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Haiti Disaster Relief Resources
 The Grantmakers Council of RI (GCRI) has gathered various resources for disaster response, relief and recovery in response to the January 12, 2010 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti.
GCRI members and other RI grantmakers who are providing any type or support effort or would like to share additional resources, please let us know by emailing sneupauer@gc-ri.org.
Slideshow: Scenes of disaster in Haiti (source: msnbc.com)
Earthquake in Haiti: A Briefing for the Foundation Community
Thursday, January 21 12:00-1:00 pm (ET)
The Association of Small Foundations and Katrina @ Five Partners are organizing a free conference call briefing for the foundation community on the Haitian earthquake. Hear on the ground information and experienced disaster grantmakers reflect on lessons learned as participants consider their own approach to assistance. Please contact Virginia Humphrey, virginia@smallfoundations.org or 202.580.6560, for additional information.
There is no charge for this conference call but registration is required.
Share your response efforts with us, by emailing sneupauer@gc-ri.org.
Just an update on RIF. We have made grants of $44,900 from donor advised funds as of this am and the Foundation is matching employee contributions to the Haiti relief efforts dollar for dollar up to $5,000.
Hasbro is building a portal to accept employee donations which we will match as our short term response. We will work with one of our philanthropic NGO partners on the longer term response such as rebuilding schools and orphanages. -Karen Davis
Collette Vacations will be matching all vendor, employee and client donations up to $50,000 to Partners in Health. A donation portal has been posted on our intra-net and our website. Thank you, -Lynne Kelly
The Diocese has already responded with funds to Episcopal Relief & Development (out of the National Church) and the Society of St. Margaret. Those who want to respond can contact those entities directly or send the Diocese of RI and it will be sent on to ERD. Episcopal Charities will also accept funds to be sent for this cause. We will continue to pray. -Peggy Amatore
Washington Trust is making a corporate contribution and will set up a fund to collect employee and community donations. I am on the board of the RI Red Cross and on my way to a meeting momentarily We appreciate all of the support and donations. -Beth
CVS Caremark Charitable Trust will donate $125K to the American Red Cross in support of relief efforts underway in Haiti. In addition, a $25K donation from the Trust will be going out to Partners in Health (national recognized health agency located in Boston). Their team is traveling to Haiti to work with other medical professional in delivering much-needed health services. We are also planning to launch a Red Cross donation portal for CVS Caremark colleagues to support the relief efforts and the Trust will match all colleague donations.
National Grid supports Haiti relief efforts.
In the wake of a devastating earthquake that hit Haiti Tuesday afternoon, leaving thousands dead and widespread destruction, National Grid is offering relief through a $100,000 company donation to the American Red Cross.
The company is also matching employee donations to the American Red Cross in the US and the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) in the UK.
In the US, the company will match total employee donations made to this American Red Cross fund through February 28, 2010. Lisa Piehler, CEO, American Red Cross of Central MA says, “National Grid's generosity is legendary and we are so honored to be a recipient. The $100,000 gift and the company match through February will help so many people suffering this nightmare. Your gift will help the Red Cross provide life saving help.”
To make your employee contribution … Please send your check payable to the “American Red Cross – Haiti Relief Fund” – or a donation receipt if you contributed by credit card online with the Red Cross – to Lynne Papetti, Corporate Affairs, Reservoir Woods. We will ensure your donation is appropriately matched by the company (you don’t need to go to the company’s Matching Gifts site). Donations made to the American Red Cross will not count against the normal $500 a year donation match limit.
If you’ve already donated through another charity, you can still get a company match subject to our existing rules by going to the US matched giving site.
If you’re interested in volunteering your time … Currently, the Red Cross has informed National Grid that the best way to help is by contacting your local Red Cross to see if assistance is needed. Should any specific volunteering opportunities sponsored by National Grid develop; more information will be posted to the special Haiti Earthquake page on the Infonet.
Look for the special image above on the Infonet for the latest updates on the company’s Haiti relief efforts. Lisa adds, “In the days ahead, the administrative work for this relief effort will increase and it is comforting to know National Grid volunteers are on stand by to offer a helping hand. We have experienced this professional help during the Ice Storm. The American Red Cross and National Grid are truly partners making the world a better place.”
