Help Haiti

[guppie01 0]

It's only $5.00, spread the word and hopefully we all can make a difference.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/01/13/yele.wyclef.haiti.relief/index.html

Jean is encouraging people to text "Yéle" to 501501, which will automatically donate $5 to the Yéle Haiti Earthquake Fund, or to visit http://www.yele.org/.

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[warpedskydiver 0]

Unfortunately all funds will never reach those in need.


That is what Haiti is, corruption at it's worst, well at least in the Caribbean.

[thedude325 0]

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Unfortunately all funds will never reach those in need.


That is what Haiti is, corruption at it's worst, well at least in the Caribbean.

Corruption at it's worst in the U.S.? New Orleans. A lot of people donated money to the Katrina relief effort that was misappropriated. The money that did get here was greatly appreciated. It doesn't hurt to try.

[skymama 35]

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Unfortunately all funds will never reach those in need.

Do you have any figures to back up that statement?

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[akarunway 1]

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Unfortunately all funds will never reach those in need.

Do you have any figures to back up that statement?

Common sense maybe. I believe 10% of any donations make to any given cause. Damn. I need to start a charity or a church.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[Squeak 17]

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Unfortunately all funds will never reach those in need.

Do you have any figures to back up that statement?

It's fairly widely known that very few oranisations actually pass on all the monies collected, every step of the ladder seems to take their piece of the pie.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[skymama 35]

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It's fairly widely known that very few oranisations actually pass on all the monies collected, every step of the ladder seems to take their piece of the pie.

Yes, I know that. That's why I'd like to make an informed decision before I pick a charity to donate to. If he knows something about this specific organization, I'd like to know it. And, it's not really fair to the organization to just throw that kind of statement out there without any backup.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

On Wyclef Jean's organization's website there's this statement:

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100% of donations from individuals go to our assigned projects

Does it go to administrative costs too or does the 100% go directly into the mouths of the victims?

That's the kinda stuff I want to know before I donate to any charitable organization.

Always be kinder than you feel.

[Southern_Man 0]

Charities are required to file tax forms with disclosures of such things as administrative overhead. They will send those to prospective donors who ask (most will, if they won't then don't donate w/ them). Also, there are places on the net (Guidestar is one w/ a good reputation) which will allow you to research charitable organizations.

unfortunately even charities have a hard time monitoring what happens to their funds in foreign lands. Even if they pass the Guidestar test the funds may still disappear or be misappropriated at the local level.

There is, also unfortunately, a ton of corruption in Haitian society which makes this task even more complex.

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[LuckyMcSwervy 0]

Thanks for that information. That's why I prefer to donate my time and energy instead of my cash, if possible.

Always be kinder than you feel.

[warpedskydiver 0]

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Unfortunately all funds will never reach those in need.

Do you have any figures to back up that statement?

You don't have a long memory do you?

Remember the 20 billion they were given?

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/stories/bribe/2009/05/haiti-the-long-road-to-recovery.html

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/8655

I am not bashing the Haitians for being black, I am bashing Haitian politics for the blood thirsty way they run that country and how the greed they practice keeps them impoverished.

They probably could all be living very well and driving a mercedes if they received all the monies that was ever sent to them.

[mutumbo 0]

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Thanks for that information. That's why I prefer to donate my time and energy instead of my cash, if possible.

yeah if i could seriously figure out a way ther and out of work id totally go to help them out. But i dont think thats gonna happen.

Thanatos340(on landing rounds)--
Landing procedure: Hand all the way up, Feet and Knees Together and PLF soon as you get bitch slapped by a planet.

[kunosoura 0]

I almost gave to Wyclef's org. but couldn't find it on a number of charity-rating websites, so I opted for the red cross int'l disaster fund (I think it was called..) I dunno but it had Haiti quake listed in the description.

[skittles_of_SDC 0]

Why?

Name one foreign country that helped us with aid after Katrina.

[piisfish 135]

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Why?

Name one foreign country that helped us with aid after Katrina.

because :

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Below is a list of countries who offered aid. Some of these efforts were not formally accepted by the U.S. government (see "Actual Funds Used" below).

