Friday, September 5, 2008

How to Help Storm Victims in Haiti

By Rhonda Swan



Several organizations are seeking donations to purchase food and building supplies to help people in Haiti who are victims of Hurricane Gustav, Tropical Storm Hanna and Tropical Storm Fay, which have killed more than 200 people during the past few weeks.

If you are interested in helping, following is a list of organizations and what they are seeking.

Catholic Charities of Miami wants to provide monetary assistance. Checks may be made payable to Catholic Charities of Miami with a notation in the memo line designating the donation for either Tropical Storm Fay or Hurricane Gustav or both and mailed to: Catholic Charities, Storm Aid, 9401 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami Shores, FL 33138. Donations can be made online via a secure internet site by accessing http://www.ccadm.org http://www.ccadm.org/ clicking on Donate Now, followed by designating the amount to be contributed and the donation option.

Cross International, a Christian aid organization, is seeking to bring food. To provide donations call 1-800-391-8545 or visit www.crossinternational.org http://www.crossinternational.org/ and click on the emergency hurricane support link.



Food for the Poor, an international and development organization based in Coconut Creek, is asking for donations to purchase additional building materials for repairs to homes. The nonprofit has started sending drinking water, hygiene kits and blankets to affected Caribbean areas. Log onto www.FoodForThePoor.org/Gustav http://www.foodforthepoor.org/Gustav or call 1-800-487-1158. Regular mail donations should go to Food For The Poor, 6401 Lyons Rd. Dept. 9662, Coconut Creek, FL 33073.

Lambi Fund of Haiti is accepting donations after many of the people it assists lost their crops and animals. To support the sustainable development efforts of Lambi Fund of Haiti, visit LambiFund.org to make an online donation or mail a check to Lambi Fund of Haiti, PO Box 18955, Washington, DC 20036.

The Pan American Development Foundation has set up a website called Pan American Relief (www.PanAmericanRelief.org http://www.panamericanrelief.org/ ) to collect donations.

The American Red Cross takes donations in cash and supplies, all of which can be arranged at redcross.org. Mail donations should go to American Red Cross, Box 4002018, Des Moines, IA 50340-2018. The organization cautions that in-kind donations such as food and clothing are sometimes not worth the cost of transporting, so cash is more appropriate.

The United Way of Miami-Dade and The Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald have activated Operation Helping Hands to help storm victims. Log on to www.unitedwaymiami.org http://www.unitedwaymiami.org/ or send a check payable to Operation Helping Hands, c/o United Way of Miami-Dade, P.O. Box 459007, Miami, FL 33245-9007.

For Cuba, U.S. regulations limit the amount of cash that can be sent to that country, but Catholic Relief Services and Caritas Cubana have licenses to provide aid to the island. Mark aid ”for Cuba Gustav relief.” CRS is taking donations via its website: crs.org. The code is 2770-1284. By mail: PO Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090, or by phone at 888-277-7575.

Source: PalmBeachPost.Com

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