More people and organizations have responded to the need in Haiti after a devastating 7.0 earthquake hit the island nation last Tuesday.
The Red Cross has made it easier than ever to donate. You can give $10 towards the relief efforts by simply texting HAITI to 90999 and the donation will be charged to your phone bill. Since the campaign began, over one million people have donated $10 – bringing the total to over $10 million. Three planeloads of supplies were diverted to the Dominican Republic earlier today, but a caravan of seven trucks set out for Port-au-Prince and should reach the city by tomorrow. By Monday, the Red Cross hopes to have two more flights land in the capital city with enough supplies to help 32,000 families. Also arriving today was a 50 bed field hospital and equipment for purifying 10,000 gallons of the water there. Volunteers also hope to distribute toys to the children.
The Red Cross has also received help from social networking such as Facebook. A total of $35 million dollars has been raised, more than half of that total coming from online contributions. The Facebook has also brought in money for other charities including Oxfam ($59,000), World Vision ($19,500), Friends of the World Food Program ($54,000), and Compassion International ($28,500). You can get more updates on the Red Cross relief efforts by following it on Twitter (@RedCross) or at its online newsroom.
Actress Sandra Bullock, who won the Best Actress award last night at the Critic’s Choice Awards, donated $1 million dollars to Doctor’s Without Borders yesterday. Madonna has donated $250,000 to Partners in Health. Not on Our Watch, a celebrity charity founded by George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Don Cheadle, Matt Damon, Jerry Weintraub, and David Pressman, donated $1 million dollars to Partners in Health. Yele, Wyclef Jean’s charity, has raised over $1 million dollars as well.
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