Haiti Earthquake update: support and donations coming in

The Haiti earthquake update news reports that support and donations are coming in, but is it enough? Organizations that in the past would have their own fiscal resources and need donations of items like food and clothing now ask for money, first. But the donations are coming in.

According to OnlyKent, American Red Cross has committed to sending $1 million in aid to Haiti, and Australia has pledged $2 million with more funds to follow for reconstruction. In total around £20 million will be sent to Haiti from around the world as of this writing, but it's not enough.

More money is needed. How much, is anyone's guess at this point.

What follows is an updated and expanded list of organizations planning relief efforts for Haiti. The response to the Haiti Earthquake support and donations list has been tremendous. Emails from around the country and from people not only presenting organizations that should be included in the list, but from people who want to know where to go to provide their own volunteer help for Haiti.

The damage, destruction, and loss of life has been just shocking. The impact has been immediate, and immediately felt. In Oakland, the lawyer-activist couple Walter Riley and Barbara Rhine, are missing.

Power is out everywhere and people are in the dark and need help. The capital city of Port-Au-Prince has been catastrophically damaged; hundreds of thousands of people are reported injured or dead.

Fortunately, legitimate online help efforts have been established. Here are more of them as of this writing and the list will be updated again, later this evening:

Airline Ambassadors - This organization of airline employee and members donates trips, in this case, to Haiti. The website reports:

Airline Ambassadors has acquired several aircraft from various major carriers. Each aircraft will carry 80,000 lbs. of critically needed, prescribed aid. Flights will depart from Denver, Miami, and JFK. We are currently working with Catholic Relief Services, Food for the Poor, LDS Charities, and Southern Command.

American Jewish World Service - Has a special Haiti-relief effort underway. From the press release:

"We are assessing where the gaps in service are and putting a process in place to help specific communities that might not be immediately served otherwise," said AJWS's vice president for programs, Aaron Dorfman. "Because of the economic and political situation in Haiti, disasters like this have devastating consequences throughout the country. Our long-standing partnerships with grassroots organizations in Haiti allow us to reach the poorest and most remote populations with the speed necessary to save lives."

American Red Cross (Reportedly has contributed $200,000 to Haiti relief.)

AmeriCares Help For Haiti. Goes to their International Disaster Relief Fund.

American Friends Service Committee - From the email:

American Friends Service Committee is seeking donations for immediate Haiti relief. This (Nobel Peace Prize winning) organization has a strong track record for efficient delivery of aid that actually goes to those in need.

AMURT is Ananda Marga Universal Relief Team - From the website:

AMURT & AMURTEL staff and volunteers are already on the ground and support teams are flying there in the coming days to assist in the operation. We have a decade of experience with relief work in Haiti and facilitate many ongoing development projects there. We are going to respond to this calamity fast and effectively and we are committed to stay as long as it takes to alleviate the suffering this natural disaster has brought about.

CARE - Reportedly has an ongoing program that focuses on food, water, and health security in Haiti  For program info: http://www.care.org/careswork/countryprofiles/61.asp (donation link is in the name itself.)

Catholic Relieft Services - From an email:

Please add Catholic Relief Services to the list of organizations responding in Haiti. CRS has already committed to a $5 million emergency response, and its 300 staff in Haiti are well-positioned to commence immediate relief activities. CRS works with many local partner organizations in Haiti. Website: www.crs.org

Caritas Internationalis - From the email and website:

Caritas Internationalis always gets primary aid and medical workers on the ground very rapidly as it has a large network of charities and sister organizations. Caritas has been unable to contact its staff in the capital, although CRS has report the CRS office is intact and the staff present there at the time of the quake are safe. Please pray for the safety of all our staff and all the people of Haiti. An international emergency response team is deploying in Haiti, including Caritas Internationalis Communications Officer Michelle Hough.

Chuck Simmins also has this blog - http://northshorejournal.org/haiti-earthquake-aid - of coverage of the Haiti Earthquake Disaster and where to donate, including any organizations that may not be listed here.

Compassion International - From email:

Compassion International is already established in the Haiti, with Nationals in position to distribute aid. Take a look at their web site at Compassion.com They are a highly rated child advocacy ministry. They would be a good addition to your list.

Direct Relief International - From email:

Direct Relief International is aiding Haiti. They have a fantastic record of supplying medical supplies and aid.  (Based in Santa Barbara.)  

Doctors without Borders - Updated web page to reflect their Haiti assistance efforts.

Faith In Action International  - Founded in 1997 by Tom Braak, Faith in Action International is a Christian, grass-roots organization whose goal is to tangibly express God's love to people living in impoverished communities.

Famine Relief Foundation - From email:

My Name is Pastor Mark Dreibelbis.

My Orphanage is in Citi Soleil, Haiti We are located down by the loading docks in Port Au Prince.

We are 7 miles from the epicenter of the quake.
We need donations badly!

Our organization is Famine Relief Foundation
The website is:
Faminerelieffoundation.com

Our orphanage is called Mission Ranch Orphanage
We are 501c3 here in the states and a registered NGO in Haiti.

Please get us on the donation list we need immediate help.

