Earthquake help- send direct, do not text

[Trek420]

In which a Haitian doctor opens up his home to be a makeshift hospital doing all he can without even the most basic supplies.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/cb_haiti_one_man_hospital

One source of medical supplies is a local group (well local to me) http://www.medshare.org

They take surplus but unexpired of course medical supplies and get them to places that need them. Haiti and others of course. I'm considering volunteering.

[KnottedYet]

Or they can have a sale I'm not kidding.
...

While you could build your own kit, or get them at a hardware store .... buy 'em from the Red Cross. Heck get 3, get 3 for all your friends

They're red so get 'em for valentines day

http://www.redcrossstore.org

I bought the expandable/organizable duffel version (the one on sale right now) to keep in my car. I'll add some stuff (ambu bag, gloves, larger dressings, etc) and it looks like the duffel would hold it all better.

Money for the Red Cross, disaster supplies for me. Win-win.

[Trek420]

Money for the Red Cross, disaster supplies for me. Win-win.

A toast that we never need it but money for the red cross, emergency kit for you and .... a person with medical experience and supplies in the car for her community. Here's hoping it never needs to be used.

Win-win-win

[Irulan]

More on hoaxes/valid donations...

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/charity/haiti.asp

Snopes has a really good list of what is fact, what is not regarding UPS, texting, facebook etc.

The latest is a cut-and-paste Facebook update that says FB will give a dollar for every person that pastes a certain phrase into their updates.
Between google and snopes, this is absolutely unverified.

the FB cut/paste is now a confirmed hoax. I smelled a rat....

http://urbanlegends.about.com/b/2010...iti-relief.htm

[OakLeaf]

Before I give money to any organization, I check it out on Guidestar, Charity Watch and Charity Navigator. Take a look at the IRS 990s if you feel the websites' ratings don't give enough information.

Easy way to avoid not only pure scams, but also sending money to charities that aren't going to send it where you want it to go.

[papaver]

My cycling buddies husband is there right now with the Belgian B-Fast team (rescue team). She hasn't heard from him yet, but I hope he can save some lives there (he's a nurse).

[evangundy]

So many worthy groups to donate to for helping. Here are a couple more.

My riding partner's father is leaving tomorrow to fly to Haiti with Medical Teams International - he is going as the pediatric specialist of an orthopedic surgery team. His family is recommending donations go to MTI http://www.medicalteams.org/sf/Home.aspx or to Stand With Haiti / Partners In Health http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti (which is a company that has been in Haiti for 20 years).

Prayers and good thoughts going out to all in Haiti.
Edna

[Trek420]

Prayers and good thoughts going out to all in Haiti

Thoughts and prayers also to all those who are speeding to give help.

[e.e.cummings]

Went to Mountain Equipment Co-op on the weekend, one of the things on my list was Gatorade powder - they were totally cleaned out (I was told that volunteers flying to Haiti bought out their entire stock). Puts things in perspective, doesn't it...

I donated to Unicef's Haiti Earthquake fund today. I see that Air Canada is sending planes full of goods, and bringing people back. There is quite a Haiti-Montreal connection, a lot because of the language (Haiti is French, Montreal also). So many sad stories, each flight back brings bittersweet stories...

[blackhillsbiker]

Lutheran World Relief, with a long-standing excellent track record, has also launched a text-to-give. If this is a convenient way to give, they would be a trustworthy charity. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...-81881122.html

Deb

[OakLeaf]

snip

“In Haiti, as is always true in the aftermath of a major disaster, in addition to the urgent need for what we traditionally consider the pillars of immediate aid – food, water, shelter, medical care – there are needs that are specific to women, particularly for pregnant women and mothers with new babies and the need to address the added vulnerability to violence that women face when government infrastructures are dysfunctional,” writes Lucinda Marshall at Feminist Peace Network.

Our Bodies Ourselves has compiled a list of organizations focused on addressing the health needs in Haiti, particularly the needs of women and girls, during and beyond the initial aid effort. Additional background articles and press releases are also included.

[Bob1213]

The staggering scope of Haiti's nightmare came into sharper focus Monday as authorities estimated 200,000 dead and 1.5 million homeless in the quake-ravaged heart of this tragic land, where injured survivors still died in the streets, doctors pleaded for help and looters slashed at one another in the rubble.

[papaver]

The staggering scope of Haiti's nightmare came into sharper focus Monday as authorities estimated 200,000 dead and 1.5 million homeless in the quake-ravaged heart of this tragic land, where injured survivors still died in the streets, doctors pleaded for help and looters slashed at one another in the rubble.

I've heard that two red cross members were shot dead too.

[OakLeaf]

I've heard that two red cross members were shot dead too.

I think we need to be careful spreading that sort of rumor, considering what happened after Katrina. Even if it's reported by a major news organization, it may not be true (as turned out with so many of the stories of post-Katrina violence). Neither the American Red Cross nor the ICRC has anything of the sort on their websites as of this morning.

[Trek420]

Going on right now on my fave local radio station they are running a marathon indoors on trainers for Haiti relief

http://www.kfog.com/PROGRAMMING/kfog...9/Default.aspx

I just noticed the play list

TRAIN IN VAIN by CLASH
I'LL GO CRAZY IF I DON'T by U2
RUN LIKE HELL by PINK FLOYD
BORN TO RUN by BRUUUUUCE
Song: LET'S DANCE
CHASING PIRATES by NORAH JONES ......