So I haven’t been on here since the trip out to California for Christmas – since coming back, things have been busy with friends, family, finishing up law school apps and the scholarship applications. I have been not making time for this outlet. But I thought I’d take a few minutes to point the way towards a few sites that are doing some good things, responding to the dire, horrific need those in Haiti are suffering from right now.
And while I don’t know first-hand, I can pass on a few sites, info, etc. as to how we can best help.
1 – Be informed. Learn.
– See what happened (via FP’s Passport)
– See what it looks like after 48 hours (via the Boston Globe’s The Big Picture)
– Read “Some Thoughts and Links” (via Blood and Milk)
– Haiti is about the size of Maryland and a big chunk of the population lives in or near Port-Au-Prince, maybe a third of the total, depending on what you count as a suburb. So the collapse of Port-Au-Prince is a big, big deal for the country as a whole. It’s a dominant city for Haiti. Plus Jacmel seems to be leveled. From the reports I have seen, my tentative conclusion is that the country as a whole is currently below the subsistence level and will remain so for the foreseeable future. ~ via Marginal Revolution
2 – Give. Give generously.
My general rule of thumb could be summarized as the ELE rule:
- Is it an Established organization with a longtime in-country presence?
- Does the organization employ, empower, and partner with Local individuals and organizations (eg, houses of faith, community groups)?
- Does the organization have Experience in disaster relief and/or health care?
(click here to finish the rest of the post, and see a few options for giving, including:
– MSF/Doctors Without Borders, Oxfam, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, Compassion International, Mennonite Central Committee, Partners in Health, Haiti Partners, etc…)
via Texas in Africa
3 – Pray. Pray. Pray…
Photo via The Big Picture