Will Haiti Giving Break All Disaster Giving Records?

Americans are generous, especially in times of crisis. Let’s take a look back at several recent disasters to see just how generous we can be:

• 2001 9/11 – Over $2 billion



• 2004 Asian tsunami – Almost $2 billion



• 2005 Hurricane Katrina (also Rita and Wilma) - $6.47 billion

Now the question is will Haiti earthquake relief giving break all previous records for disaster related giving? Probably. Today, The Chronicle of Philanthropy is reporting that more than $73 million has been raised so far. Below are the latest fundraising figures from some of the largest charities responding to this disaster. Many of these charities have said that this level of giving is far greater than anything they’ve seen in the past.

• American Red Cross –$35 million; over $8 million of that came into the Red Cross via text donations
• AmeriCares – more than $1 million
• Catholic Relief Services - $2.5 million in online donations, plus $1 million by phone
• Doctors Without Borders - $1 million just from Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
• GlobalGiving - $270,000
• Lutheran World Relief - $375,000 in online donations
• Mercy Corps – more than $3.5 million of which $2.5 million via online donations
• Operation USA - $100,000
• Oxfam America - $4.5 million
• The Salvation Army - $1.65 million
• Save the Children – more than $1.3-million
• World Vision - $700,000 online, plus $100,000 from major donors and $100,000 from corporations

Also, one of the companies that processes online donations, Convio, is reporting that $60 million in donations for Haiti aid. As of this morning, the nonprofit Network for Good that also processes online donations (including on our site) reports that it has processed $1.5 million in donations to the Haiti earthquake relief effort. And the Business Civic Leadership Center says over $27 million in cash and supplies have been donated by 70 of the largest companies in America.



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