If you’d like to help
Hi there. I’m going to borrow language from my friend Angi here. If you’re looking to help in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, The Center for International Disaster Information makes it clear that monetary contributions to established relief agencies are the most useful response to disasters like this one. Financial contributions allow professional relief organizations to purchase exactly what is most urgently needed by disaster victims and to pay for the transportation necessary to distribute those supplies. The following organizations that have well-established modes of access and intervention to Haiti, and/or have physical bases in Haiti:
InterAction has a listing of many other organizations in need of donations, so please feel free to do your own research.
I currently work for the Peruvian branch of Partners In Health (PIH). Their projects are not based in Port-au-Prince and thus have, thankfully, not been severely affected. With approximately 100 physicians and 600+ nurses, PIH is now probably the biggest healthcare provider in Haiti. My family and I personally chose to donate to PIH.
January 16th, 2010 at 4:30 pm
Because of Mountains Beyong Mountains, we donated to PIH on Thursday as well. I have a question though. We did some fundraising on Friday at school and have events planned for next week. We’re brainstorming additional ways to raise money, perhaps monthly or bi-weekly throughout the rest of the school year. Should we divide the money, for example, among the four charities you listed or make a larger donation(s) to one or two? Since I value your thinking (especially on this matter) if you get a minute, give me a call or send me an email about your thinking.
Did you see the new BushClintonHaiti initiative? Modeled on tsunami relief, that might be a good place for money to go as well.
January 22nd, 2010 at 9:15 pm
http://trueslant.com/matttaibbi/2010/01/18/translating-david-brooks-haiti/
taibbi has a good takedown of brooks too, but i like yours better, sir. hope all is well my friend.
February 2nd, 2010 at 7:41 am
Thanks for the thoughtful posting. I couldn’t agree with you more about the specious reasoning of Brooks. I’m never convinced that he entire believes what he writes. It’s almost as though he likes to hear himself think aloud, invoking clever , if tendentious parallels. If you’d like another resource on the plight of Haiti (especially in terms of comparison/contrast), Jared Diamond’s book, “Collapse” is closely reasoned on the similarities and divergences between it and the Dominican Republic. After recommending his book,”Guns, Germs, and Steel” I feel like a shill for him! Hope all goes well for you. Take care!
Bob