I love blogging most when it involves building community and making a difference. Today is one of those days. I’m part of Bloggers Unite, which organizes community outreach and education in the blogosphere. Today, we’ve all been asked to remind our readers that the struggles in Haiti following last month’s earthquake are still so severe.
As a mom, I’m particularly heartbroken for the thousands of children who have lost their families, their homes, and any sense of security. And so many are in urgent need of medical care, but there are only so many resources and volunteers to go around. Photographer and writer Emily Troutman is reporting from Haiti for Sphere/AOL News – her emotional, detailed accounts of the situation are moving and motivating. We can all do more.
One way to continue your support of the Haitian relief efforts is to purchase items that will benefit relief organizations. I’ve compiled a few here. And visualizing love and light surrounding Haiti is important, too; I really believe sending our positive energy can help Haiti begin to heal.
Etsy Help for Haiti:
Many artists and crafters have posted their wares on a special section of Etsy, where 100% of the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders. There are lots of items for kids available, including these darling tooth fairy pillows ($10) or adorable handknit hats for kids ($15).
Hope For Haiti Now
Download all 20 musical performances from the televised Hope for Haiti Now telethon for just $7.99 at Amazon. All proceeds benefit the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme, and Yele Haiti Foundation.
Lady Gaga T-shirt:
A perfect present for teens, this Lady Gaga t-shirt ($25) comes in the colors of the Haitian flag with proceeds going to Haitian relief organizations.
Customized Valentines from CulturePaper:
You can personalize these adorable Valentines with your own pictures and text, with 100% of proceeds going to Haiti Relief.
Haitian Child Tote Bag:
This lovely tote ($16) is one of many items in Cafe Press’ Haiti Relief Effort shop, with proceeds from each item going to UNICEF.
Your Donations
Can you imagine 150,000 people in your community dying in a natural disaster? That’s likely far more than the population of the city you live in! As the coverage of Haiti starts to wane and journalists move on to other stories, relief organizations worry that funding will slow to a trickle. If you can donate, please do!
The Red Cross is focusing its efforts in three areas: delivering food (feeding up to a million people a month), providing clean drinking water (each day it distributes enough water for 100,000 people), and providing families with shelter items like blankets, sleeping mats and tents.
The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund is a collaboration between former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, organizing relief efforts and distributing cash where it’s most needed. Follow their efforts on Facebook.
Habitat for Humanity will put donations toward recovery and rebuilding efforts in Haiti.
Save the Children focuses specifically on help for families with children, including providing hygiene kits, food preparation kits (pots, pans, etc.) and tarps.
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