Send money to Haiti?

It is Tuesday night February 9th. I returned to my hotel room to check my email hoping to find one that puts me in contact with someone who could use my services in Haiti. There were none.

One email I received from the Diablo Valley Woodworkers Association had the subject line "Haiti." I opened this email and found that this like many other organization were seeing how they could help the Haitians. It was a note that their members could not find a place where their skills were particularly needed, but noting that they knew of organizations that had gathered used medical equipment and supplies but needed funds for shipping this to Haiti.

I decided to provide my perspective on this suggestion.

Following is my responding email to Bill, the caretaker of correspondence with the DVWA members:

"Dear Bill:

The Diablo Valley Woodworkers might be interested in a perspective on charitable giving to Haiti. I am a DVWW member and infrequent meeting attender. I am currently in the Dominican Republic trying to get into Haiti to provide my expertise as a volunteer. I am a structural and earthquake engineering consultant who finished up a meeting today in Santo Domingo. Knowing I was going to be next door to Haiti, I have been trying to volunteer to any organization that would like to use my volunteer services. One would think that a structural engineering volunteer could be put to good use. No one has indicated to me they could use my help.

I think this demonstrates the chaotic reality of what is happening in Haiti. Last night I attended a meeting of DR structural and earthquake engineers hoping they could provide me with a connection into Haiti. They could only see how things can't get done in Haiti. They could not see a way that things could get done. They call Haiti a "psuedo" country. The reason for this term is due to the fact that the UN sent a peace keeping military force to Haiti to stem and control the tremendous violence that had been occurring there. Now without military power, the government has been stripped of any real power. Yet they understandably want to review and approve what is going on in their country. However, all this does is muddy the water as they have adequate manpower, knowledge, respect, or resources to review, comment and make good decisions.

From my current perspective, I would recommend that if one wants to help out the Haitian's financially, that money be given to an organization that would invest the money wisely and look for opportunities in the future to disperse that money. I would not want to waste the emotional urgency of giving, as this will fade away. I would recommend to give and to give generously, but not just to send it to Haiti now. There is more money flowing in now than people and infrastructure to see that the supplies it purchases get to where it is needed. It is down the road when the world starts forgetting Haiti, that these funds can be put to good use to help these people rebuild their families, their homes, their cities, and their hopes and dreams.

A perspective from someone trying to do the right thing.

Craig"