters that organize the local volunteers, provide training to volunteers and the general public, (first aid and cpr training, babysitting training for teens, life saving for swimmers etc) and provide support for local disasters. The one I volunteer with is run by 3 people in the office and about 25 or 30 volunteers. In a large disaster we might have 100 volunteers.

The stated mission of the Red Cross, in addition to the public training, is to provide food, shelter and clothing to anyone involved in a disaster, and to provide relief in the form of water and snacks to first responders. This means we help *anyone*! There is no means testing, no background checks, no followup on who or what you are, no *loans* to pay back. We show up at a disaster, see what you need, and give it to you. Now! I had a house fire where the man sat in the car, in his bathrobe, and told me he had a million bucks worth of his wife’s jewelry burn up in that fire. But it was a Sunday morning, and he had no checks, no credit cards, no ID, not even any clothes to wear, other than what he had on. This man needed housing and clothing and food for he and his family of 6 for a few days until he could re-establish his life.

The very same criteria was used in an apartment fire, where we had multiple families who don’t have a million bucks worth of jewelry. They got food, clothing and shelter for a few days as well.

Disasters come in many shapes and sizes. We have house fires, floods, and in the last several years we have had several massive tornadoes that made hundreds of homes uninhabitable. The Red Cross established shelters for these people and handled a lot of the relief supplies that were donated to the victims. We assisted with long term housing for some, and we spent days driving through the area looking for victims or helpers, and we passed out food, cleaning supplies, gloves and the like. It was a massive amount of work, and many of us worked long hours for many days.

In addition, we also established shelters for the victims of Katrina and Gustaf. The shelter for the Katrina victims was open for months.

Now, when you see a statement about the Red Cross “skimming” money, keep in mind that we small counties rely on the National Chapter to help us with our budgets. On normal years our budget is usually adequate. However, when we have large disasters, or open shelters for national disasters, we need help!

Also, the national chapter organizes volunteers to travel to massive disasters.... such as the earthquake. They need to move the volunteers to the location, feed and house the volunteers, and also provide the relief supplies needed at the area of the disaster. That is not cheap! Did you know that last year the Red Cross had volunteers helping with the floods that were happening in the midwest? That was a weeks and weeks long project!

The other thing I like about the Red Cross is that it treats its clients like adults. They have a pre-determined amount of money we can give to a client to cover their food.... but, if you think the best thing you can do to help your 5 year old get over losing her home is to buy her a teddy bear, then go for it. We give you a debit card with a certain amount of money on it, and you may use it as you will. The only restrictions are that you may not buy tobacco, alcohol or firearms. That is how you heard of Katrina victims buying jewelry and such. If that keeps them warm during the next month, OK then. Personally, I think I would eat with it, or buy myself a winter coat.

[Toki]

Compassion in Jesus Name has huge presense in Haiti already. They are One of the top rated groups in Child Sponsoring I know of. They are accepting donations for this disaster and would ask anyone to give consideration tothem.

YOU can donate here .

[norton]

I very nearly hit the abuse button on this overt call for donations to the Red Cross.

The red cross gets absolutely zilch, nada, zero, from my pockets!

Period.

Posting directly from their site is real close to advocating one and only one bucket for donations - and I don't trust them to do anything other than to pay their own salaries.

The Salvation Army, yes.

Your church or another church's established charities, yes.

Obama's web site or the Red Cross's web site; no!
The money will never be used for Haitian relief.

Period.

PS: Haiti will be the same open latrine after the eathquake as it was before the earthquake, but you might feel better about it.

[palmer]

thanks for the Salvation Army link.

[palmer]

Thanks for the Catholic Relief Services link

[palmer]

I think you are confusing a few concepts here. There is no doubt some of the money texted to the Red Cross will end up paying for Haiti relief. But you are right that their salaries are high (top execs) and they have a keen sense of power and entitlement unlike the head of Salvation Army who I have read about. Giving to the Red Cross reinforces their power and secularism which is why I won't do it.

OTOH, you are probably right about Haiti, but that can't stop us from giving some immediate help. Over the long run the best help they can have is help throwing off the shackles of socialism.

[Red in Blue PA]

CRS is my favorite, 94 cents on the dollar!

[cherry]

I think you have to go with groups that have the exp.and that would be Red Cross,Catholic Relief Sercvices,Salvation Army, etc...

I would always trust any group you personally know about...ie: your church....

[cherry]

thx Gram...