As of this morning, the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island has opened a relief mailbox similar to Jewish Federations across the country. We did this for Katrina and the SE Asian Tsunami as well. 100% of donations received will go directly to international partners on the ground to provide relief. Also, the FBI has already issued a warning around con-artists and less than reputable organizations trying to raise money around this… please refer constituents only to well known organizations. -Bradley Laye
Amica is donating an immediate $10,000 to the Red Cross for Haitian relief efforts. Also, Amica will provide a matching donation of $1.50 for every one dollar an employee donates to the relief effort. -Bob
FYI – Regarding Haiti relief efforts by Bank of America
In response to the recent earthquake disaster in Haiti, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation is donating $1 million to assist relief efforts in the region. Haiti, the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, is plagued by hunger and political instability. This natural disaster will drastically increase the needs of individuals and families who had little to lose in the first place.
“We offer our support to all those affected by this catastrophic event,” said Anne Finucane, Global Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer. “At this time of great need, our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families who have been affected by this tragedy.”
As part of its donation, the bank will provide $500,000 to the America Red Cross for the Haitian Relief and Development Fund for immediate rescue relief and response and potential long and/or near-term infrastructure development and recovery. The remaining $500,000 in charitable donations will be distributed based on additional details of long-term needs in the region.
What can Associates do?
Many of you have been asking what associates can be doing to assist with relief efforts. Associates making charitable contributions to assist disaster relief efforts are encouraged to double their donations through the bank’s Matching Gifts Program. Through this program, associates may direct up to $5,000 in matching grants from the bank to eligible 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations. In recognition that every donation is important to support relief efforts, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation has reduced the minimum matching gift amount for disaster relief donations from $25 to $1 until March 15, 2010.
-Ellen M. Ruggiano, VP
Pawtucket Credit Union is doing something similar to Hasbro (though on a smaller scale). I will be collecting the donations from our employees and offering a match from our budget.
Kristin M. Rojas
Director of Financial Literacy and Community Outreach
Pawtucket Credit Union
1200 Central Avenue
Pawtucket, RI 02861
Direct line: 401.729.5767
The situation in Haiti is rightfully gaining a lot of attention. Many of our corporate and non-profit colleagues are launching various kinds of plans to help. United Way Worldwide has opened an opportunity to give via its website. We have updated the United Way of RI website to link to the United Way Worldwide giving opportunity through its disaster fund. I have been following the email chain all day and I congratulate so many of you who are stepping up in a big way to help. -Tony
Jan. 14, 2010
Amgen Donates $2 Million, Establishes Earthquake Relief Program
Company, Staff Contributions To Help Haitian Victims
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Jan 14, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) today announced that the company will donate $2 million to Haiti relief efforts. Amgen staff are being encouraged to be generous and that effort should also generate meaningful additional support.
The Amgen Foundation will deploy its Disaster Relief Program web site for Amgen staff around the globe who wish to contribute their own funds to designated organizations aiding in the relief and rebuilding efforts. The Amgen Foundation will match staff contributions dollar for dollar via this relief site.
"The earthquake that hit Haiti this week has devastated the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Port-au-Prince and beyond," said Kevin Sharer, Amgen's chairman and chief executive officer. "The contributions are expressions of our sincere sympathy for those directly affected by this tragedy."
Cox Communications announced a program to offer free calls to Haiti through February 28, 2010. The program will be retroactive to January 12, 2010 and is automatic for all residential Cox Digital Telephone customers with Cox Long Distance. Calls to both landline and cellular telephones dialed to country code 509 are included in this program.
Also, Cox Enterprises, the parent company of Cox Communications, created the Cox Haiti Relief Effort to donate air time and ad space for public-service announcements and to give $250,000 from the Cox Foundation, split equally between the American Red Cross and CARE, as well as employee donations to the two charities.
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(Source: Arabella)
- Support medium- to long-term recovery efforts that “Build it Better.” Most donors will see the stirring images from Haiti and react today, donating dollars that are allocated for emergency humanitarian relief. Relief activities are obviously critical, but they do not address the need for longer-term recovery, which will require even more dollars and receive far less attention. Donors should consider making longer-term investments. They should also consider making their investments more strategic by following the Hurricane Katrina response mantra, “Build it Better.” In Haiti, donors can provide financial support to improve the water and sanitation infrastructure, education system, housing stock, access to healthcare, and more.
