As I sat and watched the news this week that came from Haiti, at first all I could do was cry and remember. I remembered what is was to lose every thing. I remember what it is like to lose everything or almost  everything you physically owned ( home  and everything in it) and to know even though your family is safe there was loss of life just feet from where you were. I also know what it  is like when a hurricane damages your home so bad that it takes months to recover. First I was over come with emotion..Those emotions turned into a desire to help. I have lived through homelessness, a hurricane, and a fire.

I gave immediately at first to the Red Cross. Why the Red Cross? When I was going through the fire literally literally they were there within minutes. When it comes to emergency responses they are well trained and get the job done. They work with other agencies and see that needs are met. Six years ago my daughter and I lived in Hamilton and lived through the experience of  being rescued by fire fighters in the dead of the night and then watched as the 30 unit apartment complex next door burned . A young woman died just 5 feet from where my young daughter slept and the other side of the wall. We got out. She did not. I have always been thankful we did. It was in the immediate hours after our little disaster I saw how fast and efficiently the Red Cross can work. Within hours we were being taken to a hotel where we stayed for the first 72 hours after the fire. Clothing came. Food came. We were taken care of. They helped us rebuild quite quickly.We were able to go back in. Our neighbors could not. Some on the lower floors were allowed in to get some things out. The 30 unit complex left families homeless and it was the Red Cross who came to the rescue. For us we went in and cleaned up the broken windows, threw out many smoke filled things, covered windows and had to move weeks later to a safer place.

I saw the work the done in conjunction with other agencies when living in Toronto and volunteering with the Salvation Army’s emergency response team. When 900 people were displaced due to an explosion and fire the 2 agencies  worked together to see that the immediate needs of the people where met. When it was known that they would not be able to return to their homes for months. These agencies worked with others to make sure each person had shelter.

If you are Canadian and can give please do give. The Canadian government is matching our giving up to 50 million dollars.

There are many agencies you can give to, and many ways to give.

Here is a list of some:

To donate just $5 you can text:

Wireless companies are providing a way to donate $5 by texting.  

• “Yele” to 501501 to donate to Wyclef Jean’s Yéle Foundation;

• “Haiti” to 85944 to donate to Rescue Union Mission and MedCorp International;

• “Haiti” to 25383 to donate to the International Rescue Committee;

• “Haiti” to 90999 to donate to the Red Cross in the U.S.;

• “Haiti” to 45678 to donate to the Salvation Army in Canada (Canada only).

Now here is a list of charities with WELL known ties and established ties in Haiti. Consider them please:

The Red Cross ( this agency already has a team of 50 of its best emergency response personnel on the ground and they are working tirelessly with other agencies to get needs met)

The Salvation Army already had and has personel on the ground in Haiti and a team of Canadian volunteers are enroute today to help distribute aid.

Doctors Without Borders/ Medicins Sans Frontieres is another agency on the ground. Many of their doctors and nurses who were in Haiti are missing. They are in need of medical supplies.

World Vision is another agency that had been working in Haiti. I have been following them on Twitter. I am a World Vision sponsor. So this one is near and dear to me. We will be giving more to them in the weeks ahead.

The Humanitarian Coalition. Oxfam, Care, and Save the Children have teamed together to offer assistance.

This is just a small list of agencies who are on the ground already. They are working to get help to the 3 million Haitians effected.

Now the blogging community is also giving in there own way and Money Saving Mom has complied a list of bloggers who have posts about how to help and what they are doing. Some bloggers are saying leave a comment and I will give. So if you can do check out some of them.

Well I am already giving and my daughter and I will be giving more in the months ahead as the need will be there for a very long time.What are you  doing?

Remember if you can not give , you can still do something: You can pray. So what are you doing? What have you done?