Links You Can Use To Help:

• The American Red Cross is pledging an initial $200,000 to assist communities impacted by this earthquake. They expect to provide immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter, medical services and emotional support. They are accepting donations through their International Response Fund.
• UNICEF has issued a statement that "Children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster, and UNICEF is there for them." UNICEF requests donations for relief for children in Haiti via their Haiti Earthquake Fund. You can also call 1-800-4UNICEF.
• Donate through Wyclef Jean's foundation, Yele Haiti. Text "Yele" to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill and given to relief projects through the organization.
• Operation USA is appealing for donations of funds from the public and corporate donations in bulk of health care materials, water purification supplies and food supplements which it will ship to the region from its base in the Port of Los Angeles. Donate online at www.opusa.org, by phone at 1-800-678-7255 or, by check made out to Operation USA, 3617 Hayden Ave, Suite A, Culver City, CA 90232.
• http://www.charitynavigator.org
• Haitian Women for Haitian Refugees, Lakou New York, and MUDHA (Movement of DominicanHaitian Women) are organizing immediate delivery of first aid relief. Please Donate: FINANCIAL SUPPORT, FIRST AID SUPPLIES, PERSONAL HYGIENE GOODS, DRY FOODS (NO CANNED FOODS PLEASE), TEA LIGHT CANDLES AND AA & D BATTERIES.CALL (718) 735-4660 FOR MORE INFO.
• I AM HAYITI Haiti solidarity fundraiser Fri. Jan. 22, 6:30pm @ Caribbean Cultural Center/African Diaspora Institute, 408 West 58th St., New York, NY 10019, (212) 307-7420. Feat. Kalunga Neg Mawon, Tiga Jean Baptiste and T'Chaka, and DJ Laylo on the 1s and 2s.
• Partners in Health: Wanted: Surgeons, nurses, and other medical personnel to help in Haiti (especially folks who speak Kreyol or French) - email volunteer@pih.org
• Dwa Famn: portal that provides information on the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund, which has been involved in grassroots organizing efforts in Haiti since 2004
• Habitat for Humanity: A nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry.
• Hope for Haiti: Hope for Haiti has held the vision from the very beginning that the people of Haiti are the ones who take control of their future and we are here to lend a needed hand along the difficult path.

Go to any Kroger and round-up your order or make a monetary donation to help the Red Cross provide necessities to Haiti's Earthquake victims. Together We can Make a Difference!

Seeking Information on Family Members in Haiti
The U.S. State Department says Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti should call 1-888-407-4747 or or 202-647-5225. Due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording. "Our embassy is still in the early stages of contacting American citizens through our Warden Network," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time."


Press Release Secretary of State Mark Hammond Encourages Wise Charitable Giving In the Wake of the Recent Earthquake in Haiti

COLUMBIA -- Secretary of State Mark Hammond encourages South Carolinians wishing to reach out to victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti to do so wisely. Potential donors may verify if a soliciting organization is registered with the Secretary of State’s Office by searching our online charities database at www.scsos.com. Click on the “Charity Search” box on the right and enter the name of the charity you are researching. Not all charities are required to register with the Secretary of State’s Office due to statutory exemptions (such as religious groups or Congressionally-chartered veterans’ organizations). Users can also click on the “Public Charities” section of our Webpage, and use the pulldown menu to find a listing of “Helpful Websites for Charitable Giving.” Choose one of these sites to continue your search. You can also call our Charities Division at 1-888-242-7484 for more information.

“Untold numbers of men, women and children have lost their lives in this unavoidable tragedy,” said Secretary Hammond. “Even more people have been displaced and face an uncertain future as they struggle to carry on without loved ones and caretakers. I ask South Carolinians considering donating to check out the organization before making a contribution. Our thoughts, prayers and actions go out to the citizens of Haiti.”

Charity Navigator (charitynavigator.org) has a special section on their website under “Hot Topics” devoted to how people can assist the help agencies that already have a presence in the region. Sending donations to an agency that already has a presence in the affected area may have a more immediate impact. For a listing of these agencies, go to www.charitynavigator.org

Charity Navigator also offers these tips to consider before giving to a charitable cause during a time of crisis:


Give to an Established Charity
Find a charity with a proven track record of success with dealing with the type of disaster and in the region in which the disaster occurred. If you feel compelled to give to a new charity, be sure to get proof that the group is in fact a registered public charity with 501 (c) (3) status. Verify the agency’s legitimacy by using Internet-based resources rather than the charity’s purported website.

Designate Your Gift
By designating your gift, you'll ensure that your donation will be used as you intended. Most charities with online giving portals offer a check box feature so that you can tell the organization how to spend your contribution. If you are mailing in a check, then write a note in the memo section of the check specifying that you want your gift spent entirely on the current crisis.

Telemarketers
Be wary of fundraisers who pressure you to make a contribution over the phone. Never divulge your credit card information to someone soliciting you via the phone. Instead, ask the fundraiser to send you written information about the charity they represent and do some research on your own. Once you feel comfortable with the charity, send the organization a check directly in the mail, or give through their website, thus ensuring 100% of your gift goes to the charity and not the for-profit fundraiser.

Research and Follow Up
As always, take the time to find a charity you can trust. There are several free online financial evaluators to search for well-run charities worthy of your support. Go to the Secretary of State’s Public Charities
page at www.scsos.com/Public_Charities for a listing of helpful links.

Give Online
The inherent speed of online giving provides instant gratification to donors and offers charities immediate access to much needed funds.