The Responsibility Project^®. Exploring what it means to do the right thing

Earthquake in Haiti: More on How to Help

9 Comments

January 27, 2010 by Kathy McManus

Since our original post on contributing to relief and recovery efforts in Haiti post-quake, the conversation has evolved on how to help — and how not to help.

“Don’t send shoes, send money. Don’t send baby formula, send money. Don’t send old coats, send money.” That’s the relief worker wish-list, as summarized by The New York Times. With so many good-hearted people eager to contribute, The Times combed through blogs, articles, and Twitter and Facebook messages written by relief experts to advice on how to avoid so-called “wasteful giving.”

Good Intentions Are Not Enough, a blog written by former Red Cross worker Saundra Schimmelpfennig, urges people not to “take up collections of medicine, clothing, baby formula, or food for shipment.” Donated goods can “clog up” ports and delay other items, says the blog, and “may also not be appropriate for the climate, religion, or culture.”

Many readers here at The Responsibility Project noted a desire to contribute time rather than money. But in a blog post titled “No One Needs Your Old Shoes: How Not To Help in Haiti,” international relief expert Alanna Shaikh re-stresses the primacy of monetary donations and addresses the subject of volunteers, writing, “Don't go to Haiti. It’s close to the US, it’s a disaster area, and we all want to help. However, it’s dangerous right now and they don’t need ‘extra hands.’” Unless, says Shaikh, you have medical and emergency response training. “If you are a nurse or physician, especially with experience in trauma, and you want to volunteer,” Shaikh suggests you email Partners in Health to offer your services, or apply to volunteer with International Medical Corps.

9 Comments

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• January 28, 2010 by Re'Gina Francois

  I have a German Midwife license and would participate in volunteering in Haiti for a while. Should that not be possible, I have started to design a program in my office: "Volunteering to Volunteers", meaning that I will donate a treatment of the detoxifying Colon Hydrotherapy or Therapeutic Massage to all Haiti-disaster-volunteers, as soon as I can be supplied with an official list of Volunteers, which I was not successful with yet; so please advise me how to get that list !!! Thanks in advance - Re'Gina

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• January 28, 2010 by matograndma

  Its not Haiti, China,Hawaii, or the idea of it being any country or its people but the idea that here in the USA, did anyone take up a collection for Louisianna? How much money was sent there to help get them back on track? How many families opened their doors to others that lost everything including lives of family members. I don't recall any of that happening. We here in the USA always look to the federal government to help our fellow neighbors. Isn't it about time we helped our selves, we helped our own people? I see so many homeless today,so many with out jobs, yet we Americans can sit and say OH well its there loss, they did something to lose what they had. We fail to look at the reality of our own country and what is happening right before our eyes. We trust those with degrees that add poison to our food and medical needs, we look to oppress the poor and think it will never happe to us. Our school districts administrators are taking advantage of our tax dollars and do we do anything, NO! Donate to your local food bank, send money to an oganization that is helping some one in Louisianna. Such as the Rebuild America project. When you see a kid in a store that doesnt have boots in winter have enough care to ask if the child has boots and if not purchase them for that child. We in America need help and need to start helping our own. I spend 40 hours a week or more volunteering for those that need help!

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• January 29, 2010 by William Dennis Ruocco

  I am a retired Constuction Electrican and a former Navy Seabee. I know that now is not the time that construction workers are needed, but would it be possible to be put on a list to be called when the time is right. I will also be attending a Seabee Reunion at the end of February, and I know that alot of my former Bees would be willing to help too.

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• February 2, 2010 by Katie French

  How do I go about sending shoes and clothing to Haiti to the victims of the earthquake. Please Advise.

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• February 4, 2010 by jim obrien

  im laid off work have some saveings looking to help have exsperence in sewer water repear concrete work have nothing but time not much money but willing to do m y part to help others in need

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• February 4, 2010 by patti duvall

  i would like to volunteer my time

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• February 11, 2010 by Lindsey

  Are you saying that you dont want people to donate anything but money. that is the stupidest thing I ever heard. First of all some people cant afford to help other then giving something they have. and why would you be so picky as to getting all new things or if the style is not approite for that region. you are asking other people for help and being so demanding that way makes you sound so spoiled. its like a homeless person asking for a ride to the store to get a shirt but he will only go if you have an expensive car and will only shop at brand name stores. ITS REDICULAS!

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• February 13, 2010 by A wilson

  I know the people in Haiti needs help, but i would be very careful about giving money just now to organization that will only take momey. i am not saying dont give. but you may want to ask a couple of question. which part of Haiti will the money be spent and exactly what will be provided. you need to go to the government website and look up the organization. call and aske about their IRS tax exempt and past history. if they are new it does not mean they are not in good standing, but a little home work wont hurt. then when you send the money be specefit about the releif you are supporting. at the memo section on your check specify Medical, construction, housing, or general fund. that way the government can or should be able to see how much money these organization actually spend on the project compare to how much they spend on the operation of their organization. and how much they pay for salery to their ceo, employees etc. a lot of time we allow our hearts to rule our common sense and we give throuth panic. the real help Haiti will need is in the future when things finally sink in. like Louisianna, once the panic is over the people will wake up to their reality. and then you will know what help they really need. dont just give to large organization the little ones are sometime the real helper as they do have something to prove. and they will go in the low income areas and rural areas where the real help is needed. i will share an experience i had in Jamaica after the Island had two or three hurricanes, i took a couple of generators there and to my amazement i was there in a small district and they did not have light for over six weeks, i never saw any of the help that was sent to the island in that district helping poor farmers whose crops and animals was destroyed. my husband, daughter and I were a few people and their families abroad was the ones that help them. you still have homes with their roof still being held down by building bricks. where did all the money went?

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• March 5, 2010 by Noorfakheerah

  I want to, really badly, but you see, I'm just 15 and I live in Singapore. I'm quite certain that my mother wouldn't let me help :c

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