Making Your Assistance in Haiti Count
Fact Checking, Assistance, Prayers
The message reads: "Call 212-697-9767 American Airlines is offering free flights to Haiti to anyone with medical experience."
Health care workers ready to donate time may be elated to get this news. To know that you can help out in times like these is gratifying. The message above seems to be a very feasible way nurses , techs, etc. can assist during this dire time of need.
Wrong!
Two things stand out with this information: 1) The number provided is not a 1-800 number. 2) There is no mention of this on the aa.com Web site. Therefore, before passing this along to hospital officials I fact checked the statement by placing a call to American Airlines using the contact information on their Web site. The agent I spoke to said that she was not aware of any such free accommodations for medical professionals and in fact the airline had received numerous calls inquiring about free flights for medical workers, which they were not providing. This incorrect news is apparently spreading fast.
At this time, many charitable citizens are searching for ways to help out during this disaster and it's easy for someone insensitive to the cause to slip some unhelpful information in the mix and in return kindhearted people wanting to help pass it along. Therefore, be sure to fact check any charities, volunteering, or donations being requested so that you are not wasting valuable time chasing bad leads or worse sending cash flow to a crook.
On the positive side of things, singer Wyclef Jean, a native of Haiti, is the sphere head of the Yele Haiti Foundation, an official nonprofit that is diligently raising money to assist in the earthquake's aftermath. To donate to the Yele Haiti Foundation, text "Yele" to 501501 to donate or go to http://www.yele.org.
Other nonprofit organizations assisting are www.opusa.org and www.americanredcross.org. If you are aware of any other official organizations to donate or volunteer in Haiti feel free to post them here as comments.
Published by Shani Greene-Dowdell
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- Donate to the Yele Haiti Foundation, text "Yele" to 501501
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2 Comments
Post a CommentI agree with Carol...great fact-checking. Here is another way to help. Doctorswithoutborders.org, 1-888-392-0392
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or by mail...Doctors Without Borders USA
PO Box 5030
Hagerstown, MD 21741.
Great fact-checking. One of the organizations working with Yele Haiti is Airline Ambassadors which is working diligently to get flights donated to bring aid workers over to Haiti.