Thursday, February 18, 2010

Tim Taliaferro: New Damage Estimate Shows Haiti Needs More Help

Tim Taliaferro: New Damage Estimate Shows Haiti Needs More Help: "The Red Cross ended up raising $32 million from text messages alone, the telethon raised another $6 million, and now, by the Chronicle of Philanthropy's count, American charities have pledged a total of $774 million for Haiti relief efforts.

So, we're done, right?

Unfortunately, no. The earthquake in Haiti and its subsequent aftermath may have passed from our collective consciousness -- it's been more than a month since Port-au-Prince was leveled -- but the need to help the ravaged country has never been more dire."

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Haiti earthquake damage estimated up to $14 billion - washingtonpost.com

Haiti earthquake damage estimated up to $14 billion - washingtonpost.com: "Haiti's massive earthquake could be the world's most devastating natural disaster since World War II in relation to the country's size and economy, causing as much as $14 billion in damage, according to a study released Tuesday by the Inter-American Development Bank."

onPhilanthropy: Articles: Reports from the Scene in Haiti

onPhilanthropy: Articles: Reports from the Scene in Haiti: "OnPhilanthropy has been in touch with numerous aid organizations on the ground in Haiti since the January 13 earthquake, some through our CauseWired network of colleagues at NGOs, others through our affiliate Changing Our World’s client organizations. Our immediate response was to post initial reports from the field and to spread the word among our readers about nonprofits who could accept their support to assist the survivors. Amidst the terrible destruction that took over 100,000 lives and leveled massive numbers of structures, a secondary effect was being felt. The relief and development organizations based there – numbering some 9,000, by many estimates – were dealing with their own challenges: collapsed buildings, missing colleagues, lack of power and water, and suddenly, an overwhelming new set of urgent problems to address."

The Social Media Response to Disaster in Haiti | NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network

The Social Media Response to Disaster in Haiti | NTEN: The Nonprofit Technology Network: "Amy Sample Ward, NetSquared

When disaster strikes, we want information as soon as possible and we want to help just as quickly. How can we do that? Whether we look at mapping tools, fundraising, or missing person systems, the social media response to the January earthquakes in Haiti all leverage the powerful technology we can hold in our hands: our mobile phones. But the way we think about and turn to social media in a time of disaster is changing.

The disaster in Haiti is a perfect example of these changes: the impact of the Real-Time Web and the power of our phones."

North Dakota Aid Hotline Plans to Limit Service - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas

North Dakota Aid Hotline Plans to Limit Service - Philanthropy Today - The Chronicle of Philanthropy- Connecting the nonprofit world with news, jobs, and ideas: "North Dakota Aid Hotline Plans to Limit Service

The social-service hotline that helped thousands of displaced North Dakotans secure food and shelter when the Red River burst its banks last spring will severely restrict its coverage next month unless the nonprofit group that runs it can find new funds, reports the Associated Press."

Mobile Giving: The Haiti Cataclysm

Mobile Giving: The Haiti Cataclysm: "Telethons were struck up. Traditional commercial messaging campaigns on TV, radio, and telephone were launched, but in 2010, a new medium was quickly alighted upon by those innovators in the sector: the mobile giving phenomenon. And as the following stats show, when a crisis occurs, it now pays to have access to a world of people with cell phones, iPhones, Blackberries, and various PDAs.
What’s your 'Shortcode?'

Three short months ago, the Canadian arm of the Mobile Giving Foundation (MGF-C) launched in partnership with the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association to allow Canadian wireless service providers to “enable the 100% pass-through of funds raised by all the mobile campaigns that it manages.'"

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Children come first when disaster strikes | The Daily Collegian

Children come first when disaster strikes | The Daily Collegian: "The U.S. rushed to aid the people of Haiti by providing food, medical supplies and building shelters. According to the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, about 40 percent of the Haitian population are children ages 14 and under. With such a large population of children displaced, injured, separated or orphaned from their parents, it is essential that the Haitian government make sure they are as safe as possible.

Children are the victims who should be the mai"

Haiti: How U.S. Charity Donations to Haiti Earthquake Victims Are Being Spent - ABC News

Haiti: How U.S. Charity Donations to Haiti Earthquake Victims Are Being Spent - ABC News: "Following the Money

When asked by ABC News to provide numbers on spending for food & water, medical care, shelter and operational costs, four of the organizations -- Operation USA, American Refugee Committee, Merlin and Doctors Without Borders -- did not offer specifics. The most common answer was they just, 'don't have the exact breakdown,' on current spending. Several of organizations offered up descriptions of specific relief, but were not able to assign dollar figures to their efforts."