- Support organizations with a long-standing history of development work in Haiti. Many international organizations have a decades-long presence in Haiti, providing development programs across a range of sectors. These organizations have well-established relationships with local communities and community-based organizations. Supporting these organizations maximizes existing expertise and response capacity and minimizes the learning curve associated with working in a complex disaster environment.
- Add disaster funding to an existing mission. Donors can most effectively leverage their resources for responding to the Haitian earthquake by tapping their in-house expertise. For example, a foundation whose mission is to support shelter can focus on rebuilding homes in earthquake-affected communities. Recovery needs in Haiti will span all sectors: environment, agriculture, shelter, water and sanitation, education, protection, health care, etc. You can help best where you know the most.
- Support disaster-risk reduction. Advance preparation and early warning systems help reduce the damage disasters cause. As Haitians work to rebuild their communities following this natural disaster, preparedness needs for future emergencies should be taken into account. This includes support for alert and communication systems, disaster-proof construction, agricultural planning, and operational contingency planning.
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(Source: Grantmakers Without Borders)
- First and foremost, provide unrestricted general funding to allow resources to go where they are most urgently needed.
- Give only to those organizations with an existing presence in the region and a broad familiarity with local conditions, customs and politics. Avoid well-meaning but inexperienced organizations.
- Give only to organizations that engage local community members in all aspects of disaster response and recovery. Avoid top-down responders.
- Prioritize organizations with a strong focus on gender and the ways in which women are differently impacted during and after an emergency.
Prioritize organizations that link emergency response with recovery and long-term rehabilitation and that build local capacities.
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(Source: Arabella)
Clinton Bush Haiti Fund - a website containing various resources as well as contribution options for immediate relief and long-term recovery efforts established by former President Clinton and former President George W. Bush.
The Boston foundation sent the following advice to all donors as well as an information meeting in the South end:
For those who would like to support relief efforts, we suggest the following abbreviated list of organizations for your consideration. You may make a grant by logging into Advisor Xpress or contribute directly to the organizations themselves. The grants should be designated for “earthquake relief efforts inHaiti.”
- The American Red Cross has staff on the ground in Haiti and has an extensive partnership with the Haitian Red Cross, which is expected to lead the Red Cross response to the earthquake. The American Red Cross has made available all of the relief supplies from its warehouse in Panama which would provide for basic needs for approximately 5,000 families. In addition, it is deploying a disaster management specialist to Haiti.
- Catholic Relief Services, an international humanitarian organization, has been working in Haiti for 55 years. CRS has made an initial commitment of $5 million for immediate use in the relief effort. CRS is mobilizing food and gearing up emergency capacity, and deploying prepositioned emergency shelter and hygiene kits in Haiti, as well as bringing supplies in from the neighboring Dominican Republic.
- Doctors Without Borders teams are treating hundreds of people injured in the quake and have been setting up clinics in tents to replace their own damaged medical facilities.
- Oxfam America has a staff of about 200 people on the ground in Haiti and a team of 15 highly-experienced emergency specialists based in the capital will be responding with public health, water and sanitation services to prevent the spread of waterborne disease.
- Partners In Health, with hospitals and highly trained medical staff in place in Haiti, is mobilizing resources and preparing plans to bring medical assistance and supplies to areas that have been hardest hit by the earthquake.
- UNICEF will deploy essential aid – including safe water, sanitation supplies, therapeutic foods, medical supplies and temporary shelter materials – as quickly as possible to assist with recovery efforts. UNICEF will also focus on children who have become separated from their families to protect them from harm or exploitation.
For more information, click on http://www.ccab.org/help-haiti.html.
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- The Philanthropic Response. The Foundation Center (2004).
- [ PDF ] Giving in the Aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Report on the Foundation and Corporate Response. The Foundation Center (2006).
- [ PDF ] Giving in the Aftermath of the Gulf Coast Hurricanes: Update on the Foundation and Corporate Response. The Foundation Center (2007).
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