Red Cross: Americans respond to call for Haiti help
Times might be tough, but that hasn't stopped Americans from responding to the crisis in Haiti.
A spokesman for the Nassau County chapter of the American Red Cross said Monday that fundraising pledges in the first 48 hours following the Haitian earthquake last week have outpaced the same time period following the 2004 tsunami and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
The Red Cross has raised $90 million in the United States, Nassau Red Cross spokesman Sam Kille said, including $21 million from text-message pledges.
He said the Nassau chapter has raised more than $10,000 in direct pledges. It is not known how much money has been raised by county residents or Long Island.
A spokeswoman for the Suffolk County Red Cross said Monday she did not know how much money Suffolk residents had raised for Haitian relief.
The American Red Cross has sent about 400 volunteers to Haiti.
Neither the Nassau nor Suffolk chapters have sent volunteers to Haiti, officials said.
Kille said the chapters don't expect to send anyone.
He was, however, thrilled at the pace of the donations.
"As soon as the earthquake hit the news the phones here at the National Red Cross as well as at the chapter started ringing off the hook," Kille said. "It has been wonderful to see how, in the worst of times, the best in people comes out."
Kille said 91 cents of every dollar donated to the Red Cross is used for aid efforts.
"The money going into Haiti right now is providing for the immediate needs because as we know power is out and there's a shortage in water and medical supplies," Kille said.
Anyone wanting to donate money to relief for Haiti can call 1-800-Red-Cross or go to redcross.org or text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be charged to your cell phone bill.
With John Valenti
>>PHOTOS: Newsday's Charles Eckert in Haiti | Frantic rescue effort in Haiti | Deadliest recent earthquakes
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>> MORE: Read more about LIers grieving and LI's efforts to help | Latest news from Haiti | Haiti's road to chaos: 2006 Newsday series
HOW TO HELP
* Wyclef Jean, a rapper and hip-hop artist from Haiti, urged people to text "Yele" to 501501 to donate $5 toward earthquake relief. Yéle Haiti is a grassroots movement inspiring change in Haiti through programs in education, sports, the arts and environment, according to its Web site.
* The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747. The Red Cross has also set up a Web site to help family members find and contact relatives.
* You can also go online to organizations such as the Red Cross and MercyCorps to make a contribution to the disaster relief efforts.
The FBI warned Internet users to be wary of e-mail messages seeking donations in the aftermath of the quake. People who want to send money or assistance should contribute to known organizations and should be careful not to respond to unsolicited e-mails, officials said.
Other Web sites accepting donations include:
-Haitian Health Foundation
-Hope for Haiti
-UNICEF
-International Medical Corps
-Beyond Borders
-AmeriCares

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.

Things to do now on LI Rock climbing? Indoor beach volleyball? Water parks? Arts and crafts? NewsdayTV's Elisa DiStefano and Newsday deputy lifestyle editor Meghan Giannotta have your look at ways to spend your winter break.