Helping in Haiti
January 15th, 2010 Posted in non music
If you haven’t already done so, I’m giving you a nudge toward providing cash to help people survive the fallout of one of the most devestating natural earthquakes in recorded history. To help you decide where to most effectively donate your money I recommend looking at the ratings on Charity Navigator, as well as the list on NPR. I chose Partners in Health, who have been providing healthcare services to the poor in Haiti for over 25 years, via their sister organization Zanmi Lasante. I found they were independently recommended several times.
Something else I discovered is that you should under no circumstances send things which aren’t money. This can actually hinder the relief efforts, since it is extra boxes of stuff that aid workers have to sort through and deal with:
“Of course, the donors were only trying to help, but misplaced intentions actually worsened the suffering. Buried under care packages and out of date antibiotics labeled in Thai and Chinese were the world’s most advanced malaria medications. Meanwhile along the coast, people who had just lost homes and families writhed in malarial fever for lack of treatment.”
So just stick with the credit card…
