Posts have been a little thin on the ground over the last week, so to get the ball rolling again I thought I’d cover a more serious but vastly more important subject than we usually cover here at Money Watch.
Last week’s earthquake in has killed an estimated 200,000 people and has left many homeless, with more than 3 million people thought to have been affected in total. Some of the footage to come out of the island has been truly disturbing.
It’s therefore no surprise that despite the recession, many of us have been motivated to make donations to ensure that the charities and agencies out in Haiti have the resources they need to help. Whilst there have been some cases of unrest, and worries that the food and water aren’t getting to the right people, we have to believe that the likes of the Disaster Emergency Committee, an umbrella organisation which includes the likes of Oxfam, the British Red Cross and Save The Children, are doing all they can to ensure that the most needy are looked after.
So how can you donate?
- The easiest way is by going to the DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal website, where you can donate online (minimum donation of £5). To make sure even more money gets to the DEC, make sure that you select the Gift Aid option,which will see the Government add even more to your donation – for a £5 donation, the Government will add £1.40.
- Call 0370 60 60 900
- Text “GIVE” to 70077 to make a donation of £5 through your mobile phone
- Send a cheque payable to DEC HaitiI Earthquake to DEC HAITI EARTHQUAKE, PO BOX 999, LONDON, EC3A 3AA
- Go to any high street bank or post office quoting Freepay 1449
Further reading:
- Haiti: The best way to donate money at lovemoney.com
- Haiti earthquake appeal: how to maximise charity donations from MoneySavingExpert
If you’re interested in reading the accounts of those on the ground helping out in Haiti, Time magazine has a list of Twitter users currently Tweeting from there, which makes for an interesting first-hand account of the problems they’re faced with. (via manxmidge)
