Haiti Earthquake Relief Links

Harry Smith, a good friend and the best shortstop the Loan Sharks have ever had, sends along this message with links to reputable organizations now on the ground in Haiti, along with a request to call the White House regarding Haitian nationals who are now living in the U.S.:

Even though the full extent of the death and injury toll from the earthquake that struck Haiti is not yet known, estimates are coming in that thousands of people have been killed and up to 3 million people have been affected.  Here are a few things you can do immediately to help:

1. Donate money to trustworthy international development/aid organizations. Clothing, food, etc. donations are good, but money is better, because it helps not only with the immediate crisis situation, but also for the long-term, more difficult work of reconstruction.
 

Partners in Health You can make a donation to support the temporary field hospitals they have set up.

Other donation sites:

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

Oxfam America

Grassroots International

2.  Call the White House (202-456-1111) or the Department of Homeland Security / Janet Napolitano and urge them to grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians who are in the U.S.

TPS does not need legislative approval and the executive branch has the authority to grant it. TPS is there precisely for this type of tragedy. TPS protects people from being deported to a ravaged region due to civil war and/or natural disaster, and it gives people a temporary working permit so they can work in the U.S. in peace. In 1998, Nicaraguans and Hondurans were granted TPS in the wake of Hurricane Mitch. In 2001, Salvadorans were granted TPS due to earthquakes. So there is no reason why the Obama Administration should not do the same for our Haitian brothers and sisters.

Thanks
Harry Smith

I donated $25 to Partners in Health, a great organization co-founded by Boston doctor Paul Farmer.