Here is a list of local and national groups that will channel your gifts appropriately.
Relief groups warn that collecting supplies on your own may not be helpful for a nation without the means to distribute them. People who want to volunteer should have previous disaster or international experience or technical skills and should work through a relief organization.
The American Red Cross is taking donations in a number of ways. You can send a $10 donation by texting 'Haiti' to 90999. Donations can be sent to the International Response Fund through www.redcross.org or by calling (800) 733-2767.
InterAction, a coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernment organizations, has a list of agencies and how to donate to them listed at www.interaction.org/crisis-list/earthquake-haiti.
U.S. Fund for UNICEF, www.unicefusa.org/haitiquake or (800) 486-4233.
Hearts With Haiti, www.heartswithhaiti.org, with offices at West Raleigh Presbyterian Church, supports three children's homes. One of its homes, St. Joseph's, was destroyed in the earthquake.
Family Health Ministries, www.familyhm.org, run by a Durham OB/GYN and his wife, a nurse practitioner, works to improve health, nutrition and education in Haiti.
Hearts and Hands for Haiti, www.heartsandhandsforhaiti.org, run by Stan Wiebe in Raleigh. Wiebe was in Port-au-Prince when the earthquake erupted.
Haiti Fund Inc., www.haitifundinc.org, works with farmers to improve growing practices.
The Haiti Connection, www.thehaiticonnection.org, is a Raleigh-based organization that builds coalitions for educational, medical and spiritual projects.
Hope for Haiti, www.hopeforhaitifoundation.com, is based in Raleigh and supports schools and medical clinics.
Horne Memorial Methodist Church in Clayton has volunteers in Haiti. They are collecting medical supplies and other items. Donations need to be received by this morning. For more information, e-mail jlee@walthomgroup.com.
Amurt, an international relief organization, is on the ground in Haiti. Donations can be made through www.amurt.net.
The Catholic Diocese of Charlotte is collecting donations. Checks may be sent to Haiti Disaster Relief, Catholic Diocese of Charlotte, 1123 South Church Street, Charlotte, NC 28203-4003.
Presbyterian Church USA takes contributions at www.pcusa.org/pda.
The N.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church accepts donations at any United Methodist Church or at www.new.gbgm-umc.org/umco.
Islamic Relief USA is planning to ship $1 million of supplies to Haiti. Go to www.IslamicReliefUSA.org or call (888) 479-4968.
The Raleigh-Cary Jewish Federation is directing donations to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, www.jdc.org, and the American Jewish World Service, www.ajws.org.
C3 Church in Clayton will collect donations by partnering with Samaritan's Purse, Love A Child Inc., Hand of Hope, Marthafry.com and Mattfry.com. Medical supplies can be donated at the church.
