Haiti Earthquake Relief

We are all praying for our brothers and sisters in Haiti, but we know they need more than prayer. If you want to know what they're up against, read this article from UN blogger Mark Leon Goldberg.

I've compiled some links to information and charities I think you should consider. What follows in no way represents the opinion of First Evangelical Lutheran Church, etc.

The Lutheran World Federation headquarters in Haiti were untouched by the earthquake, so their staff is on the ground right now providing relief. They've also been tapped to coordinate response from Protestant and Orthodox churches worldwide via Action by Churches Together (ACT). You can donate to their efforts online through this secure link, and 100% of your donation will go directly to relief efforts.

ELCA has a page compiling links and info here.

Haiti is a predominately Catholic country, and Catholic Relief Services has devoted its site to relief efforts. They've committed an immediate $5 million to Haiti. Their blog has the latest news on their work. Pope, schmope: CRS does fantastic work all over the world, even here in Nashville, so your money will be put to good use.

Though its headquarters was leveled, and many of its staffers perished, the UN's mission in Haiti has people on the ground and the resources to put donations to work immediately. The UN's Central Relief Fund is conducting a "Flash Appeal" to solicit donations from member countries, but individuals can also contribute here.

The UN has a blog, UN Dispatch, and their Haiti posts are here.

These are the organizations I am personally scraping the couch cushions for, because they already have an established presence in Haiti, they know the lay of the land, and they can put my meager contribution to work immediately.

Be Generous, But Be Smart

In the wake of any disaster, there are unscrupulous people who will try to take advantage of your kindness and empathy in order to make a buck. Yes, Bill Gates is a kind and generous man, but he will not donate even more money to Haiti if you give some scammer your bank information.

Be wary of e-mail appeals. Check them out at Snopes.com, a central clearinghouse for fact-checking all those forwarded e-mails you get.

And before giving to a specific organization, you can check them out at Charity Navigator, a site that monitors non-profit organizations and audits their books to see how much of the money you give actually gets spent on their causes.