In His service

Pastor Mark Dreibelbis
President
Famine Relief Foundation
Mission Ranch Orphanage

Habitat for Humanity - HFH has a special Haiti page. They're seeking financial support.

HaitiArise - HaitiArise has provided education and relief for the past six years. It's a registered Canadian charity and reports that 100 percent of donated funds go directly to Haiti.

Haiti Emergency Relief Fund - by Vanguard Public Foundation in San Francisco. Established for Haiti before the Earthquake.

International Medical Corps - From their website:

International Medical Corps’ Emergency Response Team is on the way to Haiti, focusing on providing lifesaving medical care and relief to survivors of this devastating earthquake.

Islamic Relief - Islamic Relief has launched an appeal for £1 million to respond to the disaster.

Life In Haiti - Founded in 2007 by R.J. (Bob) Davisson. They have a school in Chabin and report they're providing education to 400 children.

Life For The World - From an email:

My friends and my chldren at my orphanage and school are in deep trouble in Haiti. Eight years ago I built an orphanage and school in Source Matelas, Haiti called Maranatha Orphanage and School. We have 150+ children. We also feed thousands of the poor and befriend Haitians in Bon Repo and Port Au Prince. I personally know thousands of people that have been devastated by this disaster.

I am an American and you can go to our website at www.lifefortheworld.com and click on the lower right hand side to see the 50+ videos I have posted of our work and you will see me in at least half of them doing the work of feeding the poor in Port au prince and at our orphanage. We are seeking donations on our website to help the displaced with food, shelter and other necessities in the distressed areas of Port au Prince. You can also check out our facebook by searching facebook at "lifefortheworld".

Thank you for your support of our distressed brothers and sisters in Haiti!

Lutheran World Relief - From the website:

Lutheran World Relief is responding to the affected communities through its partners on the ground in Haiti. The coming days are critical as teams dispatch to Haiti to conduct search and rescue efforts. LWR anticipates a large response. Every dollar donated to this life-saving effort is critical to providing the necessary emergency support to the people of Haiti.

Merlin-USA - From an email:

In the aftermath of a massive earthquake that hit Haiti last night, Merlin has launched an emergency appeal to bring urgent humanitarian aid and assistance to those affected. Early reports suggest many buildings have sustained massive damage, including hospitals. Port-au-Prince and the surrounding area is very densely populated and millions of people have been affected. Merlin is assembling a team to assess the damage and health needs in the disaster zone. The team will arrive in Haiti on tomorrow, January 14th. Their first task will be to assess the most urgent medical needs, likely to be water, sanitation, shelter and disease prevention...Our initial fundraising target is $500,000 which will cover one month of the emergency response.

Mercy Corps - Mercy Corps' website is devoted to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster; they're deploying a team bound for Haiti now.

Mountain Top Ministries - Based in Chicago, they're organizing a medical team to go to Haiti.

Operation Blessing International - Operation Blessing International, the 7th largest international charity, has disaster relief teams on the ground and more en route. They are currently assessing the damage and beginning relief efforts.

Oxfam-America - From an email:

Has a Haiti Earthquake Response Fund. I choose them because they already had people in Haiti working on programs and created the donation link on their website within 2 hours.

Partners in Health - You can use the drop-down menu to specify donations to Haiti.

Real Help for Haiti - From the website:

The missionaries of RHFH count it an honor and a priviledge to serve the Haitian people. We trust as you prayerfully consider how to support what God is doing among the Haitian people, you too will see the beauty of the Haitians and be challanged and changed as well.

Sirona Cares - Has a trip scheduled for next Tuesday.  Michelle Lacourciere's the Director. You can contact her at the link to the blog.  The blog itself features posts on Haiti efforts and stories before the Earthquake struck.

The Salvation Army - The Salvation Army is active and on the ground in Haiti.  A representative was just on CNN's Larry King tonight.


Three Angels Children's Relief - Reportedly has a school and medical clinic in Petionville. 

Touch Ministries -  Recommended but no Haiti-specific page or announcement as of this writing.  




Yele Haiti - Wyclef Jean's Haiti initiative to assist his native Haiti.

UNICEF - UNICEF has set up a special page for donations for the children of Haiti. In an email, UNICEF's Alissa Pinck reports: "UNICEF’s country office in Haiti and the regional office located in Panama is on the ground and have already deployed emergency teams to assess the situation and determine what the additional emergency needs are for the people of Haiti."

What If Foundation - From the email:

I read your entry regarding Haitian aid donations; the What If? foundation is heavily involved with a feeding and education program for children in St Clare parish. As of the last report they have not been able to reach their contacts but continue to try, and will doubtless be active in assisting the people affected by this disaster. Please view their website at www.whatiffoundation.org and consider including them on your list.

William J. Clinton Foundation - From an email and the website:

My UN office and the rest of the UN system are monitoring the situation. While we don't yet know the full impact of this 7.0-magnitude earthquake, we do know that the survivors need immediate help. There's a way you can help Haiti recover and rebuild right now. (The link takes you to a special page for Haiti relief.)

World Vision - Has a Haiti-specific page with a range of donation levels.  The organization says they're on the ground in Haiti already.

If there are any Haiti-specific efforts not listed here, please send an email to zennie@zennie62.com and this entry will be updated.