Update: I’ve changed the date and time on this post so it will stay at the top of my blog through December 31. As of 12:00 noon PST on Wed 29-Dec, more than $2.25 million has been donated to the relief fund through Amazon.com alone. That is an amazing thing. Thanks to everyone who has done so.
Further update: As of noon on Thursday 30-Dec, more than $4.25 million has been donated through the Amazon.com link alone.
I can’t even begin to fathom the scope of the tragedy in South Asia. I do know that we can all help by sending some money to the relief effort. I got a few checks for Christmas that I was thinking of spending on some new toys. The toys can wait.
One very easy way to donate is via Amazon.com. The link below allows you to make a direct donation to the American Red Cross. Amazon takes absolutely nothing, and I get no compensation either.
[Update: Amazon link removed as it's no longer live.]
If you’d prefer to donate directly, I’ve posted a list of reputable organizations in the extended portion of this post.
Look, we Americans are the richest nation on earth. The CEOs of Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch this week received year-end bonuses that add up to more than this country has so far pledged to the relief effort in South Asia. If by any chance those two gentlemen are reading this blog, it would be nice for them to kick in a few millions. If you were lucky enough to get a year-end bonus, this would be a great place to share it. Meanwhile, I’ll do what I can with what I have, and I ask you to join me.
Donations: Agencies Accepting Aid Dollars
ACTION AGAINST HUNGER 247 West 37th Street, Suite 1201 New York, N.Y. 10018 212-967-7800 x108 www.actionagainsthunger.org AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE 45 West 36th Street, 10th Floor New York, N.Y. 10018 800-889-7146 www.ajws.org AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE South Asia Tsunami Relief Box 321 847A Second Avenue New York, N.Y. 10017 212-687-6200 ext. 851 www.jdc.org AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE AFSC Crisis Fund 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, Pa. 19102 215-241-7000 www.afsc.org AMERICAN RED CROSS International Response Fund P.O. Box 37243 Washington, D.C. 20013 800-HELP NOW www.redcross.org CARE 151 Ellis Street Atlanta, GA 30303 800-521-CARE www.care.org CATHOLIC RELIEF SERVICES Tsunami Emergency P.O. Box 17090 Baltimore, Md. 21203-7090 800-736-3467 www.catholicrelief.org DIRECT RELIEF INTERNATIONAL 27 South La Patera Lane Santa Barbara, Calif. 93117 805-964-4767 www.directrelief.org DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS P.O. Box 1856 Merrifield, Va. 22116-8056 888-392-0392 www.doctorswithoutborders.org EPISCOPAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT Emergency Fund P. O. Box 12043 Newark, NJ 07101 800-334-7626 www.er-d.org INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS/RED CRESCENT www.ifrc.org INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS Earthquake/Tsunami Relief 1919 Santa Monica Boulevard, Suite 300 Santa Monica, Calif. 90404 800-481-4462 www.imcworldwide.org INTERNATIONAL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHARITIES Asia Disaster Response P.O. Box 630225 Baltimore, MD 21263-0225 877-803-4622 www.iocc.org ISLAMIC RELIEF USA Southeast Asia Earthquake Emergency P.O. Box 6098 Burbank, Calif. 91510 888-479-4968 www.irw.org/asiaquake MERCY CORPS Southeast Asia Earthquake Response Dept. W P.O. Box 2669 Portland, Ore. 97208 800-852-2100 www.mercycorps.org OPERATION USA 8320 Melrose Avenue, Suite 200 Los Angles, Calif. 90069 800-678-7255 www.opusa.org OXFAM AMERICA Donor Services Department 26 West Street Boston, MA 12111-1206 800-77-OXFAM www.oxfamamerica.org SAVE THE CHILDREN Asia Earthquake/Tidal Wave Relief Fund 54 Wilton Road Westport, Conn. 06880 800-728-3843 www.savethechildren.org UNICEF General Emergency Fund 333 E. 38th Street New York, NY 10016 800-4-UNICEF www.unicef.org