Afghanistan
Donated $100,000 to the hurricane victims.[3]
Albania
Donated $300,000.[4]
Argentina
Made offers of help and assistance. Argentina also dispatched an elite team of bilingual mental health professionals.[5]
Armenia
Pledged $200,000 and made offers of help and assistance.[6]
Australia
AUD 10 million (approximately USD 8-9 Million), and a team of 20 emergency response officers immediately. Donated AUD 10 million to American Red Cross.[7]
Austria
140 specialists of the AFDRU were put on stand-by. Their focus was to have been on providing clean water with portable water-treatment plants. Within the EU Emergency Assistance for Katrina, Austria set up a communication network using IT and communication equipment for assistance/support, provided 10 sets petrol driven dirty water pumps, 500 pieces tarps/plastic sheeting and 300 camp beds.[8]
Azerbaijan
Donated $500,000.[9]
The Bahamas
Pledged $50,000.
Bahrain
Donated $5 million.[10]
Bangladesh
Donated humanitarian aid worth $1 million and said it would send 160 disaster management experts, including doctors, nurses, engineers and others.
Belarus
Made offers of help and assistance.
Belgium
Offered 3 Medical teams of 31 personnel, logistic team of 10 personnel, coordination team of 4 personnel, civil engineering team of 10 personnel, diving team, and also balloon-lamps, low and high capacity pumps and small generators.[8]
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Made offers of help and assistance.
Brunei
Donated $1 million.[10]
Cambodia
The king donated $20,000 to match the $20,000 Cambodian government donation.
Canada
Main article: Canadian response to Hurricane Katrina
September 5, 35 military divers were poised to depart by air Sunday from Halifax and Esquimalt, B.C., for the New Orleans area.September 4, On the request from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Canada sent thousands of beds, blankets, surgical gloves and dressings and other medical supplies. On September 2 the Government of Canada announced it was sending three warships along with a Coast Guard vessel, and three Sea King helicopters to the area. Over 1,000 personnel are involved in the operation, including engineers and navy divers. The Canadian Heavy Urban Search and Rescue out of Vancouver was in Louisiana from September 1, due to security they started their mission on Sept 3. Ontario Hydro, Hydro-Québec, and Manitoba Hydro, along with other electrical utilities, had crews set to go to the affected areas. On September 2 Air Canada participated along with U.S. member airlines of the Air Transport Association, in a voluntary airline industry initiative to support rescue and relief operations. Money donations although where very high, the province of Alberta alone threw in 5 million dollars alone. Although it is hard to put an exact number on Canadian cash donations because of some Canadians donating directly to the American agencies, but it is thought to be one of the highest international donors nation.
Chile
Made offers of help and assistance.
People's Republic of China
On September 2, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it will offer $5 million along with emergency supplies, including 1,000 tents, 600 generators, bed sheets, immediately for disaster relief. China also offered to send medical care and rescue workers if they were needed.[11] This aid package consisting of 104 tons of supplies later arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas.[12] A chartered plane carrying the supplies arrived on September 7.[13]
Colombia
Made offers of help and assistance.
Cuba
One of the first countries to offer aid, Cuba offered to send 1,586 doctors and 26 tons of medicine. This aid was rejected by the State Department.[14]
Cyprus
Offered $50,000.
Czech Republic
Offered rescue teams, field hospital and pumps and water processing equipment.
Denmark
Offered Water purification units.[8]
Djibouti
Offered $50,000.[2]
Dominica
Offered police to monitor hard-hit areas.
Dominican Republic
Offered rescue workers, doctors and nurses.
Ecuador
Made offers of help and assistance.
Egypt
Sent 2 C-130 planes loaded with blankets, medical equipment, and canned food.
El Salvador
Offered to send troops to help keep order in New Orleans.
Equatorial Guinea
Pledged $500,000.
Finland
Sent Finn Rescue Force—the group consists of 30 firemen and three Red Cross logistics experts.. Additionally Finland offered 300 tents, a water purification unit, sterile gloves, bed sheets, pillow covers, tarps and first aid kits.
France
Main article: French response to Hurricane Katrina
