Text donations to Haiti - be aware....

[DizBelle]

On the radio the other morning they were saying that these donations made by text and then billed to your cell phone bill won't be making it to Haiti until the bill is paid. So, it could be a month or two before any of these donations get to Haiti.

Just something you may want to consider before taking this donation route.

 

[wvjules]

On the radio the other morning they were saying that these donations made by text and then billed to your cell phone bill won't be making it to Haiti until the bill is paid. So, it could be a month or two before any of these donations get to Haiti.

Just something you may want to consider before taking this donation route.

Bummer, we already did it that way.

I guess the good thing is that in a month or so the donations will still be coming in quite heavily because of this. I'm sure it will still be needed as much then as it is now.

 

[Missy1961]

Bummer, we already did it that way.

I guess the good thing is that in a month or so the donations will still be coming in quite heavily because of this. I'm sure it will still be needed as much then as it is now.

That's a good point.

 

[dakcp2001]

I saw on the news last night that they were going to show a "tearful apology" from WYclef, so not sure what happened but they mentioned missappropriation of funds. The election results interuppted so I never got to see what happened.

 

[sharlon]

I read a couple of days ago that Verizon Wireless went ahead and wired the Red Cross $3 Million rather than wait on bills to be paid.

 

[mickeylove2]

I saw on the news last night that they were going to show a "tearful apology" from WYclef, so not sure what happened but they mentioned missappropriation of funds. The election results interuppted so I never got to see what happened.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/01/18/news/international/wyclef_haiti/

Someone is accusing the Yele Haiti organization of misappropriation of funds...Wyclef is denying any wrong doing, as far as I have seen and heard, he has NOT apologized for anything because he has done nothing wrong. Yele Haiti and Wyclef have opened their books and tax experts have said that they can find nothing misappropriated.

 

[dakcp2001]

I am glad it was not found to be true, that would have been such a HUGE dissuation for people to donate. I also think that whenever any organization starts getting such huge donations, a little added scrutiny is good, so that just in case ANYONE (as in any one of their employees) starts to get tempted, they know they are watched. I worked for the Red Cross in 2001 and after 911, there were some issues with the higer ups, nameless employees that couldnt account for donations. They all got caught thankgod. BUt now I trust NO ONE. ANd I donated to Wyclef, cuz his charity had the least overhead (90 cents of every dollar goes to the charity)

 

[robinb]

I donated the most to Unicef as 100% of the funds went to helping children in Haiti. I also texted $10 to the Red Cross.

 

[mickeylove2]

I've been following the Yele Haiti organization for a few years and donate yearly to them so I am kind of partial. Although I am a little saddened that they have had to spend so much in order to raise so much. With Wyclef being a celebrity, he has involved many other celebrities in his charity and unfortunately it has cost money (Hollywood business I guess)...but in the end with the celebrities being involved they have actually raised much more than they have spent. Also, from my understanding the organization does pay Wyclef, say $250,000 a year, but he and his wife donate more than that yearly, like $1 million a year, plus all the publicity that he has generated from his celeb status has raised more on top of that. So, I guess in the end the people of Haiti benefit the most so I shouldn't really complain.

 

[Anjelica]

I heard about the issues with Wyclef's charity - kind of sad.

http://www.cbc.ca/arts/media/story/2010/01/17/jean-haiti-relief.html?ref=rss

"...A day earlier, groups that vet charities raised doubts about the organization's accounting practices.

The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance is not recommending Jean's group and suggests money be donated to relief organizations with more experience in handling disasters.

.....Charity Navigator says efficient charities should be plowing at least 75 per cent of their funds toward programs related to their cause. Charity Navigator reviewed Yele Haiti's tax audits, which indicated that in 2008, it spent 69 per cent of its budget on Haiti programs. "

But I know for a fact that AT&T already appropriated funds from the texts to the Red Cross before getting paid on the bills.