Over the break, Japan was devastated by a 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in the Sendai area. Since the event, Japan has felt the effects all over its country, as far as Tokyo: lost power, destroyed homes and the fragile state of a nuclear power plant are only a few of the horrors the Japanese are currently facing.

Even though we are separated by an ocean, we can help. The Red Cross is currently taking donations on their website or through text messages (text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to donate $10). Yahoo! has compiled a list of other donation centers to check out, as well.

In addition to these efforts, I am officially challenging you to start your own relief efforts. Be creative – you can help save hundreds.

People around the world face suffering each day. Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to put the harsh realities of the lives of some into perspective for us. While the earthquake that devastated Haiti on Jan. 12 dispersed Haitian families, the disaster united foreign peoples under a common effort for relief aid. Do your part to help relieve Haitian families in need, whether it be through prayer, a tax-deductible monetary donation or enjoying the delicious home-baked desserts the Red Cross club was selling after school this week.

While on-line:
Donate any amount of money to World Vision, a foundation with 30 years of experience in Haiti, to help provide food, medicine and family survival kits including everything from clean water, blankets and tents to cooking supplies.

Or, to make sure your donation goes toward a specific relief need:
-PUR water packets-a $20 donation will provide 100 days of water for a Haitian family in need
-Food, health care and agricultural support
-emergency delivery of goods -your donation will help rush collapsible water containers, hygiene kits, cooking sets, blankets and tarpaulins for temporary shelter
-or, a monthly gift that will go towards helping affected children in Haiti by providing long-term relief, blankets, food and shelter for orphans and other children

Give a tax-deductable donation to Samaritan’s Purse Project.

While at the store:
Grab:

and a one gallon plastic bag to create a health kit for Haiti. All the above items, sealed in the plastic bag, can be returned to the nurse’s office at CHS for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief).

At school:
Bring your health kit for Haiti, for one. Secondly, don’t miss out on CHS’s Heritage Day tonight, Feb. 5 at 7 p.m. Admission costs one dollar -a donation that will help fund Haiti’s situation. Festivies will include cultural dances, food, comedy and sale of JWAC club’s shirts for Haiti. These beautifully designed T-shirts will be for sale one for $15 or all three shirts for $35.

More ways to help Haiti.

For updates on the situation in Haiti.

Learn more about the country Haiti.

Further, check facebook for groups you can join that will automatically donate with each click.

Staff Writer

Tuesday, Jan. 12. A day most will forget; a day most Haitians will never forget.

Relief efforts have expanded in multiple ways just three days after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. Typical aid comes in forms of monetary donations to the American Red Cross and item donations to organizations. This time, technology is catching up with text messages.

Mobile phone users can text “HAITI” to 90999 to make a simple donation of $10. This mobile campaign has become an easy and popular way to donate in just a matter of days and has raised more than $10 million.

All four major wireless carriers – Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Sprint – are supporting this relatively new campaign, and most have given a direct portion of their share immediately.

However, this is not the first time such an effort has been seen. In 2005, text messaging raised $400,000 after Hurricane Katrina, and in 2004, a similar campaign raised $200,000 after the Indian Ocean tsumami. Yet, this is by far the biggest effort.

To find out more ways to donate, click here.