SEND US YOUR TAMPONS!!

[ladygreek]

This is where I donated: http://www.americares.org/

http://www.americares.org/newsroom/n...aiti-2010.html

[preciousjeni]

I work for a non-profit in an area with a high population of Haitians. This morning (well yesterday now) I went to a Haitian Task Force town meeting where the task force was trying to work out a plan to get donations to Haiti. Several of the people leading the meeting were in touch with various agencies within Haiti.

To echo what many people are saying here, the agencies and orgs in Haiti that were directly in contact with the folks present at the meeting said do not send supplies. Relief workers literally have to carry things into the more devastated areas.

It's money that is most needed to send people there for clean-up, medical aid and food/water drops. Also, I heard that there are some health organizations that have partnerned with airlines to fly nurses and doctors there for free.

ETA: http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2010...r-facebook.htm So, that last part was probably part of the hoax that local people have bought into. How horrible!

[dreamseeker]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

ETA: http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2010...r-facebook.htm So, that last part was probably part of the hoax that local people have bought into. How horrible!

Last night's hoax on Twitter about American and JetBlue flying doctors and nurses to Haiti for free was just that -- a hoax," wrote American Airlines spokesman Tim Smith in an email quoted on CNN.Com. "We don't know who is responsible, but it's a very low thing to do."

THIS. some people are just callous. Granted, people should always verify info but still...

[epchick]

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

I work for a non-profit in an area with a high population of Haitians. This morning (well yesterday now) I went to a Haitian Task Force town meeting where the task force was trying to work out a plan to get donations to Haiti. Several of the people leading the meeting were in touch with various agencies within Haiti.

To echo what many people are saying here, the agencies and orgs in Haiti that were directly in contact with the folks present at the meeting said do not send supplies. Relief workers literally have to carry things into the more devastated areas.

It's money that is most needed to send people there for clean-up, medical aid and food/water drops. Also, I heard that there are some health organizations that have partnerned with airlines to fly nurses and doctors there for free.

Hey Jeni, I know what you posted here, but have you heard anything about the relief efforts being in "desperate need of supplies?" I know a girl in NY that claims the Haitian Consulate is telling people they want supplies over money, because they are so desperate.

[rhoyaltempest]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

On the donation link, only the first donation category listed Haiti. It took me like 30 minutes yesterday to notice that.

I ended up not donating because I don't feel comfortable having to assume the money is going to Haiti.

ETA: I'm not too keen to texting for donations regardless of the source, but I'm more trusting of Red Cross getting their money from my service provider than Yele.

Try this link: http://american.redcross.org/site/Pa...O_BigRedButton

All of the money might go into the International Response pot anyway though and they'll possibly just use as much as needed or as much as they have pledged.

[Confucius]

Originally Posted by Little32

With the Doctors Without Borders and the Red Cross, is there any way to make certain that you money is going to Haiti, or does it just go into a common fund for all of their efforts?

I looked at the red cross website and couldn't tell.

Me either, so I ended up going through a telethon on Channel 3 in Philadelphia. Is the RC doing a telethon or specific event about Haiti in your area?

[Little32]

Originally Posted by Confucius

Me either, so I ended up going through a telethon on Channel 3 in Philadelphia. Is the RC doing a telethon or specific event about Haiti in your area?

I actually end up going with an organization in my city that has pre-existing operations on the ground in Haiti.

The only telethons that I have heard about are the national ones, so far.

[Little32]

That has always been my concern when I want to make donations to specific causes. I want to make sure it goes where I intend; as much as it is possible to get such assurances.

[DrPhil]

A woman with the last name of "Jean" (Wyclef's wife, perhaps?) was on TJMS this morning. When they asked about Yele being questioned, she began to cry. She said he put in 1million of his own money to get it started. She also said that he was trying to help back when no one else cared. Welp, mainstream media didn't care but there were always service organizations trying to help Haiti.

I understand why she and others think this is the wrong time to try to discredit his organization. At the same time, what better time is there than after tragedy strikes and people are searching for (sometimes mindlessly) places to donate?

[Little32]

I saw Wyclef's statement the other night, and it seems plausible to me that he put his own money into the organization to get it started. Not only has the mainstream media not been particularly concerned with the goings on in Haiti, but most Americans have not either--until now. I can see how his organization might have struggled to find financial support.

