Photo courtesy of Colin Crowley

America’s nonprofit and philanthropic community shares the deep concern of people around the world about the loss of life and devastation caused by the Haitian earthquake. In a country where need was already enormous, generous assistance is now even more necessary.

The list of nonprofits and foundations and government agencies that have expertise and experience in international disaster relief and are already working in Haiti.

These organizations note that the best way to help is cash donations (including through credit cards) to organizations with a long track record in this kind of work. As you decide who to support, IS urges you to choose the recipients of your gifts carefully. Sadly,recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami have produced scams that benefitted only the dishonest people behind them, not those in need.  Fortunately, IS members such as the BBB WiseGiving Alliance, Charity Navigator, Guidestar, and Network for Good are all excellent starting points for finding efficient, effective organizations to help the people in Haiti.

America has an inspiring tradition of generosity and voluntary spirit, particularly in response to conditions like those facing Haiti. We encourage everyone to help trustworthy, experienced, and skillful organizations serve the needs of the Haitian people.

Diana Aviv
President and CEO