Aid organizations warn that well-intentioned efforts like collecting bottled water and clothing on your own may not be the most helpful thing for a disaster-ravaged country that doesn’t have the infrastructure to distribute them.
Here are some of the organizations accepting donations for earthquake relief.
To donate $10 to the American Red Cross, text “Haiti” to 90999. The amount will be added to your next cell phone bill. The organization is also accepting donations through its International Response Fund, http://www.redcross.org or 1-800-REDCROSS.
UNICEF is seeking donations to the ongoing relief efforts through http://www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake or 1-800-4UNICEF.
Samaritan’s Purse, based in Boone, is providing water, blankets, medical aid and other essentials to Haiti. http://www.samaritanspurse.org .
Western North Carolina Conference/United Methodist Church: Make checks payable to “WNCC Treasurer” with “Haiti quake relief” on the memo line and mail to WNCC Mission/Outreach, P.O. Box 18005, Charlotte, NC 28218. http://www.wnccumc.org.
Harris Teeter stores will be selling $1 and $5 Haiti Earthquake Relief Cards through Jan. 31 that will go to the American Red Cross. The cards will be sold at every cash register. They will be scanned and added to your grocery bill.
All Saints Episcopal Church in Concord will be collecting donations the next two Sundays, Jan. 17 and 24, for its Haiti Fund. Checks can be made to All Saints Episcopal Church, with “Haiti Earthquake” on the memo line. Mail them to All Saints Episcopal Church, 525 Lake Concord Road, Concord NC 28025. The church is also affiliated with the Haiti Fund Inc. Donations to that fund may be made directly to Haiti Fund Inc., P.O. Box 1075, New Bern, NC 28563 or http://www.haitifundinc.org .
Davidson College Presbyterian Church will host a breakfast meeting today for leaders of the Davidson religious community regarding a communitywide response. http://www.dcpc.org.
Kiwanis Uptown’s young professionals is hosting a social event today to help Haiti victims. The event is from 7 to 11 p.m. at Tilt on Trade, 127 W. Trade St. It’s free, but donations are urged at the door. Proceeds will go to the Billy Word Emergency Fund to benefit quake victims. There will be drink specials and ticket raffle for Bobcats game. http://www.kiwanisuptown.org.
Campania Cafe in South Main Square, 416 S. Main St., Davidson, will donate part of total sales through Saturday to the International Medical Corps. http://www.campaniacafe.com.
Union County Red Cross is accepting donations for the relief efforts. Though the organization is deploying volunteers who have been trained to respond to such situations, you can contact the Red Cross about future training. For donations and other information, http://www.unioncountyredcross.org .
To donate $5 to Wyclef Jean’s Haitian Yele charity, text “Yele” to 501501. The money will be added to your next cell phone bill.
InterAction, a coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations, has a list of agencies responding and how to donate to them: http://www.interaction.org/crisis-list/earthquake-haiti .
International Medical Corps: 800-481-4462 or http://www.imcworldwide.org .
Partners in Health: http://www.pih.org.
The Salvation Army’s World Services Office: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org or 1-800-SAL-ARMY.
Action Against Hunger: http://www.actionagainsthunger.org .
Mercy Corps: http://www.mercycorps.org.
The United Nations World Food Program: http://www.wfp.org.
Operation Blessing International: community.ob.org.
Project HOPE: http://www.projecthope.org.
American Jewish World Service: http://www.ajws.org.
Baptist Global Response: http://www.baptistglobalresponse.com .
Catholic Relief Services: http://www.crs.org or 1-877-HELP-CRS.
Compassion International, serves 64,000 sponsored children in Haiti: http://www.compassion.com.
The Episcopal Diocese of New York, which has a partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti: http://www.dioceseny.org .
The Lutheran Church/Missouri Synod’s LCMS World Relief and Human Care: http://www.lcms.org/ca/worldrelief.
International Rescue Committee: http://www.theirc.org or 1-877-REFUGEE.
Oxfam’s emergency appeal: http://www.oxfam.org.uk .
