Thursday, January 14, 2010

Some ideas for helping Haiti

I know there are many good causes here in Cheshire, but if you're interested in helping the people of Haiti and don't want to simply donate money... perhaps you could sign up and fly down to help Visions in Action.

Or you could stay put in Nutmegville, drive to Westport and help the call center at Save the Children (1-800-728-3843).

I'm sure there'll be faith-based groups organizing efforts over the next several weeks that'll be looking for help. I haven't really researched this very much. So I'm sure there'll be more to help that are not strictly financial donations. But I wanted to offer a few thoughts. If I can get two weeks off before the budget starts and without missing any Council meetings, I may go myself. I actually tried to do that in November 1998 in Honduras. But I made the mistake of trying to help after I got there. I won't do that again. My sense is that these situations are simply too chaotic to jump in someplace where you don't speak the language... and as a result cannot locate the key people who can give you some direction... so gotta set it up stateside, unless you speak the language... and unfortunately for me...

Mon francais es tres mal. J'ai etudier francais au college. Et j'ai oublier que parler francais beaucoup ans il y a.

Tim White

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

With all the chaos in Haiti right now, it is best for everyone if people did not go to the island on their own to try and help. Freelance assistance is very dangerous to the volunteer, residents, rescuers, and victims. Contact a local assistance organization to see what you can do. There are hundreds of ways to give voluntary labor support without leaving the U.S. Supplies need to be gathered, cleaned, accounted, maintained, loaded, packed, etc...

Anonymous said...

wish the Cheshire Food Drive could be activated for this weekend or next..

Anonymous said...

Right now all the relief agencies are saying they need money donations, that this is the fastest way to get food and water to people.

Anonymous said...

The scenes of parents carrying their dead babies, of hospitals filled but unable to treat injured children, are HEARTBREAKING.

Still, I'm proud to be an American today, seeing the thousands of US soldiers, marines, trucks and supplies pouring in to help.

God bless and help them all.