Haiti Giving Guide
There are a lot of resources on the web to help you give wisely to the devastation in Haiti. I have brought together all the reliable information I could find so that you can see it all in one place. If you are able to give that is wonderful, I want to help make sure your money is put in the right hands.
Giving Tips
As outlined on Charity Navigator.
- Avoid Newly-Formed Charities and Give To An Established Charity That Has Worked In Haiti. – Find a charity with a good reputation. New charities may not be capable of dealing with the Haiti situation. So, don’t give your money to the first charity you see. Make sure they are legit and effective.
- DO NOT GIVE To The Haitian Government
- Designate Your Investment – Don’t count on your chosen charity to use the money in the way you want. Be sure to specify the Haiti disaster.
- Do Not Send Supplies – You may be tempted to send a care package, do not. The infrastructure needed to handle packages from outside of the country is not functioning and you would be wasting your time and money. If you are going to give, give cash to a reliable charity.
- Be Careful Of Email Solicitations– Sadly, in a time of crises there are people out there trying to get their own piece of the pie. People are willing to give and people are willing to take, even if they don’t need it. Basically, do not reply to any emails you receive and do not open any attachments in the emails. If you don’t know the sender, delete it. Resist the urge! How could they have access to a computer? Delete it!
You can read the full article at Charity Navigator.
Who To Give To?
Charities Providing Relief with star rating from Charity Navigator.
Hope for Haiti Children’s Center
International Orthodox Christian Charities
Medical Benevolence Foundation
Saint Boniface Haiti Foundation
United Methodist Committee on Relief
American Refugee Committee International
Other Ways to Give
A great way to donate is through text messages. Huffington Post reports that Americans have given more than $9 million via text messages. It makes sense, it’s a quick and easy way to show you’re support.
Please note, these donations will not go into immediate effect. They can take up to 90 days to be put to use. However, these organizations will be involved with Haiti far beyond 90 days and your money will be be put to good use in Haiti.
Haiti Text-To-Give Numbers, via Gigaom and Mobile Giving Insider
•Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross
•Text HAITI to 25383 to donate $5 to International Rescue Committee
•Text HAITI to 45678 to donate $5 to the Salvation Army in Canada
•Text YELE to 501501 to donate $5 to Yele
•Text HAITI to 20222 to donate $10 through the Clinton Foundation
•Text HAITI to 864833 to donate $5 to The United Way
•Text CERF to 90999 to donate $5 to The United Nations Foundation
•Text DISASTER to 90999 to donate $10 to Compassion International
•Text RELIEF to 30644 (this will connect you with Catholic Relief Services and instruct you to donate money with your credit card)
For even more information, Huffington Post has a great article on how you can help Haiti. You can also stay posted via Twitter. As always, Americans pour out their pockets when a crises occurs. It is fantastic to see so many people wanting to help people they don’t know and will never meet. That is great but please do it responsibly and ensure your money is going to an honest and reliable charity.
My prayers go out to the families affected by this tragedy.
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Haiti and the Spirit of Giving
about 1 month ago - No comments
Giving, it’s the American Way.
Whenever tragedy strikes the benevolence of the American people always pours out. The world media may paint an ugly picture or America but when it comes down to it we are willing to put our words into action. We may be a politically split nation but one thing is common among most Americans; [...]