Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something. - Anonymous

You have probably already heard that a devastating earthquake hit Haiti yesterday, January 12, 2010. With reports of up to 3 million people affected by this natural disaster, it can be described as nothing else but a tragedy.

When I first heard the reports of the earthquake, I was walking the streets of NYC on my way home so I turned to one of my usual sources of mobile information, Twitter. I was truly overwhelmed by the flood of information being pasted through the site. Even when I got home and turned on the news they were discussing how social media is the leading source of information on the aftermath of this horrific event. CNN broadcasters were actually utilizing photos posted on both Facebook and Twitter for insight to the damage Haiti has experienced. It just goes to show you that we, as a community of people online, have a voice. A loud voice.

As I woke up this morning, I couldn’t help but obsess over how I can help the poor people of Haiti.  Here I was waking up from my comfortable bed, making a fresh pot of coffee, cooking and serving my daughter her full balanced breakfast and then heading off to work in my warm, nice clothes and all the while, the people affected by this earthquake are sleeping in the streets trying to comprehend the devastation they have just lived through and how they are possibly going to get through the next few days, weeks, months and years to come.

Throughout the day, posts have been made through various networks on where and how you can help. You don’t have to leave your community to help.  Here is a compiled list of what you can do be a part of the recovery.

SPREAD THE WORD
Use your voice online and in person to spread the word to others about what we can do to help. The more we know, the more we can do. With resources such as Twitter and Facebook, we are ablet o get up to date information about recovery efforts and what you can do to do your part.  Besides the news fees, so many of the recovery organizations are on Twitter and you can follow them on the links listed below.

DONATE
Here is a list of charities to which you can make a donation. Follow them on Twitter for updates.

Operation USA
Partners in Health
Doctors Without Borders
Direct Relief International
American Red Cross (Twitter @RedCross)
UNICEF (Twitter @UnicefUSA )
Mercy Corps (Twitter @mercycorps )
Oxfam America (Twitter @oxfamamerica )
Save the Children (Twitter @savethechildren )

U.S. State Department: Text “HAITI” to “90999″ and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. (Twitter @whitehouse )

Yéle Haiti: Donate $5 by texting YELE to 501 501 right now please RT. From musician and Haiti native, Wyclef Jean (Twitter at @wyclef )

For more lists of charities, click here.

Posted By
Kelli Crean
Ecommerce Manager

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 at 1:37 pm and is filed under City Happenings. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.