The 7.0 earthquake in Haiti Tuesday evening destroyed most infastructure and residences, and resulted in an estimated 50,000 deaths. The extent of the damage is still unknown, because it is likely that many are still surviving, buried underneath the rubble. For example, after the earthquake hit, Jillian Thorpe, 23, was trapped in the destroyed remains of the Haitian Ministry. She immediatly called her husband, who drove over 100 miles to her rescue, where workers were digging her out. He helped to pull her out of the rubble, and although she has some injuries to her leg, she is safe.
There is still time to help the 3 million people that the Red Cross estimated were left homeless by the natural disaster.
How to Help: Sending canned good like on thanksgiving is a nice thought, but in times like these it’s not a nice thought that victims and the organizations who are helping them need. According to the American Red Cross, the best way to help is through monetary donations. Here are some safe suggestions on how to do just that.
To donate $5 text 501501 to Wyclef Jean’s Haitian Yele charity. (link to article here) (will be charged on your next phone bill)
To donate $10 text “Haiti” to 90999 (link to Red Cross article here) – (will be charge on your next phone bill)
Or visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS
To Provide Medicine/Doctors
1-800-486-HELP Or Americares.org
For a comprehensive list of Aid organizations, visit this website: http://www.interaction.org/crisis-list/earthquake-haiti
To Avoid Scammers:
1. Donate to well known, trusted relief organizations, not one you have never heard of before.
2. Make the donation yourself, instead of giving money to someone “collecting” for a relief organization (It isn’t hard, just look up above for how to text in a donation)
3. Don’t give out information you wouldn’t normally give out — why would anyone need your social security number?
4. Don’t donate in response to emails asking for money or claiming to be a victim.
5. Check out what the FBI has to say about it.
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