Red Cross Archives - Lisa M. Frame

As is normal for me on Sunday evening, I flipped on the Weather Channel to prepare for my day tomorrow. What I am watching has me glued, like a Garfield suction cupped to a car-window. Mike Bettis from the Weather Channel just got to Joplin, Missouri, right after a large tornado struck the town — and it’s horrific.

Sitting here, praying for these people, I’m so thankful for being where I am right this very instant. All of a sudden my worries aren’t significant. People are crawling out of their houses. Yet, the houses are nothing but rubble. An possible explosion just happened at the hospital…and the hospital has no windows that I can see. It’s still standing, but the damage is significant.

And all they are asking for are doctors and nurses to come to the scene. People are walking around, looking for their neighbors, cars and pickup trucks smashed.

This is something we normally don’t see on television. It takes time to get crews to the scene of a tragedy like this and normally, it’s with a police presence and very controlled.

So, tonight, I’m praying for the health, well-being and peace of mind for the people affected by this storm. I’m also adding a link to the American Red Cross for donations. Because every little bit helps.

http://www.redcross.org/

Today’s post was supposed to be about “healthy you”, winter skin, hair, type thing. However, I am pulling that off of the table.

Today, I am asking you to help.

Unless you have been living under a rock, you know that Haiti was hit with an earthquake of immense magnitude. Thousands have died. Even more are homeless.

This is not just affecting the citizens of Haiti. There are more than 46,000 Americans in Haiti, many working as missionaries. The U.N. has 100 staff members unaccounted for.

Donate if you can. Give blood. Pray. The first 48 hours after a natural disaster such as this is focused on search and rescue. It is critical so that rescue efforts don’t turn into recovery efforts.

Here are ways you can help:

Go to Amazon.com and donate to Mercy Corps. Their greatest priority is providing food, shelter and water to the survivors of the devastating natural disaster.

Oxfam’s Latin American emergency response team is based in Haiti. They have had people on the ground from the start.

“The Red Cross is also receiving money through a third party mobile fundraising effort sponsored by Mobile Accord. Mobile donors can text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross. The funds will go to support the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti.”

Avoid scams. Only donate to reputable organizations. People are going to try and take advantage of this opportunity to stand by your fellow man. Sad, but true.

One such scam is the one being reported on social media networks such as Twitter about UPS. The rumor is that UPS will give free shipping up to 50lbs to Haiti. UPS has donated $1 million dollars towards the recovery effort. This includes $500 thousand of in-kind services for the shipment of needed supplies.

For the organizations that have donated, if you see someone from there. Tell them thank you. Whether it’s the NY Yankees, Disney, the Livestrong Foundation, whomever. Just say it.

Do what you can. Do it now. One day, it could be you and your family receiving aid from these organizations.