Helping Haiti
I don’t think I need to go into any detail on this. Haiti was hit with a massive 7.0 earthquake on January 14, 2010. There has been an equally massive worldwide effort to provide relief for the thousands of people affected by this disaster. The question everyone has been asking, especially here in the US Virgin Islands, is how can we help.
The easiest way you can help doesn’t even require you to leave your house. You can text a donation using your cellular phone and the donation will be added to your next cell phone bill. So far the texting drive has raised $11 million, but so much more is needed.
Cellphone users can donate $5 to Haiti-born hip-hop musician Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund by texting the word “Yele” to 501501, or they can donate $10 to other nonprofit organizations, such as the American Red Cross, by texting the word “Haiti” to a specified number, like 90999.
UNICEF is also accepting donations:
Finally, there are a couple of local relief efforts. The first I heard about was this one I saw on Facebook:
St Thomians: There’s a plane departing from St. Thomas Jet Center to Haiti carrying urgently needed supplies
We still need new & ideally by the case:
diapers
bottles
formula
juice boxes
collapsible water bladders/ reservoirs
rubbing alcohol
Clorox wipes
hand sanitizer
gauze bandages
antiseptic
antibacterial cream
gloves
maximum strength pain reliever.
The following items can be new or used, but clean:
Blankets
Sheets
Towels
sleeping bags
Tents
cots
mosquito nets
mosquito repellent
tarps
Flashlights & torches: set up with fresh working batteries
Shovels
Can openers
folding tables
Please DO NOT send clothes, other food items, etc. Such items will be collected later for rebuilding efforts. This plane is strictly focused on victim survival, and support of a field hospital.
DROP OFF ITEMS AT THE JET CENTER (SMALLER AIRPORT IN FRONT OF ST THOMAS AIRPORT)
I’m trying to find out if there is a specific time, but I get the feeling the sooner you can deliver items the better.
Another relief effort happens tomorrow. Here’s the details:
Oops…little hard to read isn’t it. Lemme help:
Between 12pm - 4pm tomorrow you can deliver items to Senator Adlah “Foncie” Donastorg’s campaign headquarters in Four Winds Plaza in Tutu.
Here’s what you can contribute:
Medical emergency supplies: band-aids, pain reliever, gauze, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibacterial crèmes, antibacterial wipes, bottles, blankets, sheets, batteries, flashlights, baby formula, bedding, towels, juice boxes, water, personal hygiene items, tarps, tents, etc…
Collections accepted through the office of Senator Donastorg. Located in Four Winds Plaza, Tutu. Between cash and carry and island bedding. Cash donations will be given to the Red Cross.
Let’s put politics aside on this one and help Haiti.
