The American Red Cross, a $10 Text Well Spent

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, $147 million has been donated to the American Red Cross for Haitian relief efforts — including $26 million raised by 2.6 million people who texted their $10 donation.

So where will all that money really go? American Red Cross officials tell Tonic that donors can rest assured: 100-percent of the money will go directly to Haiti.

In what is proving to be the most successful humanitarian relief fundraising campaign ever, based largely on the convenience of computers and cell phones, 91 cents of a every dollar raised is going directly to earthquake victims, says Eric Porterfield, American Red Cross spokesperson on international services. The remaining 9 cents will be used to get the word out, keep operations up and running, and provide for the relief supplies, services and staff on the ground in Haiti.

In addition to the money raised by texting donations, at least 60 percent — or $88 million — of the $147 million total was raised by online donations. The opportunity to simply click dollars across the globe provides the public with a way to satisfy their desire to help immediately. And the tallies aren't close to in.

Porterfield has no idea how much more will be raised tonight during George Clooney's all-star, multi-city telethon, "Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief,” featuring among many, Bono, The Edge, Beyonce, Madonna, President Bill Clinton, Shakira, Sting, Bruce Springsteen, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert Pattinson, Tom Hanks, Ben Stiller, Clint Eastwood, Stevie Wonder and Muhammad Ali. The two-hour event beginning at 8 p.m. EST, can be seen on nearly every network, online, or by mobile device. Proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross, as well as Oxfam America, Partners in Health, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme, Yele Haiti Foundation and the Clinton Bush Haiti Foundation.

“We don’t wait for the money to come in to provide relief — we respond immediately," says Porterfield. "But there’s a new psychology out there that clicking or texting gives you an opportunity to donate faster — the technology is out there and the people want to help immediately. We see it all the time: The compelling images on the screen when people are watching the news and they want to give instantly, they feel like they can help the people they see on the screen. So we know much more quickly what’s coming in not only for immediate needs, but for longer terms needs, because there’s not only a short term need for temporary shelter, tents or tarps, but they will need longer term support like permanent houses, water systems, sanitation systems; and livelihood support, like jobs and a way to get money that takes years [to accomplish].”

The effort to help Haiti has been an international Red Cross endeavor, supported by 400 Red Cross specialists from around the globe, including 100 American Red Cross relief specialists in Haiti right now. “We work through the Haitian Red Cross, which is the lead Red Cross on the ground, and which has a network of more than 2,000 volunteers. It’s important that we work through them and support them because it’s their country and they know their community, they speak the language, they know how to get around,” says Porterfield.

And for anyone who wonders what a $10 text donation can do, Porterfield says one of those 100 American Red Cross relief specialists can tell you. Winnie Romeril, an upstate New York volunteer, attributes the Mexican Red Cross for saving her own life in 1990, when she received free medical care. Romeril confirms that $10 can provide a lot of relief. “She told us yesterday that it’s enough to buy first aid supplies to treat 10 to 20 people in a day,” says Porterfield.

Although the American Red Cross was criticized post-Katrina for mishandling relief efforts in New Orleans, Porterfield assures the public that the organization has since learned and changed from its mistakes. “Gail McGovern is our new president and we have analyzed all our processes after Katrina and changed our business models. We know now the importance of partnering with lots of organizations so we have systems in place now that weren’t there before Katrina. We realized what we did right and what we did wrong, we’ve analyzed and we’ve improved,” says Porterfield. “In Haiti, we work with a lot of local Haitian organizations and we work with the UN agencies, like International Organization of Migration and the World Food Programme.”

 

American Red Cross Haitian Relief by the Numbers

So far, the American Red Cross has spent $34 million on Haitian relief efforts:

50 percent or $17 million is being used to bring food and water to earthquake victims, including 3 million prepackaged meals, more than 1 million water purification packets and thousands of containers to transport water.30 percent or $10.2 million is being spent on purchasing and distributing relief supplies including blankets, tarps, hygiene supplies such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, kitchen sets with items like pots and pans and first aid supplies.20 percent or $6.8 million is being used to supply logistical support and other items to keep the relief effort running. That includes purchasing vehicles, warehouse space, gasoline, transportation costs and deployment of relief specialists on the ground.

 

To read more of Tonic's ongoing Haiti coverage, CLICK HERE.

 

Photos courtesy Red Cross