Haiti Earthquake Relief: How You Can Help
Hundreds of thousands of people have died in a 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck about 10 miles southwest of Haiti’s capital city, Port-Au-Prince. CNN reports that most of the city is destroyed, including many government buildings. About 3 million people were affected by the quake, which is the worst ever to hit the area.
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, with very little infrastructure or ability to recover from this catastrophe. Here’s how you can help:
Haitian-born singer Wyclef Jean started the Yele Haiti Foundation years ago to help his homeland. Their website doesn’t seem to be updated yet, but Wyclef has appeared on CNN and said you can text Yele to 501501 and it will charge $5 to your phone.
You can also give to a number of organizations that are specifically aiding in the relief effort:
These are just a few; check out even more here at CNN’s “Impact Your World” page. Haiti really needs our help. Over 50% of Haitians live in poverty, with more than 20% in abject poverty. Millions of Haitians survive on around $2 a day. You really can make a difference.
