As people in Haiti continue their struggle to survive after the…
As people in Haiti continue their struggle to survive after the…
Updated: Monday, 15 Mar 2010, 4:28 AM CDT
Published : Wednesday, 20 Jan 2010, 6:55 PM CST
Video of the concert is available to the left. You may also find a photo gallery from the concert by clicking on the "Gallery" tab to the left.
To donate to relief efforts, follow the links below:
Other local and national charities have begun Haiti relief funds. Donation information follows:
In addition, the Wisconsin Better Business Bureau offers the following tips on avoiding donation scams:
Rely on expert opinion when it comes to evaluating a
charity.
Be cautious when relying on third-party recommendations such
as bloggers or other Web sites, as they might not have fully
researched the listed relief organizations. The public can go to
www.bbb.org/charity to
research charities and relief organizations to verify that they are
accredited by the BBB and meet the 20 Standards for Charity
Accountability.
Be wary of claims that 100 percent of donations will assist
relief victims
Despite what an organization might claim, charities have fund
raising and administrative costs. Even a credit card donation will
involve, at a minimum, a processing fee. If a charity claims 100
percent of collected funds will be assisting earthquake victims,
the truth is that the organization is still probably incurring fund
raising and administrative expenses. They may use some of their
other funds to pay this, but the expenses will still be
incurred.
Be cautious when giving online
Be cautious about online giving, especially in response to
spam messages and e-mails that claim to link to a relief
organization. In response to the tsunami disaster in 2004, there
were concerns raised about many Web sites and new organizations
that were created overnight allegedly to help victims.
Beware of “text to donate” scams
The Red Cross has a new way to donate via text messages.
However, donors should be careful of “look-alike”
appeals, and make sure that they text message their donation to the
appropriate number. For more information about legitimate
“text to donate” organizations, go to
www.state.gov.
Find out if the charity has an on-the-ground presence in
the impacted areas
Unless the charity already has staff in the effected areas,
it may be difficult to get new aid workers to quickly provide
assistance. See if the charity’s Web site clearly describes
what they can do to address immediate needs.
Find out if the charity is providing direct aid or raising
money for other groups
Some charities may be raising money to pass along to relief
organizations. If so, you may want to consider “avoiding the
middle man” and giving directly to charities that have a
presence in the region. Or, at a minimum, check out the ultimate
recipients of these donations to ensure the organizations are
equipped to effectively provide aid.
Gifts of clothing, food or other in-kind donations
In-kind drives for food and clothing—while well
intentioned—may not necessarily be the quickest way to help
those in need, unless the organization has the staff and
infrastructure to be able to properly distribute such aid. Ask the
charity about their transportation and distribution plans. Be wary
of those who are not experienced in disaster relief assistance.