Today’s USA Today takes a look at the pace of giving to Haiti earthquake relief charities. The paper reports that in the four months since the earthquake, Americans have generously given $1.3 billion! This figure is similar to the pace of donations after the Asian tsunami, but below the pace of giving in the wake of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina. Some speculate that the reason giving to Haiti isn’t greater is that the recession is having a dampening effect. I tend to agree, but I think there is probably more at play here. Could it be that people are worried that their donation may not have the desired impact because of the corruption that Haiti is notorious for? Is it that the desperation seems so great that some people think their small donation might not have an impact? Maybe the popularity of text donations resulted in smaller gifts to Haiti as compared to other disasters.
So, I’m curious to know. What made you decide to give or not give? And if you gave to Haiti and one of the previous disasters, did you give less, more or the same to Haiti?
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