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How To Help Earthquake Victims In Haiti

January 16, 2010 By Staff

As we wrote in our weekly news summary yesterday, Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake in the afternoon on Jan. 12, measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale and followed by more than 30 aftershocks. The precise magnitude of the damage to the hemisphere’s most impoverished nation remains unclear, but many believe that the death toll will reach into the tens of thousands.

Numerous governments worldwide, including that of the United States, have pledged to assist Haiti, but relief workers face continuing logistical problems, with the main airport at Port-au-Prince overwhelmed and the country’s phone and internet signals compromised.

The New York Times, along with many other world publications, are providing round-the-clock coverage of the disaster. The editors of the Latin America News Dispatch would like to call our readers’ attention to the New York Times’ section on “How To Help,” which we have displayed below.

How to Help

The White House is encouraging donations to the international fund of the Red Cross to support relief efforts in Haiti.

Cell phone users can text “Haiti” to the number 90999 and donate $10 to the Red Cross. The amount will be added to the donor’s cellphone bill. Other organizations have set up similar systems. Text “YELE” to 501501 to donate $5 to Yele Haiti.

Medical organizations based in Haiti before the quake are struggling to cope with its aftermath. Doctors Without Borders reports it has treated more than 1,000 people on the ground and has appealed for support. Partners in Health, a major non-governmental health care provider in Haiti, operates clinics in Port-au-Prince and is also soliciting donations.

The Times’ Lede blog has posted a list of various charity organizations that plan to provide relief.

For your convenience, we have also added a public service announcement banners to our main site and our blog posts that will take you directly to the Red Cross’ International Response fund. We hope this information is useful.

— The Editors, Latin America News Dispatch.

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