(NaturalNews) As the editor of NaturalNews, I was heartbroken to learn of the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti two nights ago. News of the terrible loss of life was slow to circulate due to the near-complete destruction of the communications infrastructure in Haiti. Even now, the body count numbers are only an estimate, but by any measure the estimates are alarmingly high.
When such events occur somewhere around the world, it's always difficult to know what's the appropriate response. Should we go there? And if so, how do we get there? What do we do when we arrive? What should we bring to do the most good?
I've learned that the best way most people can help in such emergencies is to
financially support the organizations that know what to do. Give these people the funds they need to get on the ground and help as many people as possible.
One of those organizations is the
International Rescue Committee (
www.TheIRC.org), a world-class rescue organization that spends 90% of its funds on programs and services (only 6% is spent on administration and 4% on fundraising).
Over the last seventy-five years, they've helped respond to human crises all around the world, including Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Taiwan, Indonesia, Afghanistan and more. Watch videos of some of their rescue mission work here:
http://www.theirc.org/video The IRC needs your help... and ours. This is a humanitarian mission, and in the spirit of helping the IRC get people on the ground in
Haiti who can help reduce human suffering,
NaturalNews has joined with the Consumer Wellness Center (
www.ConsumerWellness.com) to donate $5,000 to the IRC to aid victims in Haiti.
Please join NaturalNews in helping earthquake victims in Haiti
Just as importantly as this donation, the IRC needs
your donation -- even if it's just $10 or $20. Here's your chance to make a real difference in Haiti, saving lives and reducing human suffering. Make your own tax-deductible contribution at https://
www.theirc.org/donate/donate-nowI know it's difficult to realize that
you can make a difference from where you are right now, anywhere in the world... but
you can! Your donation translates into actionable help through the IRC -- an organization that knows how to best put these funds to use.
Think about what you're going to spend on your next meal at a restaurant with
family or friends: seventy-five dollars? A hundred dollars? And now I invite you to make a commitment to
call your family or friends and agree to skip your next restaurant meal and instead
donate that money to help the people of Haiti.
Your hundred bucks doesn't really go very far in a fancy restaurant, but on the streets of Haiti, it can mean the difference between a wounded child receiving critical medical supplies or dying. It can put a shelter over someone's head or bring them clean
water. It can provide a cooked meal or replace simple but desperately needed items like a pair of shoes or a bar of soap.
That's why I'm pledging $5,000 right now to the people of Haiti -- people I don't even know and will probably never meet. NaturalNews isn't a wealthy organization, and giving this much money away puts a dent in our operational budget. But
the people of Haiti need this money more than we do right now.
Never forget that here on this planet,
we are all brothers and sisters. We may be of different colors, languages, races or religious backgrounds, but we are all 99.8% genetically identical. We all share many of the same aspirations and dreams. We all seek happiness and connection, and when crisis comes, we owe it to each other to help our brothers and sisters by lending a helping hand. It's part of what makes us human.
Prayers and positive intentions are also desperately needed. If you don't send money, please send prayers at the very least. But remember that in a crisis situation
money gets practical things done. Money buys blankets, water filters, buckets, socks, medical supplies and temporary lodging. Money buys the fuel for machines to clean up rubble, free trapped victims and begin to rebuild. Haiti needs your prayers right now, and at the same time, the IRC needs your
donations, too.
If you can, send both prayers and donations. Here's the donation page once again: https://
www.theirc.org/donate/donate-nowThank you,
- Mike Adams, the Health Ranger and editor of NaturalNews
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He is a prolific writer and has published thousands of articles, interviews, reports and consumer guides, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles. Adams is a trusted, independent journalist who receives no money or promotional fees whatsoever to write about other companies' products. In 2010, Adams created NaturalNews.TV, a natural living video sharing site featuring thousands of user videos on foods, fitness, green living and more. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a noted technology pioneer and founded a software company in 1993 that developed the HTML email newsletter software currently powering the NaturalNews subscriptions. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. Known on the 'net as 'the Health Ranger,' Adams shares his ethics, mission statements and personal health statistics at www.HealthRanger.org
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Thursday, January 14, 2010
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