Helping Haiti

I appear to be taking a break from blogging. I didn't intend to take a break from blogging; I just didn't have anything to say. Somehow I think that's a good plan: if you don't have anything to say, then don't say it.

However, today I do have something to say and that's to pass along to you a couple of good resources I have found for selecting charities for disaster relief in Haiti.

First is this article from AidWatch that gives general advice and lots of links.

Second is this very helpful article that gives a better sense of what will be helpful when. One helpful tip: "Donations of in-kind clothing and food often are less useful than monetary donations given to organizations who can then assess need."

Another thing I'm using is the Charity Navigator. I typed in "Haiti" as a keyword and came up with this list. You can get a better sense of how much bang you'll get for your buck.

With all that in mind, my very small donation is going to Partners in Health, Paul Farmer's organization (if you've read Mountains Beyond Mountains, you know who I mean). They're already on the ground in Haiti; they are set up to deal with the needs of the immediate aftermath of the earthquake; and they have a great rating from Charity Navigator.

So that's my reasoning. Blessings to you as you decide on your own response.