EASY way to help Haiti [merged]

[Jestjoan]

Check out Charity Navigator Ratings

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

Red Cross gets 3 out of 4 stars. The CEO makes $565,000.

 

[DeniseM]

Call me jaded, but I would hesitate to send money without knowing who I am sending the money to, and what they will do with it. I know that after Katrina, there were scammers who collected money from people who thought they were donating to a good cause.

The 501501 number is for the Yele Foundation and their website is brand new. The donation is $5. Yele Foundation - more info. It seems to be sponsored by Wycleff Jean who seems to be a rapper or singer from Haiti.

Note that this foundation is now being criticized in the press for the way they are handling/using funds.

 

[Rose Pink]

And now Haiti has had another serious aftershock. Those poor people! From what I've read, delivery of aid has been a serious issue. The supplies (which aren't enough to begin with) aren't getting in. Planes are being turned away.

 

[ScoopKona]

The problem with Haiti is that anything sent there will end up in the hands of the corrupt governing class. The poor will die by the tens or even hundreds of thousands, while the rich find a way to further enrich themselves from the charity of the world.

I will not waste my money. It will be a lot like Bob Geldof's 1980s mission to help Ethiopia. Everything ended up in the Ethiopian army's hands.

 

[Rose Pink]

The problem with Haiti is that anything sent there will end up in the hands of the corrupt governing class. The poor will die by the tens or even hundreds of thousands, while the rich find a way to further enrich themselves from the charity of the world.

I will not waste my money. It will be a lot like Bob Geldof's 1980s mission to help Ethiopia. Everything ended up in the Ethiopian army's hands.

Except that many of them are missing and dead. Apparently, part of the problem is no governing infrastructure as these people are dead. The US Marines have landed--my neighbor's son may be one of them.

 

[Patri]

100% of donations given to Lions Club International for Haiti will go to relief. They use interest from investments to pay administrative costs.

 

[Janette]

The United Methodist Committee On Relief(UMCOR) is one of the organizations whose administrative fees are paid by the United Methodist Church, therefore your money goes straight for relief. In addition to money, we are making gallon bags with a hand towel, wash cloth, comb, toothbrush, nail clippers, 6 adhesive bandages, soap, and $1 for tooth paste. They buy the toothpaste as some countries limit which products can come into the country. These kits have been used in many disaster areas and have been tested to make sure they are getting the supplies that are most critical. You can contact any Methodist church for more info. This isn't a religious ad, just a way to help.

 

[ricoba]

The United Methodist Committee On Relief(UMCOR) is one of the organizations whose administrative fees are paid by the United Methodist Church, therefore your money goes straight for relief. In addition to money, we are making gallon bags with a hand towel, wash cloth, comb, toothbrush, nail clippers, 6 adhesive bandages, soap, and $1 for tooth paste. They buy the toothpaste as some countries limit which products can come into the country. These kits have been used in many disaster areas and have been tested to make sure they are getting the supplies that are most critical. You can contact any Methodist church for more info. This isn't a religious ad, just a way to help.

Again, this isn't a religious ad, just another endorsement of UMCOR.

I donated as well to UMCOR this past Sunday in church. You are right it gets a very good rating on Charity Navigator, for its low expenses since almost all of the money goes directly to the relief versus administrative costs.

Were you aware that two UMCOR executives were killed in the earthquake? One, died in the rubble of the Hotel Montana and a second died of his injuries also sustained in the hotel collapse, though he was rescued, died in a FL hospital.

Whether folks donate to religious or non-religious groups is up to them. I am just heartened and thankful that there has been a great outpouring of giving across the country and by many here on TUG.

 

[ScoopKona]

100% of donations given to Lions Club International for Haiti will go to relief. They use interest from investments to pay administrative costs.

100% may go to Haiti, but I have absolutely no confidence whatsoever that more than 10% ends up in the hands of the people in need. The bulk of the aid and the money will go to people with the machine guns.

Haiti has been a failed state for so long, the only direction that country can go is up.

 

[Patri]

What in the world does that mean? How ridiculous.

 

[DCTraveler]

100% Relief Money to Haiti

I plan to donate to Lutheran World Relief.

