Have you at least texted "haiti" to 90999 yet?

[NightWatcher]

Poll question: Have you at least texted "haiti" to 90999 yet?

Helping has never been easier.

__________________________________________
WASHINGTON — A mobile phone campaign set up by the US Red Cross to raise money for victims of the cataclysmic earthquake in Haiti has raised more than eight million dollars, officials said Friday.

The White House said that by early Friday morning, American donors had responded to the Haiti crisis by donating more than eight million dollars, 10 dollars at a time, by texting the word HAITI to 90999, a special cellphone number set up by the American Red Cross with help from the State Department.

A spokeswoman for the US Red Cross, Abi Weaver, said the mobile giving campaign passed the seven-million-dollar mark at 11 pm on Thursday, two days after the powerful quake struck the impoverished Caribbean island state.

"As far as we know, this has broken all global mobile marketing campaigns in history. The money is coming in at a rate of 100,000 dollars an hour," Weaver told AFP
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hsJuKebFn2J1dGz3FRlzNzC95RSg

[Dappleganger]

1. No, we donated directly to Doctors w/out Borders because

the 90-day delay in the charity receiving their funds was of concern to us. I know the CEO of mgive was on Rachel's show last night, he said they are trying to reduce that time but wasn't specific enough.

[lame54]

20. so did we - a great organization

[undeterred]

2. No because I belong to the "long term unemployed" underclass.

$5 is a lot to me right now.

[gateley]

6. You would if you could, and you care. That means a lot, too. nt

[hlthe2b]

25. Pass it forward... When you can, I have no doubt that you will...

Best wishes to you, undeterred.

[sarge43]

3. I donated to another charity. n/t

[SidDithers]

4. Yup, but it didn't work...

in Canada.

Sid

[dysfunctional press]

5. it's actually the first text message i ever sent.

i'm assuming that it will still work with a pre-paid cellphone...?
because that's what i have.

[mn9driver]

7. No cell phone. Donated on line to Mercy Corps, though. nt

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Gave to Unicef, does that count?

:-)

[Warpy]

9. Not fond of the ARC

I donated directly to Doctors without Borders.

Besides, I'm a Luddite. I have 3 looms and a spinning wheel but don't own a cell phone.

[ellie]

10. No, I gave directly to

Partners In Health.

[Deep13]

11. I'll be donating to Doctors without Borders.

I don't have a text-service account.

[Jennicut]

12. If you don't like the Red Cross you can donate to Wyclef's organization, Yele.

https://co.clickandpledge.com/advanced/default.aspx?wid=23093 for credit cards or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5.

[City Lights]

13. No. We donated to Doctors Without Borders. nt

[Fresh_Start]

14. I've read that the administrative costs eat up small donations

they still have to send you an acknowledgement, etc.

So I went to the Red Cross website and made a larger donation so that there was something left after the administrative costs.

[Zomby Woof]

18. The Red Cross has VERY high overhead

It's not just the admin costs you spoke of, but they pay their execs and other brass really well - they're top heavy. It's no wonder Elizabeth Dole once headed them, and a former co-worker of mine, a freeper dickwad, quit his PR job with us to work as their regional director in the southwest. Wingnuts love the Red Cross, because they get to "feel good" (and look good) working for a super-well-known charity, and rake in dough that belies their 'non-profit' status.

The Red Cross is a pure brand name, and has garnered a reputation beyond its merits over the decades. They are nearly untouchable, so it's blasphemy in some circles to criticize them. Fuck 'em. So many better organizations out there who use their donations wisely and more efficiently.

[closeupready]

38. I'm not sure if perhaps you are thinking of a different organization, because

I went to charitynavigator and looked up American Red Cross, and from the information posted there, over 90% of their revenues go to program services - that's actually quite a good percentage.

[Fresh_Start]

39. yes, the red cross is a cost effective charity

the clinton foundation is more efficient at almost 95%
I also donate to doctors without borders but its not as effective

[StarfarerBill]

15. I gave to DWB soon after I heard about the earthquake.

[stray cat]

16. According to some DUers you should be donating to the US instead

[cali]

17. not everyone has a cell phone. funny how people assume that everyone does.

I don't. I did however donate what I could to Americares.

[NightWatcher]

22. on an internet based message board it's funny to assume that people also have a cell phone

I didnt ask a bunch of Amish or Luddites if they texted yet, but a group of people on the internet.

[hlthe2b]

26. I have had a business and/or personal cell for ten years now...

but, admittedly, I have only text messaged with any frequency the past year or so. ;)

[cali]

34. there isn't even cell phone reception where I live.

[hlthe2b]

28. You might be the only one NOT to develop brain cancer...

;)

(or suffer from chronic cell annoyance syndrome)

[Xenotime]

19. I will be doing that here soon.

[CBR]

21. Not Red Cross but

I did do the text message donation for Yele and the Clinton Foundation.

[Maru Kitteh]

23. I used "HAITI" to 20222 - The Clinton Foundation

[hlthe2b]

29. Is that a standard donation amount as well?

[CBR]

30. Yes. $10. nt

[hlthe2b]

24. Yes... please know that there are out of work folks doing so as well

I know at least three-- who have put aside their own substantial $$ worries to donate what most will find a small amount. It is a substantial amount for these folks.

:hug: to all who can donate and those who can't but will sometime when things improve (and I hope for all the latter, that better things are rapidly in store)

[pipi_k]

27. Other...I didn't text...I donated to Red Cross online last night n/t

[LynneSin]

31. I would if I could figure out to text with my cell phone

my company is doing matching donations thru Red Cross so I have donated thru there

[IcyPeas]

37. I'm kind of a texting newbie too. I don't really know how. HELP ME!

Can someone explain how to do it like I'm a 5 year old? Do I type H-a-i-t-i and then the number right after that?????

Thanks, from a texting luddite.:dunce:

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

32. Where is Grovelbot when we need him?

Surely he could be reprogrammed to assist in this task.

[MerryBlooms]

33. Other

Red cross, Docs without boarders and my fiance stopped on his way home from work and donated blood.

[Arkansas Granny]

35. I donated to Doctors Without Borders and the Clinton Foundation.

I have a cell phone that my kids got me, but I'm little embarrassed to tell you that I've never sent a text message and I'm not sure how it's done.

[closeupready]

36. No, I have a pay-as-you-go phone that doesn't allow those kinds of calls. Instead,

I mailed a check to DWB. :)

[CTyankee]

40. I decided to give to Save the Children, after much debating with myself.

I like that they have been working there for some time. DWB was my other choice and may get a donation yet from me.

[DevonRex]

41. We donated directly to the Red Cross. The next donation will be to

either Drs. w/o Borders or to our local search and rescue dog team which is going to Haiti.