Haiti Earthquake: How to Help

There are numerous ways to assist victims of the Haiti earthquake. Charity Navigator, which evaluates charitable organizations, has an excellent page of tips for helping choose the best charity for your donations, and a long list of groups working in Haiti.

The Clinton Bush Haiti Fund was established by the former presidents to raise runds for immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts. You can donate $10 to the fund by texting "QUAKE" to 20222 on your cell phone.

The State Department recommends giving a $10 donation to the Red Cross by texting "HAITI" to 90999 on your cell phone. The donation will be automatically charged to your cell-phone bill. Most carriers have waived fees for donation texts, and several million dollars have been raised from the program. You can also donate directly through the Red Cross’s Web site.

Here are just a few other agencies involved in relief that take donations on their Web sites:

The International Rescue Committee is focusing on medical, water, and sanitation assistance. You can contribute through their Web site, or donate $5 by texting "HAITI" to 25383 on your cell phone.

Stand With Haiti is part of Partners in Health, a Boston-based group that has been working to bring medical care to Haiti's poor for more than two decades.

Mercy Corps , an American nonprofit organization that gathers a wide swath of professionals to do work around the world, is accepting donations for work in Haiti. The organization has worked on relief efforts for other recent earthquakes around the world.

CARE , an antipoverty group that also has a preexisting footprint in Haiti is taking donations.

The United Nations World Food Program is delivering ready-to-eat meals and collecting food for victims of the quake. The program's site also offers some more information about Haiti's needs.

Doctors Without Borders , the longstanding humanitarian organization, is soliciting donations through its Web site and via telephone at 888-392-0392.

The Center for International Disaster Information , which is supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development, offers a list of other places to direct donations, including GlobalGiving.

InterAction , a coalition of nongovernmental organizations, provides some basic information on what kind of help is most effective in the wake of a disaster.

The International Medical Corps is a nonprofit humanitarian organization built by Doctors and Nurses and focuses on health care relief and development training. They are on the ground in Haiti.