It's nice to send your "thoughts and prayers", but it's more effective to send immediate concrete help, and ...money can help a lot.
Sending clothes, toys, etc. can wait.
Right now, the desperate Haitian earthquake survivors need "Urban Search and Rescue" teams, WATER, FOOD (especially UN-type high-energy biscuits that require no cooking), and MEDICAL ATTENTION.
I've just donated $10 to the American Red Cross – charged to my cell phone bill –
by texting "HAITI" to "90999."
Please help the people of Haiti!
It's not much, but it sure adds up quickly.
From the American Red Cross, today:
"We have received more than $3 million as of 9 a.m. EST – through a third party mobile fundraising effort to support our relief efforts in Haiti.
100% of the donations will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.
- The mobile fundraising effort launched on January 12, approximately three hours after the earthquake struck Haiti. The program is powered by Mobile Accord and the MGive Foundation in coordination with the U.S. State Department as part of its ongoing support of this disaster response.
- We are grateful this mobile fundraising opportunity, and for the support of the State Department and other government leaders to draw attention to this important program (and thousands of tweeters!)
- The needs in Haiti are tremendous and we want to thank the people who continue to donate and help the American Red Cross meet that need. Raising this amount of money $10 at a time is a true testament to the American spirit.
- People who want to help those affected by the Haitian earthquake can also make a donation to the American Red Cross International Response Fund at Redcross.org or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS.
- Donors using this technology may opt in to receive future updates, but will not be solicited again without this consent nor will their personal information be shared with other organizations.
- An average of 91 cents of every dollar the American Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs."
From my county (Fairfax County, Virginia, USA):
"VATF1 Deploys to Haiti January 13, 2010  |
Virginia Task Force 1 (VATF-1), Fairfax County's urban search and rescue team was activated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Tuesday evening, January 12, 2010, to the earthquake near Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The task force is composed of 72 personnel, 6 search and rescue canines, search and technical rescue personnel, physicians, paramedics, structural engineers, other support personnel, and approximately 48 tons of rescue equipment and supplies. The team is self-sustaining for approximately 14 days. The task force left from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department’s Academy at 8:15 a.m., January 13, 2010. The team will depart from Dulles International Airport late morning today. The task force deployed to the Haitian town of Petionville, near the capital of Port-au-Prince for a school collapse in November of 2008. The task force has also deployed nationally to the Oklahoma City Bombing, The Pentagon, Hurricanes Katrina and Isabel. Additionally, they have deployed internationally to the bombing in Kenya, earthquakes in Turkey, Taiwan, and Iran. Additionally, as a part of the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, the task force maintains constant operational readiness, and is a local resource for residents of Fairfax County." Thank you, and best wishes to everybody! |
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