Haiti Earthquake Relief - How You Can Help

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has devastated Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.  As of 8:30 pm on January 13, 2010, CNN is reporting a death toll in excess of 100,000.  Please consider making a donation to one of these organizations to help them provide disaster relief and follow up medical and basic needs assistance to the victims of the earthquake.

American Red Cross 

You can text “Haiti” to 90999 and donate $10 to the American Red Cross. This organization is the nation's premier emergency response organization. They offer neutral humanitarian care to the victims of devastating natural disasters.  As of Wednesday evening, January 13, their website is reporting this: “The Red Cross is contributing an initial $1 million from the International Response Fund to support the relief operation, and has opened its warehouse in Panama to provide tarps, mosquito nets and cooking sets for approximately 5,000 families. In addition to Red Cross staff already in Haiti, six disaster management specialists are being deployed to the disaster zone to help coordinate relief efforts. At this time, the American Red Cross is only deploying volunteers specially trained to manage international emergency operations.”

Oxfam America

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization.  It has long experience in Haiti.  According to their website on the evening of January 13, Oxfam has 200 staff on-the-ground responding with public health, water, and sanitation services to prevent the spread of disease in the affected areas.  Your support will help provide clean water, shelter, sanitation, and the longer term recovery.

Partners in Health
Partners in Health uses modern medical science to help alleviate the crushing economic and social burdens of poverty that exacerbate disease.  It’s website reports as of 4:00 pm on January 13 the following: “At the moment, PIH’s Chief Medical Officer is on her way to Haiti, where she will meet with Zanmi Lasante leadership and head physicians, who are already working to ensure PIH’s coordinated relief efforts leveraging the skills of more than 120 doctors and nearly 500 nurses and nursing assistants who work at Zanmi Lasante’s sites.” You support will help procure emergency medical supplies, basic needs assistance, transportation and logistics for the victims of the quake who will be seeking aid at PIH’s mobile field hospitals in Port-au-Prince.

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders is an international medical humanitarian organization providing aid in nearly 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from healthcare, or natural disasters.  According to their website this evening, they are reporting this:  "The situation is chaotic," said one senior staff. "I visited five medical centers, including a major hospital, and most of them were not functioning. Your support will provide emergency medical care for victims of the quake.