The Lutheran Church of American is the best site -- 100% goes to relief that is combined with lots of volunteer workers. My own church already has a "sister" church and orphanage that we help. Luckily since we (read Americans) build the buildings there was no loss of life with the earthquake. Here is the web-site.

https://community.elca.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=538

Thanks!

 

[DCTraveler]

100% may go to Haiti, but I have absolutely no confidence whatsoever that more than 10% ends up in the hands of the people in need. The bulk of the aid and the money will go to people with the machine guns.

Haiti has been a failed state for so long, the only direction that country can go is up.

See my message about the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and donating -- they PERSONALLY take things and money down there to do good and it doesn't get a portion removed for the corrupt government or other individuals.

 

[ScoopKona]

See my message about the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America and donating -- they PERSONALLY take things and money down there to do good and it doesn't get a portion removed for the corrupt government or other individuals.

If the boat full of relief from the ELC of A is intercepted at the dock by a gang of thugs with machine guns, it won't go to the people in need. That's what I think is going to happen to the bulk of the donations.

The US military can't oversee the entire country. Even if they could, Haitians will not accept a foreign military force maintaining civil order. We'll have Somalia II in a matter of weeks.

When I was living in Key West, people would personally sail supplies over to Port au Prince just because it was a fun sail and a nice thing to do. Goodwill clothes, slightly expired canned goods and medicines were the cargo of choice. I never did a sail to Haiti, but I did to other islands. It quickly became apparent that people who sail to Haiti do so at their own peril. It is a lawless place where the strong exploit the weak.

And right now, Haiti is in the midst of a power vacuum. You couldn't pay me to go there. Not for $1 billion would I set foot on the Western half of Hispaniola.

Keep in mind, the Dominican Republic, while not perfect, would not be experiencing anything like Haiti. There would be order, and relief would flow immediately -- at first from the local and provincial government and then from the national and international communities. That's how it's supposed to work. (EDIT -- and the two countries share the island.)

We're heading into a hornets nest, I fear. I hope I'm wrong. But I doubt it.

 

[lvhmbh]

Our timeshare in Aruba has a number of Haitian employees and we are donating our money directly to their families. It seems so far away that you feel bad but when you read, as I did, that one of our employees lost all five of his family members it hits home. This man always had such a big smile on his face (I see him every day when there).

 

[Charlie D.]

Because there are a few thugs around, screw ‘em all?? I don’t think so. These were poor people who did not ask for this.

Charlie D.

 

[Glynda]

Hope....

Because there are a few thugs around, screw ‘em all?? I don’t think so. These were poor people who did not ask for this.

Charlie D.

I agree we need to help. Getting the money and supplies into the hands of those deserving people is difficult, however. I hope they've found a direct and organized way.

DH is flying into the DR next week, I'm not sure if he's going into Haiti. For years now, when he travels to Port au Prince, he usually has to have an armed body guard driver and a follow car with two armed body guards. The follow car has to protect both him and protect the first car so that when they go into places they won't find it stripped down by the time they come out. When traveling to the other plants, he is flown in by helicopter and set down behind the fence. Kidnapping for ransom in Haiti has become a frequent occurance. It's happened to his company as well as his competitors'. Hopefully, it won't happen to any of the relief workers.

 

[ScoopKona]

For years now, when he travels to Port au Prince, he usually has to have an armed body guard driver and a follow car with two armed body guards.

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Kidnapping for ransom in Haiti has become a frequent occurance. It's happened to his company as well as his competitors'. Hopefully, it won't happen to any of the relief workers.

And now all those thugs and kidnappers with machine guns are starving. I think much of the US has no idea how bad things were in Haiti before the earthquake.

If the earthquake had leveled Mogadishu, Somalia, we would be taking more precautions sending relief because we know how violent that country is. Haiti is Somalia II.

 

[Glynda]

Haiti

Originally Posted by Glynda
For years now, when he travels to Port au Prince, he usually has to have an armed body guard driver and a follow car with two armed body guards.

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Kidnapping for ransom in Haiti has become a frequent occurance. It's happened to his company as well as his competitors'. Hopefully, it won't happen to any of the relief workers.

And now all those thugs and kidnappers with machine guns are starving. I think much of the US has no idea how bad things were in Haiti before the earthquake.

If the earthquake had leveled Mogadishu, Somalia, we would be taking more precautions sending relief because we know how violent that country is. Haiti is Somalia II.

