Park Forest, IL–(ENEWSPF)– In the wake of the recent disaster in Haiti, the Village of Park Forest would like to offer the following information on a few organizations currently collecting funds towards relief efforts.
- The American Red Cross has always been at the forefront of delivering aid in times of catastrophe, be it domestic or abroad. To donate through the Red Cross, visit the Red Cross web site at: www.redcross.org. Additionally, interested donors can also text ‘HAITI’ to 90999 on their cell phone and $10.00 will be automatically given to the American Red Cross.
- Doctors Without Borders is a worldwide organization which provides medical relief and support to those in need. It is believed that the Haiti earthquake has severely disabled almost all medical facilities in the region and the ability to deliver such services. Doctors Without Borders volunteers are already in Haiti with additional staff and volunteers currently being deployed to address the widespread medical needs. To donate to this organization, visit their web site at: www.doctorswithoutborders.org and click on the ‘Donate’ link at the top of the home page.
- CNN has posted an extensive listing of reputable charitable organizations that are providing relief and support to those in Haiti. This list can be found at: http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2007/impact/.
Park Forest resident Ross Brazzale visited Haiti in August as part of Engineers Without Borders where he and the group installed a solar panel in a school in Pignon. Ross has additional recommendations for donations:
- Community Coalition for Haiti, which acts as an umbrella organization for churches etc. doing work down there. “They’re definitely a heavy hitting organization with people already down there,” Brazzale says: http://www.cchaiti.org
- Haiti Outreach is the organization Brazzale and his group partnered with on their trip to Haiti. “They have a SOLID in country network,” he says. They have information about their efforts on their website: http://www.haitioutreach.org
Park Forest residents are reminded to make donations only to trusted organizations which have been thoroughly researched and found to be reputable. The FBI has issued a warning to the public to watch out for scams, especially when donating to relief efforts online. Additionally, the public should be leery of unsolicited e-mails or phone calls related to relief effort outlets.
Related:
- BBB Advises Watch Haitian Relief Scammers And Give Wisely
- Disaster Response in Haiti — How to Volunteer to Help
