Help the earthquake victims in Haiti

I know that I will get some flippant answers to this but I cannot be silent watching the unimaginable misery and devastation in Haiti after the horrible earthquake. Every little contribution and donation can help to save lives and to heal the wounds.

CNN has a page where you can pick an honest and trustable organization
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/


My trusted organization is doctors without borders
http://doctorswithoutborders.org/donate/otheroffices.cfm

but any other charity organization is just fine.  Only 5 $ might make a difference when enough people find it in their hearts to give.

[url=http://shelterbox.org/]http://shelterbox.org/[/url]
this one is one from Helston Cornwall [next village to where i live] and goes direct to the disaster areas so it doesnt get lost in red tape OR into other peoples pockets.they are currently sending supplies,with their own team to Haiti to help in the disaster area.

After seeing what happened with my (and others) donations during Katrina, I'll pass.  Why do people actually think that some charitable organization is going to take their $5 and put it to good use?  Has their ever been any proof that this has actually happened?

For example:
It was enlightening to meet a group of youngsters fresh from Katrina.  They came to Dallas with their $2000 and partied all night and all got tattoos.  Yes, that was money given to victims to help them through the worst natural disaster in US history.  Then came the headlines about the mismanagement of money given to the Red Cross.  There was so much pouring in, they didn't know what to do with it.  They didn't even report the correct amount to Uncle Sam and got into another pickle there.  The fifth ward still looks like a warzone, plus there are thousands of unoccupied, new Trailer Homes tied up in red tape some fifteen miles outside New Orleans... just sitting there.  The roaches that moved in have made themselves comfortable and some even have cable.

Remember about four years ago when it was discovered that The United Way launched a huge campaign to drum up donations.  60% of that money raised went to pay employees to raise the money in the first place!   Yet, they called themselves a non-profit organization and didn't have to pay taxes (but their employees did!!!).

So go ahead, send your five bucks.  I'll bet you five bucks it never makes it to Haiti.

And Joxer...  the airport's closed.  How is that food getting there?

[QUOTE](CNN) -- Twitter was buzzing Thursday morning with news that several airlines are flying doctors and nurses to Haiti free of charge to help with relief efforts there in the wake of Tuesday's devastating earthquake.
The only problem: The rumors are false, an American Airlines spokesman says.
"Last night's hoax on Twitter about American and JetBlue flying doctors and nurses to Haiti for free was just that -- a hoax. We don't know who is responsible, but it's a very low thing to do," airline spokesman Tim Smith said in e-mails sent Thursday.
Twitter users also circulated a rumor that UPS would ship for free any package under 50 lbs. to Haiti. In a blog post Wednesday on UPS's Web site, a spokeswoman debunked the rumor and said that destruction of Haiti's roads and communications networks "means our own shipping services to Haiti are on hold." [/QUOTE]

See?

[QUOTE]

[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]

After seeing what happened with my (and others) donations during Katrina, I'll pass.  Why do people actually think that some charitable organization is going to take their $5 and put it to good use?  Has their ever been any proof that this has actually happened?

For example:
It was enlightening to meet a group of youngsters fresh from Katrina.  They came to Dallas with their $2000 and partied all night and all got tattoos.  Yes, that was money given to victims to help them through the worst natural disaster in US history.  Then came the headlines about the mismanagement of money given to the Red Cross.  There was so much pouring in, they didn't know what to do with it.  They didn't even report the correct amount to Uncle Sam and got into another pickle there.  The fifth ward still looks like a warzone, plus there are thousands of unoccupied, new Trailer Homes tied up in red tape some fifteen miles outside New Orleans... just sitting there.  The roaches that moved in have made themselves comfortable and some even have cable.

Remember about four years ago when it was discovered that The United Way launched a huge campaign to drum up donations.  60% of that money raised went to pay employees to raise the money in the first place!   Yet, they called themselves a non-profit organization and didn't have to pay taxes (but their employees did!!!).

So go ahead, send your five bucks.  I'll bet you five bucks it never makes it to Haiti.

And Joxer...  the airport's closed.  How is that food getting there?  [/QUOTE] via the US Navy in Florida

I'm not going to tell you what charity you should donate to, but I hope this link helps.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

This website is a charity watchdog group that rates different charities in terms of efficiency, and how much money goes directly to the programs instead of fund raising and administrative expenses.

[QUOTE]

[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]

After seeing what happened with my (and others) donations during Katrina, I'll pass.  Why do people actually think that some charitable organization is going to take their $5 and put it to good use?  Has their ever been any proof that this has actually happened?

