How you can help in Haiti
For an international response, a monetary gift is the best way to help those in need.
Certain in-kind donations may not be appropriate for cultural, political, economic or administrative reasons. You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation.
Make a donation:
- 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767)
- 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)
- Online at http://redcross.org
- Mail: American Red Cross P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013
- Text “Haiti” to 90999 to send a ten dollar donation to the Red Cross.
Locally:
- Visit any Lowe’s store to make a $5 or $10 donation (or a donation of your choice) at checkout
- Buy a $1 or $5 donation at Harris Teeter
Follow Red Cross disaster response at Online Disaster Newsroom
View pictures of Red Cross response on our Flickr page
Read about response to Haiti on our blog
People seeking news about their loved ones can register the name of the sought persons directly on the ICRC Family Links Web site at:
http://www.icrc.org/familylinks
The information given on this Web site is not confidential and can be viewed by anyone.
- The majority of postings on the FamilyLinks website are from people who are searching for loved ones.
- There is a tracing office in Port-au-Prince. They are actively registering people on the Family Links website and helping families to make international phone calls to their loved ones.
Instructions for using the FamilyLinks Web site
- First search The List. Try various spellings of the name.
- If your relative is not on the list, click on “Register Your Relative”
- Family members should search The List regularly to see if their loved one has registered.
- If there are multiple search results, multiple people may be seeking the same individual and could have extra information.
Inquiries regarding US Citizens living or traveling in Haiti
Inquiries concerning U.S. Citizens abroad should be referred to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.
The Department of State has received a high volume of calls concerning the welfare of US citizens in Haiti. Inquiries for US citizens can also be sent to
with the following information:
- Full name, date of birth, and passport info (if known) of the persons in Haiti you are trying to contact
- Their contact info in Haiti – telephone numbers, email addresses, hotel name and address (if known)
- Inquirer’s name and contact information and relationship to the person in Haiti
- Any special or emergency circumstances