Community Corner

Red Cross, Others, Mobilizing Local Haiti Relief Efforts

You donate to help people hurt and displaced by Tuesday's powerful earthquake.

Local organizations and individuals are mobilizing for relief efforts to help those who were affected by a powerful earthquake in Haiti.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit 10 miles from the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince Tuesday evening, and reports say thousands may be dead. It is believed 3 million people were affected by Tuesday's earthquake.

The American Red Cross has committed $200,000 in aid to help communities that are in need of support in Haiti. Additionally, the Red Cross made supplies in a Panama warehouse available, which should aid 5,000 families.

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Barbara Allora, Millburn-Short Hills Chapter of the American Red Cross executive director, said everyone's hearts go out to the people in Haiti. People there will be in need of food, water, temporary shelter, medical help and emotional support, she said. The Red Cross has also made disaster management specialists available.

"We are going to need a lot of financial support," Allora said of the Red Cross' efforts in Haiti. "The best thing for people to do is send a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund."

Find out what's happening in Springfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Donations can be sent by mail to P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013, by calling 1-800-REDCROSS or by visiting RedCross.org. A Spanish hotline also is available at 1-800-257-7575.

The U.S. State Department also set up a way for people to automatically donate $10 to the American Red Cross in its efforts. People can text "HAITI" to 90999, and a donation will be charged to their cell phone bill.

The Millburn-Short Hills Chapter of the American Red Cross will be helping process donations and will keep people updated on the situation, said Allora said.

The United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ is also collecting money to assist with the relief efforts. A check can be mailed to United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ, 901 Route 10, P.O. Box 929, Whippany, NJ 07981 or donations can be made online. For more information, call 973-929-3064.

If people have family traveling or living in Haiti, the state department also has set up a hotline for people to call about them. The phone number is 1-888-407-4747.

Do you know of a local relief effort? Let us know at adamb@patch.com or leave a note in the comments section.


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