After Hurricane Matthew touched down in Haiti this past week, many folks are wondering how they can help the devastating country. The hurricane killed more than 800 people and sending over 60,000 people to shelters.
The storm made landfall in Haiti on Tuesday, and damaged up to 80 percent of homes in the south of the country, according to UNICEF.
On social media, some people are complaining about why aren’t people changing their profile pictures to show their support. But how does that really help the people of Haiti?
So instead of just uploading a photo, here are some tangible ways to help those in need:
1. Check the charity
Before you donate to a charity, make sure you know where your aid is going. The Center for International Disaster Information has compiled a list of charities that are sending help, and it recommends checking with a charity monitoring organization like GiveWell, Charity Navigator, Charity Watch, or the Better Business Bureau before donating.
Make sure your donation is secure by going through an organization’s official website or sending a check in the mail. Charity Navigator says you should never donate over the phone, email or unknown social media pages, as these are easier for scammers to target.
1. Catholic Medical Missions Board
The Catholic Medical Mission Board is dedicated to improving the health of women and children in disadvantaged communities and is on the grounds and in the front lines of Haiti relief.
2. Americares, an organization that delivers medical aid to countries worldwide, has sent a shipment of medicine and supplies to the “Hope for Haiti” clinic in Les Cayes, one of the hardest-hit areas. The group is planning other shipments, including fluids to treat cholera.
The organization plans to deliver around $1.6 million in aid to Haiti to help the country recover from Hurricane Matthew.
Hope for Haiti’s Children strives to demonstrate Christian compassion to poverty-bound Haitian children and their families, providing opportunities for these children to become leaders in their homes, churches, and communities.
4. Heart To Heart International
Heart to Heart International strengthens communities through improving health access, providing humanitarian development and administering crisis relief worldwide and does a lot for Haiti.
We engage volunteers, collaborate with partners and deploy resources to achieve this mission.