Help for the victims of the Haitian Earthquake

Haiti: Some Ways You Can Help
www.npr.org
On the NPR home page click on Relief: How to help

 

A local biz that is launching a relief effort: (from their Facebook page)Date:Sunday, January 24, 2010
Time:12:00pm - 9:00pm
Location:Bluz Brothers Pub and Grill

Description

Sunday Jan. 24th Bluz Brother's Pub and Grill will be donating 20% of all sales to the American Red Cross for the relief of the recent disaster in Haiti...

 

Most folks can use their cell phone with little effort:

Text HAITI to 90999, $10 goes directly to the Red Cross.
Text 590590 and give $5 to YELE - it's a Wyclef Organization

The biggest issue is donating to organizations that have feet or some type of infrastructure close to Port Au Prince.

We've already donated to organizations as many if not all have warehouse or already have man power in Haiti:

UniCef
Amensity International
Mission Vision
Catholic Charities
American Red Cross

This morning we sent another donation to the newly created Clinton/Bush Relief Fund...
http://clintonbushhaitifund.org/

My friend who's family runs an orphanage and mission just a few miles from Port Au Prince also recommended the following organization.

www.missionaryflights.org

From her 1st hand accounts it is beyond devastation, she said it's like multiple bombs went off in the Capital and the one thing the media can't covey to us is the horrible smell of the decaying bodies.

 

saw this article on Wyclef Jean's organization, seems to be a word of caution regarding this org:
http://www.sphere.com/nation/article/how-altruisic-is-wyclef-jeans-haiti-aid-organization-yele-haiti/19319231?icid=main|welcome|dl1|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sphere.com%2Fnation%2Farticle%2Fhow-altruisic-is-wyclef-jeans-haiti-aid-organization-yele-haiti%2F19319231

personally I would and have donated to the organizations with long track records such as Red Cross, Save Our Children, etc. Also, Clinton Foundation so far and will be to the Clinton/Bush Fund.

 

my biggest heart ache with donating to certain organizations is the % of the donation that ACTUALLY helps the people in need vs. the % that goes to admin costs of running the organization, mismanagement of the funds, etc.

i like knowing exactly how much goes to the needy folks and what the results are of all of the donations.

 

I agree with you to a point, if you are in a financial position to donate $ you want to make sure as much of your $ goes to relief vs a majority going to admin cost etc. However this morning CNBC & the FBI reported concerns for donors, specifically stating "be very careful donating to organizations who say 100% goes to relief, as this is an unrealistic #, as nearly all credible charitable orgs have some type of overhead/admin cost, so be extra cautious if a charity says 100% of proceeds will go to Haitian relief"

It's a shame to think people would scam the generous of heart, but an unfortunate reality.