Concrete help was refused by the US government initially, however on September 2, Condoleezza Rice said that the US authorities would assess the situation and contact French authorities accordingly. On September 4, US authorities formally requested French assistance. France offered disaster relief stocks prepositioned in Martinique (600 tents, around 1000 beds, 60 electrogenic groups, 3 pumps, 3 water purification stations, 1000 folding jerricanes and other material). A 35-person team of the Sécurité civile (Civil defence) from Guadeloupe and Martinique were made ready, and a 60-man "catastrophe intervention" aeromobile detachment were prepared to be ferried from mainland in a short time. The Ministry of Defence offered 2 planes already in the zone and 6 more from mainland France, and two ships of the French Navy (probably the BATRAL Francis Garnier or Champlain, and the frigate Ventôse) and a 20-person team of emergency medical specialists. The non-governmental organisation Télécoms sans frontières and the company Véolia environnement offered aid in communications and water management, respectively. On September 7, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs stated that an Airbus Beluga from Toulouse with 12,7 tonnes of supplies flew to Mobile, Alabama, after a brief stop in the UK to load more food.[15] Two Casa airplanes from Martinique landed in Little Rock, Arkansas, ferrying tents, covers and 1000 rations of food for 24 hours.[8][16][17]
Gabon
Pledged $500,000.[2]
Georgia
Made offers of help and assistance.
Germany
Two German Army Airbus planes landed in Florida with about 25 tonnes of food rations to be transported to the disaster area. Further planes were prepared. Germany offered airlifting, vaccination, water purification, medical supplies including German air force hospital planes, emergency electrical power and pumping services. The aid was ready to go on German air force and chartered planes. A team of specialists from THW (German federal agency for technical relief) were planning technical measures and logistics in close contact with local authorities. A team of 89 flood fighting specialists and 5 medical personnel were dispatched from Ramstein Air Base to Louisiana by the United States Air Force. They brought 15 high performance pumps (10 pumps with a capacity of 15,000 litres per minute and 5 pumps with a capacity of 5,000 litres per minute) and 28 vehicles.[18] On Saturday, September 10 at 4:30 p.m., the THW started the first 15,000 litre pump at pumping-station No. 19. Three other 15,000 litres pumps followed. The drainage of New Orleans would have taken much more time if these pumps and the THW specialists had not been provided.[19]
The Minister-President of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate addressed a letter to the commanders of the American forces stationed in his state offering financial support to those affected by the flooding.
Another German Air Force cargo plane carrying several thousand military rations (MRE) was denied entry into US airspace since, according to US authorities, they were not certified BSE-free. This was disputed by German authorities, pointing out that they were BSE-free according to NATO rules, that US soldiers would eat them regularly during joint operations (e.g. Afghanistan) and that these meals fully complied to UN rules.[20]
Greece
Offered $85,000[21], two cruise ships to house those left homeless, a rescue team, and supplies.
Guatemala
Made offers of help and assistance.
Guyana
Made offers of help and assistance and is organizing a telethon to raise money for victims.
Honduras
Offered 135 flooding and sanitation experts.
Hungary
Pledged $5,000 and offered to send a Special Search and Rescue Team, and also five doctors.
Iceland
Offered $500,000.
India
India offered to contribute $5 million to the United States Red Cross for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. They also offered to donate medicines and large water purification systems for use in households and small communities in the stricken areas, where potable water was a key concern.[22] India sent tarps, blankets and hygiene kits. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas on September 13, 2005.[23]
Indonesia
Offered to send 45 doctors and 155 other medical staffers and 10,000 blankets to help survivors.
Iran
Offered to send humanitarian aid and 20 million barrels (3,200,000 m3) of crude oil.[17][24]
Iraq
Pledged $1 million to the Red Cross via the Red Crescent.
Republic of Ireland
Offered to send 30 members of the Irish Defence Forces. The Irish army would have supplied thousands of ready meals, tents, blankets, water purification services and medical aid, including first aid kits, crutches and wheelchairs. The group would have included about ten experts in stress debriefing. Six of the troops would have operated two water purification plants. The Irish Government also announced it is to provide initial funding of EUR 1.2 million for the victims.
Israel
Offered field hospitals and hundreds of doctors, nurses, technicians and other experts in trauma, natural disasters and public health.[25]
An Israeli airlift arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas with an eighty-ton shipment of humanitarian aid, including baby food, diapers, water, ready-to-eat meals, clothes, tents, blankets, mattresses, stretchers, first aid kits, wheelchairs, and other medical supplies.
The Magen David Adom began "United Brotherhood Operation," which sent a plane-load of supplies and financial assistance.
