A Disaster in Haiti and How You Can Help

[Bill Mattocks]

Note: Full text quoted here - this is US Govt text and is therefore always public domain and free to quote in full.

http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/entry/disaster_haiti

A Disaster in Haiti and How You Can Help

Posted by Cheryl D. Mills / January 12, 2010
About the Author: Cheryl Mills serves as the Counselor and Chief of Staff to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Earlier today, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck Haiti. Reports are still coming in, but it appears that many schools, hospitals and other buildings have collapsed, adding more suffering to an already impoverished nation, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Reports continue to pour in from all over and we are extending all our thoughts and prayers to those who have been affected.

As Secretary Clinton said earlier, the U.S. government will offer assistance to Haiti and others in the region in the form of civilian and military disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.

For those interested in helping immediately, simply text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill.

Or you can go online to organizations like the Red Cross and Mercy Corps Mercy Corps to make a contribution to the disaster relief efforts.

The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747. We'll provide more details and opportunities to help as we learn more. To stay up-to-date, follow us on state.gov.

 

[Omar B]

I'm doing my part over here. My wife's mother and brother have lived there for the past couple years or so. The little lady's been going crazy since last night. Turns out that they were actually in Santo Domingo for a few days and are safe across the border.

 

[shesulsa]

As posted on another thread, here is a list MSNBC compiled of reputable charities and aid agencies:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34835478/ns/world_news-haiti_earthquake/

 

[Deaf Smith]

Try the Catholic Church. They do much good work there and you skip the government ripoff. Many of the orphanages are run by the Catholic Church there.

Deaf

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Try the Catholic Church. They do much good work there and you skip the government ripoff. Many of the orphanages are run by the Catholic Church there.

Deaf

I'm a member of the Knights of Columbus. We're on it.

 

[Carol]

Catholic Relief Services has set up an emergency page for relief in Haiti, in case anyone is interested:

https://secure.crs.org/site/Donation2?df_id=3181&3181.donation=form1

 

[Deaf Smith]

I'm a member of the Knights of Columbus. We're on it.

Bill, I'm Catholic and so is my wife (who, long story, was raised Luthern, later no religion, later various christian religions, and now a full Catholic for several years... and without any prodding from me.)

One of my best friends from college days, in Lufkin Texas, a 4th Dan TKD, is big in the Knights there.

Gland you guys are on it. Tomorrow at Church I'm sure there will be an appeal, and we will give.

Deaf

 

[Bill Mattocks]

Bill, I'm Catholic and so is my wife (who, long story, was raised Luthern, later no religion, later various christian religions, and now a full Catholic for several years... and without any prodding from me.)

One of my best friends from college days, in Lufkin Texas, a 4th Dan TKD, is big in the Knights there.

Gland you guys are on it. Tomorrow at Church I'm sure there will be an appeal, and we will give.

Deaf

http://www.kofc.org/eb/en//index.html

The Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus has sent a donation of $50,000 in earthquake relief funds to Catholic Relief Services, which has a large presence in Haiti. Damage from Tuesday afternoon’s 7.0 earthquake is widespread, and officials now say that hundreds of thousands of people may have perished under the rubble of thousands of collapsed buildings. Among the dead is Catholic Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince, whose body was found in the ruins of his office. The Knights of Columbus will earmark all donations between now and the end of January to its United in Charity Fund for earthquake relief in Haiti. Donate here.

 

[Carol]

For anyone interested, Salesforce.com (a company that makes a browser-based customer contact management system) is doubling anyone's donation to WorldVision or the American Red Cross made through the links on their page. The company has allotted US$250,000 for matching donations.

http://www.salesforce.com/haiti/