How We Can Help Haiti's Kids

[als2052]

This post primarily goes out in a effort to help these people (especially the children). Just think, Hurricane season is just around the corner. For those of you willing to help, you can through the following entities:

Red Cross - Please call 1-800-REDCROSS

The Red Cross is also allowing mobile donations towards Haiti relief -- just text the word Haiti to 90999 to donate $10 and the charge will simply show up on your next phone bill.

Send your contribution to any agency recommended by the Center for International Disaster listed at http://www.interaction.rog/crisis-list/earthquake-haiti .

Beware of Scams

Finally, the FBI urges people who are looking for ways to help with the earthquake relief to be wary of solicitations that could be from scam artists. "Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions pruportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause, " the FBI said, in passing along these tips:

Ignore unsolicited e-mails, and do not click on links within those messages.
Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, because the files may contain computer viruses. Open attachments only from know senders.
Decline to give personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.
Make contributions directly to known organizations, rather than relying on others who claim in e-mails that they will channel the donation to established groups.
The FBI suggests that if you receive an email that appears to be a fraudulent or a scam, you should forward it to http://www.ic3.gov immediately.

[Shadow]

Thanks for the links and info

They're going to need all the help they can get long term...so are the rescue groups that are helping them

[Bob K]

We sent a check to Catholic Charities earmarked for Haiti. You have to be extremely careful who you send donations too at any time.

[Shadow]

Amen to that. Even when dealing with legitimate "charitable organizations (like our church for example) you have to be careful.

Our church has a "relief fund" but there's no way of knowing just how much of the money goes to Haiti or where in Haiti. We support a couple of missions and IIRC, an orphanage there. There's no telling where the $$ is going to end up.

[Bob K]

Originally Posted by Shadow

Amen to that. Even when dealing with legitimate "charitable organizations (like our church for example) you have to be careful.

Our church has a "relief fund" but there's no way of knowing just how much of the money goes to Haiti or where in Haiti. We support a couple of missions and IIRC, an orphanage there. There's no telling where the $$ is going to end up.

But you know it's going to charity, right? Even as you say legitimate charities, I know a lot of them give very little because of salaries to the big wheels. It's really a shame that we have to be so careful and do our research before we contribute.

Based on personal experience after hurricane Charley I know the Red Cross does a tremendous amount of work. I was really impressed with the dedication of the volunteers.

[Shadow]

Originally Posted by Bob K

But you know it's going to charity, right? Even as you say legitimate charities, I know a lot of them give very little because of salaries to the big wheels. It's really a shame that we have to be so careful and do our research before we contribute.

Based on personal experience after hurricane Charley I know the Red Cross does a tremendous amount of work. I was really impressed with the dedication of the volunteers.

I agree. And you hit the nail right on the head my friend

Too many big wheels in most charitable organizations. You definately have to be careful.

I try to make sure I know (to a reasonable certainty), where the money I send is going.

I volunteer as an airboat pilot with a non-profit Search & Rescue team that was born and active during Katrina.

There are NO PAID POSITIONS on this team.

All the funds we recieve go to equipment, training, lodging (during training and deployments), fuel and maintenance cost, etc.

The only time we're paid, is if we're called up by FEMA, or one of the groups that pay thier deployees, or if we're privately contracted and payment is agreed upon.

99.9% of the time we do SAR on a private basis (Jennifer Kessee, or the little girl in Orlando kind of things usually), they're not compensated.

The majority of the teams are comprised of cops, firefighters, paramedics and some former military types (one former SEAL whose always good to have around) as well as veterinary personnel and thier techs, an MD and some other, what we called in the CG-Non-Rates...haven't been qual'd yet but want to help

Unfortunately, the larger an organization gets, the more full time (read that paid) employees are needed. But most are top heavy and need to be pruned IMO.