Technology is a great thing and using text messaging to send $10 to aid the people of Haiti may seem pretty cool, but you might want to consider more traditional routes, like donating through web sites or sending checks to reputable disaster relief organizations. We heard today that the money transferred through text messages may take up to 90 days to reach Haiti. While the victims will still need aid in 90 days, if you want to provide immediate funds, text messaging may not be the best approach. [Follow-up--We just watched an interview with one of the people behind a company that orchestrates the text messaging program. He acknowledged the time frame is 90 days for contributions to "normal" contributions to charities, but he is hoping to reduce that time in the case of contributions for Haitian disaster relief. He was candid in acknowledging that there would be a delay in any event.]
For those of you who want to start a charity to aid the victims, please don't. Instead, donate the money you will spend starting what will in most cases become a failed venture to a reputable disaster relief organization. To be blunt, its not about you. Unless you have a special skill set, the people of Haiti need your money more than they need your ego.
Finally, we suspect everyone is sick and tired of natural disasters that kill tens of thousands of people due to poorly designed buildings and sub par construction. We were therefore intrigued by an article in yesterday's New York Times that reported on a number of nonprofits that focus on building design and construction in developing nations. Henry Fountain, Flawed Building Likely a Big Element (January 13, 2010). Mentioned were Architecture for Humanity and Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group. Before we would consider a contribution to either organization, we would want to know a lot more about them, including whether contributions qualify as tax-deductible contributions. But as a long-term response to disasters, these (and we assume other similar) organizations may warrant support. For the time being, our money will be going to an organization that will provide more immediate disaster relief.
