Haiti Disaster: What's the best way to donate?

99% of the time I just let our government do it. So really I'm helping out by paying my taxes.

 

if i would work for a company thats collecting money for people in need and i get more then 30.000 of those donations for my salary i would feel ashamed of myself

 

After the 9/11 attacks and Katrina they were criticized for raising too much money and not being prepared for the extent of the job. It's not their fault people were so generous, and they said they've learned their lesson.

Locally, my home town made headlines recently with a series of fires. The local Red Cross came through with flying colors helping victims with food, lodging, supplies, etc.

As for me, I agree with Daniel in that I donated before this all happened. I also happened to donate extra after it happened, because you can never help too much.

 

I donated through the local hardware strore (chain, Rona, similar to Home Hardware).

I figure that if I want the most of my 10$ to go to help, I don't want the Red Cross to have to do paperwork for me to send me a receipt, mail, pamphlet, etc, that could easily cost 2$...with employee time.

I also like the cell phone companies allowing you to text a number to donate 10$.
For the same reason. Make it easy, less paperwork.

 

Many of us are donating to charities with an established track record that have positive ratings from what ever agency we trust. (I listed three above)

I would be amazed if the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund has an established track record, or has been rated by a charity evaluator. (I will leave jokes about the folks it is named after to others)

 

Yes he was there already planning long term help, when the earthquake struck.
Samuel W. Dixon, Jr.: Man of Faith and Compassion

 

He used the Better Business Bureau numbers, here are the Charity Navigators numbers.

Charity Navigator Rating - American Red Cross

 

These are the numbers I referenced:

Charity Review of American Red Cross

 

Yep, there are a number of outside charity evaluators, so he does not have to guess at their finances, he can see detailed breakdowns from multiple independent groups.

He can still prefer to believe what he heard from his brother's father-in-law's co-worker's friend, if he prefers that over facts.

 

I would rather help our elderly here that may not have enough for food, and was eating dog food, I have seen this with my own eyes,I think Haiti is now getting help and its a sad thing but so are the oldsters here in the states, very sad.

 

WOW!?! Really??? I can't believe that anyone would seriously say that.

 

Some folks just make me embarrassed to be a North American. However, I am proud to disagree with everything Sam says, and being an American means I am free to do that. I sincerely hope he meets someone with more compassion when he needs help. (they could hardly have less)

I am not a christian, but Luke 10:25 to 37 says much on this.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+10:25-37&version=NIV

 

Just donated!! Make me feel better.

Thanks.

 

Just a couple of weeks ago I was making my end of year donations. I made a resolution to donate more regularly throughout the year, knowing that it will be easier on the pocketbook than doing it all at once, and that I should be able to donate more this way. I donated more locally this past year than in previous years because I understand our local needs better. I would say I donated about 50% locally and the rest nationally or globally.

So I am ready and willing to donate to Haiti, but I'm also mindful that they will need ongoing support in the weeks and months after the media focus is off the earthquake.

 

Thats my only concern about donating to the Red Cross.
After a few months they will pull out and surplus funds will not necessarily be spent in Haiti.
Thats why I prefer to support Partners in Health. Stand With Haiti | Partners In Health
They have been established in Haiti for over 20 years with a huge success in treating AIDs and drug resistant tuberculosis.
The physicians interviewed in this weeks 60 Minutes Haiti story were from Partners in Health.
Haiti - 60 Minutes - CBS News
Dr. Farmer's Remedy - 60 Minutes - CBS Newshttp://www.amazon.com/dp/product/0812980557?tag=priuschatcom-20

 

Doubts raised about Jean?s charity group - Celebrities- msnbc.com

Taylor reviewed Internal Revenue Service tax returns for the organization also known as Yele Haiti Foundation from 2005 through 2007. He said the first red flag of poor accounting practices was that three years of returns were filed on the same day — Aug. 10 of last year. In 2007, the foundation’s spending exceeded its revenues by $411,000. It brought in just $79,000 that year.
“Here’s the bottom line: for an earthquake of catastrophic proportions, do people really believe that this organization is in a position to do anything right now?†he said.