I agree though, now is an appropriate time to scrutinize all of these organizations, particularly the untested ones, to make sure that they are doing the work and using the funds as they said they would. Hopefully, even if Yele's money has been funny in the past, this added scrutiny will make sure that the millions that he has received in donations certainly ends up in the right place.

[DrPhil]

rant ahead/

There's so much disproportionate poverty going on in America and Haiti isn't even the poorest country in the world. So, as much as I want people to be socially conscious, I don't think it is collectively our "duty" to be concerned over every struggle for every group of people. Those who are willing to serve always have been serving and always will be serving. Who's to say what group of people receives "our" concern at any given time?

Sorry for the rant, but everywhere (literally, EVERYWHERE) I turn there are solicitations for donation and service regarding this. America gets blasted SO MUCH but that doesn't stop the America "haters" (hate that word) and commentors from knowing EXACTLY where to turn when they need something. Hmph.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

rant ahead/

There's so much disproportionate poverty going on in America and Haiti isn't even the poorest country in the world. So, as much as I want people to be socially conscious, I don't think it is collectively our "duty" to be concerned over every struggle for every group of people. Those who are willing to serve always have been serving and always will be serving. Who's to say what group of people receives "our" concern at any given time?

Sorry for the rant, but everywhere (literally, EVERYWHERE) I turn there are solicitations for donation and service regarding this. America gets blasted SO MUCH but that doesn't stop the America "haters" (hate that word) and commentors from knowing EXACTLY where to turn when they need something. Hmph.

Get out of my head!

[Little32]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

rant ahead/

There's so much disproportionate poverty going on in America and Haiti isn't even the poorest country in the world. So, as much as I want people to be socially conscious, I don't think it is collectively our "duty" to be concerned over every struggle for every group of people. Those who are willing to serve always have been serving and always will be serving. Who's to say what group of people receives "our" concern at any given time?

I don't think that anyone is saying this is a duty (though, I haven't been watching t. v. too much). But this is a time of extraordinary crisis and I think that people feel a great deal of compassion for the Haitians. If this moment also provides an opportunity for folks to learn things that they otherwise would not know about this nation, or perhaps a catalyst for more involvement on the international or local level, all the better.

@The bolded, I agree. I think that most of the people who feel compelled to take action in this cause are people that are probably working in their communities all the time. I would imagine that people that are generally indifferent to the need that they see in front of them every day would not be particularly moved by need several times removed from their immediate sphere.

To the rest: I don't guess the contemporary media (particularly most of those folks on any 24 hour news channels) has frequently been lauded for its ability to acknowledge either nuance or complexity. Do like I do; don't watch it.

<----news related rant free since 2008.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Little32

I don't think that anyone is saying this is a duty (though, I haven't been watching t. v. too much).

Actually I was listening to a news show this morning (granted not watching, but listening) and I heard the parents of some students that were missing in Haiti stating that the US HAS to send more rescue troops in, etc. I wonder if their children were not involved if they would feel the same.

Also other nations (France being one) are criticizing our response. So yes people do feel that it is the our duty to save Haiti.

As for not watching the news. I don't watch it that much, because I have a short attention span. But I would not recommend that folx not watch it, otherwise you miss a lot of what is going on around you. And I don't mean the events themselves, but rather the spins that are used by the media or whomever. IMO, that is important to know, because you learn a lot about how the real world works and thinks. And you never know when you may be in a position to need that knowledge. A small example is a newspaper headline. It is designed to draw in the reader. But then you get to the 2nd paragraph and realize it was misleading. If you don't read the article you don't know this, and you may base an opinion on false information.

[Little32]

So that was mostly a joke, in terms of the suggestion that others don't watch. Folks do what they want to do. We are all grown.

I do have a genuine and hearty dislike for most televised news though, particularly the 24 hours news channel variety, exactly because I find it to be mostly sensationalism, speculation, and spin without a whole lot of actual journalism. I tend to read or listen to my news, though there are a few news programs (generally public t. v.) that I do watch.

I will say that I have not been running into this sentiment that it is our "duty" everywhere I turn though. So....

ETA: Also, it seems to me that you and Phil are posting about two separate things. I read Phil's initial post as a rant about individual "duty" in this crisis (which is what I was responding to), while the examples that you provided were more about U. S. responsibility. But perhaps I misread.