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Haiti Relief Efforts 

The devastation the recent earthquake in Haiti has caused is unimaginable and the cry for help is enormous.  Many organizations are joining together to offer some form of relief as quickly as possible.  Your help is needed as well.  The Center for Democracy and Humanity will serve as your tie to determine how you can easily get involved and make a difference - immediately.  There is no time to delay.

 

We are actively working to collect, review and disseminate the current relief efforts under way that will allow our students, faculty, staff and community to support the people of Haiti during this incredible crisis. Information will be updated on a regular basis, so please check back frequently. If you are aware of additional efforts in the region that should be included on this page, please contact Fagan Forhan  at (978) 630-9595.

On-Campus Relief Efforts

On Thursday, January 28th, the Green Street Café will be working with SGA to raise money for disaster relief in Haiti.  The grill station will be opened to expand normal evening offerings.  25% of all sales from evening will be donated by the café to SGA for the Haiti effort.

Student Life is collecting donations for the American Red Cross International Response Fund, to assist in the emergency relief efforts in Haiti.

 

Collection jars are available at:

  • College’s Green Street Café and the LaChance Library through February 12th
  • On January 27th – MWCC Student Expo - at the Center for Democracy and Humanity’s table
  • On February 5th at Volunteer Friday Event @ MWCC in the Commons from 10am – 3pm

Additional door prize tickets can be purchased by students, staff, and guests at our upcoming annual Mardi Gras Celebration on February 11th  -  income from the door prize ticket sales and the donations will be donated to the American Red Cross International Response Fund.

The MWCC Dental Hygiene Program is collecting and sending donated toothbrushes, toothpaste and mouthwash to Haiti via Colleen Trainor and a local dentist in Sterling.  The dentist will be traveling to Haiti the first week of February on a humanitarian visit and donated supplies will be distributed.

Local Relief Efforts

To donate to the Gardner-based Haiti initiative called Forward in Health (developed and organized by local pediatrician, Dr. John Mulqueen, and his wife, Paula, visit their website  or send a check to:  PO Box 176, Merrimac, MA 01860.

 

 

 

 

National & Global Relief Efforts

Aid organizations say monetary donations are best. Find a list of agencies responding to the disaster and how to donate.

The IRS is allowing individuals who give to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti to claim these donations on the tax return they are completing this season, as long as the donations are made by text message, check, credit card or debit card between January 11, 2010 and March 1, 2010. Visit the IRS website  for more information.

To immediately donate $10 to the American Red Cross, text “Haiti” to 90999. The amount will be added to your next phone bill. The organization is also accepting donations through its International Response Fund, www.redcross.org

To donate to Partners in Health, the Boston-based organization at the forefront of relief efforts who has been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years, visit their new website, Stand With Haiti.

Lions Clubs International Fund has Lions clubs in Haiti with full organizations and leadership already in place, ready to deal with aiding those in need. 100% of every dollar donated through the LCIF Haiti relief program will go directly to Haiti to be used there for relief. All of the administrative costs are paid for by interest earned from money which has been donated by Lions in the past.

The Center for International Disaster Information provides guidelines for donations, frequently asked questions, fundraising tips and ideas and access to listservs for situation reports to the general public.

 

Connect to InterActionInterAction has also developed guidelines on the most appropriate ways to help those affected by overseas disasters, and cite the following recommendations of the most appropriate ways to offer our support (which can also be seen by clicking the link above directly to InterAction's site):

Why Cash is Best

The best way to help is to donate financially to organizations responding to a disaster. Cash allows relief professionals to procure exactly what is needed in a disaster situation and ensure that donations are culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate. Cash donations do not use up other scarce resources, such as transportation, staff time or warehouse space. As needed, cash can also be transferred quickly to where needed, helping bolster the economy of the disaster-stricken region.

Do Your Homework

Take the time to thoroughly research the organization to which you intend to donate. Treat this as you would any other investment. Beware of scams and if giving online, be sure you are on the designated site for that organization.

Material Donations

Material donations from individuals consist of new or used items that are donated to a relief effort. If you do decide to donate materials rather than cash, then there are steps you can take to ensure that your donation is made in such a way as to benefit the affected people while avoiding some of the problems often associated with donated material. The most important step when donating materials is to contact an established, professional relief organization before you collect anything. If you have already collected materials to donate, it can be put to their best possible use—and have the greatest impact economically—if donated to local charitable organizations within your own community or sold in a charity auction/yard sale with the proceeds donated to the disaster relief organization of your choice. (Advertising it as a yard sale to support the victims of a disaster might increase turnout.)

Volunteering

In the aftermath of humanitarian crises, it is critical that the response of the international community is immediate and well-coordinated in order to save as many lives as possible.

  • Volunteers are asked to have previous disaster or international experience or technical skills (for example, medicine, communications, logistics, water/sanitation, engineering), and are usually from neighboring communities not affected by the disaster.
  • Well-intentioned foreigners, lacking technical skills, disaster experience and familiarity with the local culture and language, can seriously complicate relief efforts.
  • Those with technical skills or international experience who would like to volunteer should register with the Center for International Disaster Information (CIDI) after reading this page.
 
 
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