help Haiti

My friend Angie told me about this organization that has been on the ground helping the people of Haiti since before the devastating January earthquake. In the aftermath of that disaster, KONPAY (which is short for Konbit Pou Ayiti, or "Working Together for Haiti") used their network of partners to raise and effectively disburse more than $150,000 in direct aid, mobilized resources, and managed essential aid distribution.

You can help this focused, grassroots organization today by making a donation to the Haiti Earthquake Emergency Relief Campaign - they need all the help they can get.  There are also a couple of other programs you can support through KONPAY.  You can donate to help buy tents for Haitians displaced by the earthquake.  All proceeds will go toward the purchase of a family-sized tent to provide shelter for one of the hundreds of thousands of Haitians left homeless after this year’s devastating earthquake.  You can donate to Li, Li, Li!, a storybook reading out loud program in Creole for Haiti's children who became homeless or displaced because of the catastrophic January 12, 2010 earthquake.  (That one especially tugs at my heart.  But wait, I'm not done.)  You can also make a general donation to KONPAY through Network for Good.  Check out what your general donations can do here.

And while we're on the subject of Haiti (and because they need SO much help down there), I have another one for you...

Another friend of mine, Jeff, is actually part of an organization building a school in Haiti.  (I have such cool friends, I tell ya'.)  Hands for Haiti is a volunteer-run, registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization providing access to primary and secondary education in Haitian communities by providing basic and economic needs.  100% of donations directly impact the lives of people living in and outside of Cap-Haitien, Haiti.

With a donation to Hands for Haiti, you can provide for a teacher’s salary on a one-time or recurring basis.  You can provide a uniform, tuition and one meal a day for one student.  You can provide a day, a week, or a month's worth of school lunches.  You donate.  Thank you.