don’t think, just give.


i hope i’ll be forgiven the intense earnestness of this post but i like to think we’re all give-a-fuck kind of people here at overland.org.au.

so before what promises to be a gorgeous weekend with loved ones and booze and food and probably safe shelter: if you’ve been thinking about haiti, and how you might help, stop thinking about it and just do it. if it’s five dollars or a hundred, the aid agencies need money* on the ground right now. msf, red cross, doesn’t matter. just do it soon because every dollar and every minute counts.

these are the links [to secular NGOs] i could find online where you can make a secure donation:

australian red cross [working with haiti red cross and international red cross/red crescent]
medecins sans frontieres [doctors without borders]
unicef
oxfam


*i don’t know of any agencies that are accepting donations of goods, and when you think about it, it would be impossible logistically, for so many reasons. also, the red cross are actively discouraging supporters from holding events to raise money for haiti, as the admin and planning would waste valuable time that they don’t have. the reality is that haitians don’t have time for us to come up with an auction or trivia night or performance to raise money. they don’t have a government or hospitals or transport. they need money, in the country, now.

Karen Pickering

More by Karen Pickering ›

Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places.

If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate.


Related articles & Essays