Have Mercy, Help Haiti

Tonight instead of weeping over vid after vid of horrifying images I'm going to do something constructive by showcasing one of the organizations that have an excellent track record in bringing relief to areas devastated by natural or man-made disasters like the earthquake that hit Haiti yesterday.

Mercy Corps may be best known for its espousal of the microloan as one of the most effective methods to shift an individual out of extreme poverty and into a productive member of their community who can not only support their own family but give a neighbor a hand up as well.

But they are also quite adept at rushing aid and supplies to areas impacted by quakes, floods, tsunami and conflict. And their help doesn't stop with immediate disaster relief for their forte is in long term help in rebuilding community, infrastructure and hope. They had a significant presence in the aftermath of Katrina and in the recent quakes in Indonesia, China, Pakistan and Peru and the 2004 Tsunami in Sumatra and surrounding areas.

More than 80% of all resources they garner are applied to programs that really help.

See how Mercy Corps helps here.

See where Mercy Corps has helped here.

Follow their current projects on their blog here.

Mercy Corps glabal headquarters is in Portland OR (a homey!):



Follow and/or contribute to their effort on behalf of Haiti here.

Subscribe to Mercy Corps YouTube Channel here.

Follow Mercy Corps on Twitter

Become a fan of Mercy Corps on Facebook

Check out the Mercy Corps photostream on flickr

The next days and weeks will be critical for efforts to forestall disease and despair from taking hold in Haiti and causing an even more catastrophic death toll. Please click on the banner heading this post and consider donating to Mercy Corps Haiti Earthquake Fund to help survivors continue to survive and ultimately thrive.