No one has been hit harder by Hurricane Matthew than Haiti. The death toll has reached nearly 900 in the country, according to the latest reports, and the government estimates around 350,000 people will need some sort of assistance. ABC says the southern part of the country has been “cut off” from the rest by floodwaters, and over 28,000 homes have so far been damaged.
While it’s tempting to want to send supplies, donating money is usually the most effective way to assist in disasters. However, one of the most popular relief organizations in the world, Red Cross, has a questionable reputation in Haiti: It reportedly collected $500 million in relief money after the devastating 2010 earthquake—and built just six homes.
https://twitter.com/msbmack/status/784227543301840896
https://twitter.com/frenchwendia/status/784456936125243392
in case you forgot – don't donate a damn dime to the Red Cross. #Haiti
— Yaba Blay (@fiyawata) October 7, 2016
Regardless, the Red Cross says it’s mounting a huge relief effort in the area, so donate here if you so choose. But many are recommending donations be made to Haitian organizations or organizations with more trusted reputations in Haiti. Here are a few:
1) Haiti Communitere
This local organization says it’s providing relief to residents of Cité Soleil, “Port-au-Prince’s most at-risk population,” in the wake of the hurricane, and has been working in that community since the earthquake in 2010. “We are uniquely positioned to not only know and understand what those affected by the hurricane need, but to provide it quickly, efficiently, and directly,” it writes.