Internet Oil Drum

As I’m sure you already know, on Jan. 12, 2010, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck near the Haitian capital Port-au-Prince. Disaster relief efforts were underway when this morning, while getting ready for work, I heard on the news that Haiti was rocked by another major earthquake. The area was already devastated before this morning’s quake. Help is GREATLY needed.

I was told to donate by texting “HAITI” to “90999.” I was told that a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross in my name to help with relief efforts, charged to my wireless bill. This is a great idea. However, my cell phone has not been able to get through the system. So I did some research to find the best way to donate to the cause.

Here are some suggested Web sites:

• American Red Cross
• NetHope
• Save the Children
• World Vision International
• Care
• MercyCorps
• Unicef

Please remember to (a) donate generously and (b) donate wisely. Check on the charitable organization and make sure they are a legit charity. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a list of accountability standards to look for:
- how they govern their organization;
- how they spend their money;
- the truthfulness of their representations;
- and their willingness to disclose basic information to the public.

You can always check on a charity’s legitimacy through the BBB at http://www.bbb.org/us/.

If your company donates or has an event for Haiti, please let E&P know so we can cover the story on www.epmag.com.

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