IsraAid sent a delegation of medical personnel, psychologists, and experienced search-and-rescue divers. The 18-member team — which included physicians, mental health professionals, trauma specialists, logistics experts and a special unit of Israeli police divers — arrived in St. Bernard Parish and Plaquemines Parish on Sept. 10 and spent a week and a half assisting fire department search-and-rescue squads and sitting in on daily planning meetings that included local leadership and a complement of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), police, military and fire representativesmedical team.[26]
Five universities in Israel welcomed displaced American students from the affected areas and invited both undergraduate and graduate students to continue their studies in Israel.[27] In particular, medical students unable to attend the Tulane University in New Orleans can attend Tel Aviv University's Sackler School of Medicine.[28]
Italy
Italy offered to send two Hercules C130 cargo aircraft fitted with emergency aids, including 300 Adult camp beds, 300 blankets, 600 sheets, 1 suction pump, 6 lifecrafts, 11.200 chlorine tablets, 5 units of large first aid kits, baby food formula pumps, tents and power generators. Italy also offered to send some experts of the Protezione Civile to help coordinating relief efforts in the damaged area.[8]
Jamaica
Made offers of help and assistance.
Japan
The Japanese Foreign Ministry said that it would provide $200,000 to the American Red Cross to assist victims of Hurricane Katrina. Japan also identified needs in affected regions via the U.S. government and provided up to $300,000 in emergency supplies such as tents, blankets and power generators if they receive requests from the U.S. for such assistance. One Japanese individual, Takashi Endo, donated USD 1 million from his personal funds to Katrina relief efforts.[13]
Jordan
Made offers of help and assistance.
Kenya
Offered $100,000.[2] There were also early reports of $400 million in petroleum products being donated from Kenya, though these later proved to be erroneous.[29]
Korea, South
Offered $ 30 million and dispatched a rescue team.[13]
Kuwait
Parliament approved $500 million for aid in oil and other humanitarian aid.
Latvia
Offered a disaster relief team.
Lithuania
Made offers of help and assistance.
Luxembourg
Team of five persons, 1000 camp beds and 2000 blankets.[8]
Malaysia
Pledged $1 million to American Red Cross.
Maldives
Sent $25,000 to American Red Cross.
Mauritania
Promised $200,000 to American Red Cross.
Malta
Made offers of help and assistance.[8]
Mexico
Main article: Mexican response to Hurricane Katrina
Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas received almost 196 Mexican troops, 14 truckloads of water, a mobile surgical unit, 45 military vehicles, 3 tons of purified water, and more than 250 tons of food, bottled water, canned food, disposable diapers and medical supplies. The Mexican Government sent $1 million through the Mexican Red Cross which collected an additional million, as well as 200 tons of food delivered in five airplanes from the Mexican Air Force by another Mexican Government body. The Mexican Navy sent two ships, 385 troopers, eight all-terrain vehicles, seven amphibious vehicles, two tankers, two helicopters, radio communication equipment, medical personnel and 296 tons of food as well. The state of Jalisco also sent four experts in disaster, while the Federal government offered to send expert teams in epidemiology and to cover the costs of returning any Mexican national back to Mexico.
Mongolia
Pledged $50,000.
Nepal
Pledged $25,000.[30]
The Netherlands
Royal Netherlands Navy Frigate Hr. Ms. Van Amstel arrived from the Netherlands Antilles. The frigate was filled with supplies and had helicopters on board that can be used in rescue actions. Further, The Netherlands sent experts on the subject of water containment and dikes, identification teams and pumps to deliver clean drinking water, F-16s with sophisticated infra red or thermography camera pods (to look for weaknesses in the levees, corpses and hidden survivors) and divers from the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. On September 7 The U.S. government announced that it would take up the Dutch government's offer to send water pumps, and also five water management experts.
New Zealand
Main article: New Zealand response to Hurricane Katrina
Pledged $2 million though the Red Cross. This contribution was in addition to the offers the government has already made to send an Urban Search and Rescue Team, a Disaster Victim Identification team or post disaster recovery personnel.[31]
Nicaragua
Made offers of help and assistance.
Nigeria
Pledged $1 million to hurricane disaster relief.
Norway
Made offers of help and assistance. An amount of NOK 10 million was given through the Norwegian Red Cross and the UN. In addition, Norway offered divers and medicines.
Oman
Pledged $15 million.
Pakistan