Yet that still doesn't stop me from contributing and hoping it gets to the people who need it.

I think we all know that Haiti is a poor country and that with poverty comes crime and the needy are victims of it as well. Perhaps it's taken this catastrophe and media coverage to realize how desperate they are. I'm surprised at the time it's taken to get help and supplies in there. One would think after Katrina we would have learned how to deploy faster.

Haiti is not the only place where visiting executives need guards and bullet proof vehicles to prevent robbery and kidnapping. Mexico and Honduras and other Central American countries come to mind as well.

 

[Jestjoan]

Credit card companies

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/15/credit-card-companies-wai_n_425364.html

 

[caribbeansun]

Perhaps, and I had my own reservations initially about donating because of that however in the end I felt that even if only 10% of what I gave made it those in need that's better than 0%.

Better to try and fail than to not have tried at all.

And now all those thugs and kidnappers with machine guns are starving. I think much of the US has no idea how bad things were in Haiti before the earthquake.

If the earthquake had leveled Mogadishu, Somalia, we would be taking more precautions sending relief because we know how violent that country is. Haiti is Somalia II.

 

[Zac495]

Please, please donate and help. There will always be those who say it's hopeless to help - but it's never hopeless as long as we're alive and breathing. Let's try. That's all we can do. And trying to help is good for your soul.

 

[ScoopKona]

Perhaps, and I had my own reservations initially about donating because of that however in the end I felt that even if only 10% of what I gave made it those in need that's better than 0%.

Better to try and fail than to not have tried at all.

I am hardly a miser or hard hearted, but I will not give to Haiti relief for the same reason I do not give money to panhandlers. Haiti is a failed state, and until the Haitians pull themselves up by their bootstraps and put a government in place that's slightly better than "criminal," I think it is a waste of resources.

 

[Jaybee]

I was going to recommend Charity Navigator, but I see someone beat me to it. http://www.charitynavigator.org/
I sent our donation to Doctors Without Borders.
I'm still seething at how little all the bazillions people donated to Katrina accomplished. No one can convince me that most, or even a lot of that money ended up actually helping those people. I still have a vivid picture in my mind of all the people wading to the freeway overpass, and just sitting there waiting for somebody to come help them. I think I'd have been trying to figure out a way out of that mess. That is beside the point, I know, but our natural instinct is to help...and that is good, but be careful who you are helping.

 

[Zac495]

I am hardly a miser or hard hearted, but I will not give to Haiti relief for the same reason I do not give money to panhandlers. Haiti is a failed state, and until the Haitians pull themselves up by their bootstraps and put a government in place that's slightly better than "criminal," I think it is a waste of resources.

Scoop, many years ago I visited Haiti- -it was a port from a cruise. I didn't really see the depths of it, but I saw enough. I went to a make-shift shopping area where the poor people were selling their wares. I bought this and that - feeling so bad for these beautiful, yet desperate people. And then I bought enough and was ready to return to my cruise ship.

And there was a woman - so thin she fit in a doll's chair - and she didn't get up, but she held out a little doll and said, "5 dollars." I shook my head no. As I walked away I heard her plaintive cry, "One dollar. Pleaaaaaaaaaaaase." I ran off, horrified by the poverty, wanting to escape to a better place.

I will never forget not giving that woman that one dollar. It hurt my soul. I will give to the people in Haiti.

Scoop, I give to pandhandlers. Am I stupid? I know most will drink it. But maybe one or two will buy a sandwich. Maybe. I will not turn my heart into a cold, skeptical one that will freeze my own soul.

Think about it Scoop and others - Scoop certainly is right - there's corruption - maybe there's more there than other places, though god knows there's a huge amount right here in the good old USA (think rich corporatate executives). Don't analyze. Just give. One dollar. Pleaaaaaaaaaaase.

 

[Glynda]

Hilton Hotel

- there's corruption - maybe there's more there than other places, though god knows there's a huge amount right here in the good old USA (think rich corporatate executives).

I'm infuriated right now by the Hilton Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic, DOUBLING their rate to cash in on the increased occupancy rate due to the earthquake in Haiti. DH is headed there tomorrow for the week (in addition to usual work, he's taking satellite phones for the Haitian plants.) Also he doesn't need the room all week, as he'll be staying in other cities part of the week, but they're forcing a week's reservation on him.