For example:
It was enlightening to meet a group of youngsters fresh from Katrina.  They came to Dallas with their $2000 and partied all night and all got tattoos.  Yes, that was money given to victims to help them through the worst natural disaster in US history.  Then came the headlines about the mismanagement of money given to the Red Cross.  There was so much pouring in, they didn't know what to do with it.  They didn't even report the correct amount to Uncle Sam and got into another pickle there.  The fifth ward still looks like a warzone, plus there are thousands of unoccupied, new Trailer Homes tied up in red tape some fifteen miles outside New Orleans... just sitting there.  The roaches that moved in have made themselves comfortable and some even have cable.

Remember about four years ago when it was discovered that The United Way launched a huge campaign to drum up donations.  60% of that money raised went to pay employees to raise the money in the first place!   Yet, they called themselves a non-profit organization and didn't have to pay taxes (but their employees did!!!).

So go ahead, send your five bucks.  I'll bet you five bucks it never makes it to Haiti.

And Joxer...  the airport's closed.  How is that food getting there?  [/QUOTE]
     I'll bet [i]you[/i] five bucks your real name is Ebenezer Scrooge!

[QUOTE]
via the US Navy in Florida
[/QUOTE]

The port is closed, as well.  Actually, there's not much of it left.  And you're saying our military is arranging this deal?!?

Hope they didn't send milk or eggs.

[url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/14/haiti.us.aid/index.html?hpt=T2]uh-oh.[/url]

See?  Here we go again!!!  Bush was at the football game, you can't blame him this time!!!

[QUOTE]

[b]Micrówave wrote: [/b]

[QUOTE]
via the US Navy in Florida
[/QUOTE]

The port is closed, as well.  Actually, there's not much of it left.  And you're saying our military is arranging this deal?!?

Hope they didn't send milk or eggs.

[/QUOTE] Shelterbox are sending aid like tents and supplies but not food [as far as i am aware]

1. I was not talking about bogus emails with fake charity addresses or twitter rubbish. I am talking about donating to well established and trustworthy relief organizations.

2. It's true that the late and insufficient response to the Katrina devastation was an embarrassment for the USA. International organizations usually do not give money to the victims, they send drinking water facilities, medication, food, mobile hospitals, search and rescue teams etc.  The situation in Haiti is so terrible because the capital was destroyed, the airport was partly destroyed, there is virtually no usable infrastructure and the UN headquarter was destroyed, too. As Mr. Jingles pointed out, there are links to trustable charities which will accept your donations und use them efficiently. The shelter box seems to be a great idea, too.

3. To say that donations are useless because of 2 or 3 people wasted their relief money in the USA after Katrina is like telling us that it's useless to care about our children because  some kids become criminals although they had an education. It's the rule that coiunts and not the exception. To see the cruel pictures from Haiti and discuss about mismanagement in the Red Cross USA years ago is the wrong answer imo. Now the people need water, food, shelter, medical help and a chance to bury their dead.

Regarding reputable organizations... if you've donated to a specific charity in the past and trust them, they probably have a specific 'donate now' button for this tragedy. I trust Save the Children and while I know my dollars won't go directly to the people (since cash isn't really what they need at the moment anyway), I also know (believe) it will be spent in ways that will help them. Twenty in my pocket? Or twenty out there with a chance to help? I'll take my chances.

for those that are interested i am posting updates from Shelterbox on my facebook,theyve just got their first delivery to Haiti and are setting up camps for the refugees but they still need support from donations as these supplies are not cheap.

I've been donating to "Doctors Without Borders", and it seems they make quite a good job. I guess Oxfam and Red Cross are very good calls too. These org. have both the skill and the experience needed to make a difference on the ground. But trying to get your own government engaged is also very important - Haiti is in bad need of machinery, security and infra-structure in general, i.e, things and services which governments are usually more apt to provide than NGOs.

We're talking about a death toll of probably 100.000 people or more, and things tend to get worse as time passes.

It's a very sad tragedy.

Its devastating watching the news. Obviously if your going to donate monies you should only donate though a registered charity.  Red Cross, World Vision to name a few.
I'm proud that my country is really pulling together and doing their part in this terrible disaster. The Canadian government is matching dollar for dollar to what ever is donated by the general public. They've also sent in the Canadian military airplane "Hercules"  to fly the 6000 Canadians that were living there out. DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team) is heading in to provide drinking water and medical treatment.