On September 4 Pakistan offered to send a team of doctors and paramedics to support the relief agencies. Pakistan also pledged $1 million through the Red Cross.
Palau
Pledged $50,000.
Papua New Guinea
Promised $10,000 to American Red Cross.
Paraguay
Made offers of help and assistance.
Peru
Offered to send 80-100 doctors to help survivors.
the Philippines
Offered to send a 25-member team of aid workers. The Philippines Red Cross donated $25,000.
Poland
Made offers of help and assistance.
Portugal
Offered tents, mattresses, blankets, hygiene kits. Portugal lent 2% of its strategic oil reserve, equivalent to 500,000 barrels (79,000 m3) of oil.[citation needed]
Qatar
Pledged $100 million to the victims.[32]
Romania
Offered 2 Teams of medical experts.[8]
Russia
Was one of the first countries to offer assistance. Up to four jets were placed on standby at the Ramenskoe airport near Moscow as early as August 30, including heavy Ilyushin Il-76-TDs with special evacuation equipment, medical equipment, a water-cleansing system, a rescue helicopter BK-117 and two special cars; and a passenger IL-62, which brought 10 coordinators and 50 rescuers, as well as 6 tons of drinking water. On September 6, the Bush administration gave its approval.[33]
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Refining, a Houston-based subsidiary of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, donated $5 million to the American Red Cross, as well as $250,000 from AGFUND.
Singapore
Main article: Singaporean response to Hurricane Katrina
Three Singaporean CH-47 Chinook helicopters and thirty-eight RSAF personnel from a training detachment based in Grand Prairie, Texas assisted in relief operations from 1 September. They had so far ferried about 700 evacuees and hauled tons of supplies in 39 sorties on 4 September. One more CH-47 Chinook helicopter was sent to aid in relief efforts.[34]
Slovakia
Promised blankets, beds, first aid kits.
Slovenia
$120,000 worth of cots, mattresses, blankets, temporary shelters and first-aid kits.[35]
Spain
Spain sent 2.1 million barrels (330,000 m3) of crude oil from its strategic reserves (the 1.75% of the Spanish reserves) for a 30 day period.[36] On September 7 two Hercules cargo aircraft took off with 15 tonnes of food rations, electrical generators and batteries, medical equipment and other humanitarian assistance collected by the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI). A second envoy was sent a few days later.[37]
Sri Lanka
Pleged $25,000 for relief efforts.[38]
Sweden
Main article: Swedish response to Hurricane Katrina
Sweden offered to send medical and technical aid, and a Hercules cargo aircraft filled with three complete GSM systems, first aid kits, blankets, Ready-to-eat meals, generators, 2 heavy water purification plants, as well as water sanitation experts. On September 4 the U.S. State Department declined the aid, saying it was currently unable to accept foreign aid packages. On September 12 the Hercules plane left the Gothenburg-Landvetter Airport, carrying a cargo of three Ericsson GSM network systems. A team of technical consultants to help with the aid package was also provided.[39]
Switzerland
Switzerland offered specialised personnel and material to the USA and the World Health Organisation (WHO). In accordance with US requirements, 50 tonnes of rescue equipment were ready to be sent, along with two logisticians of the Direction du développement et de la coopération (DDC, "Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation") to help coordinate distributions. Four physicians and two water specialists were also put to the disposal of the WHO.
Republic of China (Taiwan)
Pledged more than $3 million to the relief effort, plus supplies.[17]
Thailand
Sent at least 60 doctors and nurses along with rice.
Tunisia
Sent two C-130s with relief supplies.
Turkey
Promised $2.5 million in cash and aid.
Uganda
Offered $200,000.[2]
United Arab Emirates
Pledged $100 million.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom dispatched 500,000 ration packs worth EUR 3 million, to the region. However, many of the ration packs did not reach victims due to laws regarding mad cow disease[40]. It also offered medical experts, Urban Search and Rescue equipment, Marine engineers and high-volume pumps, skilled personnel including engineers who could support recovery efforts for installations and systems, technicians, staff trained in disaster management and emergency response activities. It also pledged to release an extra 2.2 million barrels (350,000 m3) of oil.[8][41]
Venezuela
President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela offered one million barrels of oil and 5 million dollars in aid to the United States. This aid was rejected by the State Department.[42] State-owned Petróleos de Venezuela, the parent company of Citgo Petroleum Corporation, has also pledged a $2 million donation for hurricane aid.[43] Two mobile hospital units were also offered, but were declined, according to Jesse Jackson.[44]
Vietnam
Pledged $100,000.
Yemen
Pledged $100,000 through the Red Cross.

