How can we best help with the Haiti disaster relief?
Hi,
Like so many of us I felt the immediate need, calling, draw- whatever it may be to help as soon as I heard about the disaster in Haiti. Also (like many of you who have so generously offered) my initial reaction was that I could be there- use my time and skills to make a difference (I’m bilingual in French and English, fluent in Haitian Creole, and and am a wilderness EMT).
Unfortunately, as it happens, what is needed most at this point is just money- money to get the best trained, equipped, and necessary resources where they need to be. And, let’s be real about it, cash is not exactly flowing freely these days. If you’re an avid c’s lister like myself you also know that turning “things” and “time” into money is not an easy process. Successfully selling things can be time consuming, difficult to coordinate etc.
So here’s where my idea comes in (and granted it is half-baked at best right now, but we’ll get there)- those of us who want to help need to work together to turn our energy and compassion into what is needed most…money.
I am not a non-profit, and I know there are debates around which organizations are best to donate to (Yele, DWB etc.), but in some ways those are details to be worked out. But, I do have time, lots and lots of “stuff”, and a desire to help, so I want to help facilitate some sort of a match-up/donation/delivery service to raise money to send to Haiti.
Craigslist could be a great forum for this- if there were a way to post items or services that are effectively “donations” to Haiti Disaster Relief.
I’m also willing to use my time (as I’m sure others would be) to help with the difficulties of selling things- whether that means picking up donated items to be sold, delivering items where they need to be, helping match up people who have skills with people who are willing to pay for those skills all with the aim of turning what we DO HAVE into WHAT THEY NEED IN HAITI MOST.
I’d love to hear your ideas, criticisms, etc. Be good to yourselves and to others.
Peace,
Mara
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6 comments
saharaaj on February 6, 2010 at 3:56 am
do not spoon feed them
leave them alone they will help themselves
S on February 6, 2010 at 3:56 am
Don’t worry Haiti has all the help they can get, the problem is trying to GET the supplies and people into the country. It’s like everyone rushing to help an old lady who got knocked over by a car crossing the street. All the people surrounded her and EMT couldn’t get to her so she passed away.
Andréanne on February 6, 2010 at 3:56 am
I am not sure I understand. You want to use the disaster in Haiti to sell things on Craigslist with the pull of matching the sale with a donation?
The Red Cross, Medicines Sans Frontiers and other humanitarian organisations, can make better use of your skills than Craigslist can. I would call them up and get in contact with someone who can give you some sort of assignment if you want to help. I am not in your country so I do not know who you can contact, but many organisations need your time and help in the field if that is possible.
J-Far on February 6, 2010 at 3:56 am
Do what I’m doing to help, nothing. It’s not my problem or our countries problem. The $100,000,000 that our jackass president is sending could be better spent using it to solve the problems within our country.
bloody mary on February 6, 2010 at 3:56 am
Islam channel are doing a live appeal
the charity is reliable: Islamic relief who work with the disaster emergency commitee
tune in on 813 or 831 (sorry its one of those i forgot the exact number)
there they will have the donation hotline on the TV screen
plz help and donate
Mara on February 6, 2010 at 3:56 am
I guess I was thinking more about time donation- or, rather, that is more practical, but done in a way that doesn’t necessarily require "surrounding the old lady so the paramedic can’t get through."
I also know I have things that aren’t worth selling for the sake of making money for myself, but would take the time to do so in order to support relief efforts- I was just hoping to streamline this so such "donations" could be somehow earmarked.