Yesterday afternoon Haiti suffered one of it’s largest natural disaster’s on record… With reports that the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, has been destroyed, the devastation that has yet to be unburied is unimaginable.
NY Times: Haiti's National Palace after the quake
Today, as most American’s get up and go on about their day’s as usual… many Haitians must face the somber reality that not only are their homes, jobs, and entire neighiborhoods gone… but that many loved ones are probably gone as well (the Red Cross reports that roughly 1 in 3 Haitians were affected by the earth quake)
NY Times: Port-au-Prince
As the media sensationalizes the “backwardness” of “third-world” Haiti, and tries to paint the devastation as the fault of the Haitians themselves, today we have a choice. We can sit back and mindlessly scroll through slideshow after slideshow, watching the news, twittering, and facebooking about how “unfortunate” “those poor people” are.
Or you can help, today and in the days to come.
Today you can donate money:
- NPR has compiled a list of reputable organizations to donate to
- You can donate to Yele Haiti by texting Yele to 501 501
- CNN also has a list of organizations you can donate to
- You can donate to the American Red Cross by going here or by texting “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti.
- Uptown Notes also has some great information on contributing to the relief work in Haiti
*update* 1/14/10
- MSNBC also has an exhaustive list of organizations that you can donate to.
- The Root has provided a list of organizations as well
- Keeping Up has a list of charitable organizations it recommends
- Shoq Value has a great list of links and resources concerning the situation in Haiti
After you do that you can send emails and update your twitter and facebook status encouraging everyone in your life to make a donation.
Today many of my Sorors will be sending out hundreds of messages, wishing each other Happy Founders Day, today I encourage you to include a request for aid to Haiti in those messages.
Going forward, this earthquake will impact the people of Haiti for years to come. I will do my part by continuing to try and educate as many folks as I can about the ways that we can help. Haiti will need donations of food, clothing and countless dollars. So after you give your donation today, don’t just sit back and forget.
Today, and everyday, do more.
peace.
a.
Port-au-Prince in 2007 before the devestation
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