from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_response_to_Hurricane_Katrina

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skittles_of_SDC 0]

touche sir. You proved me wrong. However, pledged and donated are very different. I'll count the donations but I'm not counting the pledges since there is nothing stating whether they actually delivered.

[piisfish 135]

well if the governement doesn't feel the need to pick up the money and the goods nobody can force them...

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Actual Funds Used
An article in the April 29, 2007 Washington Post claimed that of the $854 million offered by foreign countries, whom the article dubs "allies," to the US Government, only $40 million of the funds had been spent "for disaster victims or reconstruction" as of the date of publication (less than 5%).[49]

Additionally, a large portion of the $854 million in aid offered went uncollected, including over $400 million in oil (almost 50%).

scissors beat paper, paper beat rock, rock beat wingsuit - KarlM

[skittles_of_SDC 0]

Ok, I'm sorry. Now not only am I embarrassed for my comments but also for the actions of our gov't. I will now refrain from making any more political comments so as not to get this thrown in the SC.

[skymama 35]

This is what I know:

All things considered, I live a comfortable life. I have all the things I need.

The people in Haiti are living on the streets because there are no shelters to go to. They have nothing more than the clothes on their backs and live with the dread and sorrow of losing their homes and loved ones from something they had no control over.

If I can send some money to an organization in the hopes that a blanket, bottle of water, medicine or even a clean pair of underwear can be bought for someone then I'm going to do it. I have faith that most people will do the right thing.

Maybe my donation will get pocketed by a corrupted official...at least I know I tried to help.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[skittles_of_SDC 0]

I have nothing to back it up but I'd say the charity that most likely would disperse it as you hope would be the red cross. That's just a guess though.

[skymama 35]

The Red Cross is probably the organization I'm going to go with.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[MikeJD 0]

Gia, thanks for this.

Slightly off-topic, but I saw a picture this morning of a weeping father holding the body of his baby. It broke my heart, but it also made me angry that it's apparently ok to splash the faces of a desperately grieving man, and of his dead child, across the front page of a London newspaper.

I know this is nothing new, but I can't help thinking it's accepted because these people are stereotyped as generic victims - you know, foreigners living thousands of miles away in an area prone to natural disasters.

I guess it does help to raise funds, in the same way as pictures of starving children do - but still, it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth.

That said, I will give - preferably to a reputable organisation that's using donations directly towards rescue or aid work. And even if a large parts gets skimmed off for admin, so what? There's no way to help physically. It's donate money, or do nothing.

[BIGUN 1,061]

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The Red Cross is probably the organization I'm going to go with.

Having worked numerous US (CONUS) & overseas (OCONUS) international disaster operations in the past, I can validate that while everyone wants to assist the impacted areas, it must be through a well planned and coordinated process with all agencies directly in communications with, and support to, the requesting nation. As with any disaster, donations must be well planned and coordinated as well.

Those that want to assist should consider financial donations to relief organizations such as the American Red Cross who is directly supporting the ICRC in their relief processes.

EDIT: Going offline for awhile.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[skymama 35]

GMA had a good segment on this morning on how to avoid scams.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[NickDG 23]

Wow . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXHopCrs46U

NickD