Helping Haiti Through the American Red Cross Is Just a Click or a Text Away
You can help the victims of countless crises, like the recent earthquake in Haiti, around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent.
You can make a donation online by clicking here. It's even easier using your cellphone. Text the word "Haiti" to 90999 and $10 will be donated to the American Red Cross. You'll see the donation on your regular cellphone bill.
If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation by mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Donations to the International Response Fund can be made by phone at 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish) or online at www.redcross.org.
There is no better way to get relief to those who desperately need it than through your donation. Donated goods take travel time and cost money for shipping. Funds get help to the region immediately and with the greatest possible efficiency.
I'm tremendously impressed by the way the American Red Cross is using innovative communication tools to provide up-to-date information and leverage resources to help speed relief to Haiti. They include:
- The Disaster Online Newsroom, a nimble blog that makes it easy for Red Cross staffers to get new information out as swiftly as possible, include video. The first video report was online just five hours after the earthquake hit.
- The newsroom is also sharing the Red Cross's relief efforts as they progress including video reports that are simple and effective.
- Making it so easy to give through texting and online donations.
- Using the power of social media tools to drive awareness, which in turn inspires giving and more conversation about relief and preparedness for the future in communities across the nation and around the world.
Spoken as a plea from just one volunteer, if we all do our part and give a little, it will add up to a lot.
