Using Credit Card Rewards Points to Donate to Haiti Relief Efforts

It was announced in mid-January that the nation’s largest credit card networks–Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, would waive fees for some contributions that were being made to aid Haiti relief efforts, after taking a heap of criticism for charging up to 3% of charitable donations for transaction fees. This is only the second time that credit card companies have waived fees made from charitable contributions, which companies rake in as much as $250 million dollars annually from; the first time they waived these fees was after the tsunami in 2004.

Now that the major credit card companies have waived their (in my humble opinion, devastating and ill-willed) fees aimed at charitable contributions, many companies have also set up processes in which cardholders can redeem their rewards points to make donations to aid Haiti relief efforts.

• American Express has set up a website, GivingExpress Online, which lists a number of great charities and allows cardholders already enrolled in their Membership Rewards program to donate to any of the charities listed on the website by using their Membership Rewards points. American Express has also announced a donation of $250,000 to assist several different charities dedicated to the relief efforts in Haiti, including the American Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, International Rescue Committee and the United Nations’ Friends of the World Food Program. They are also matching employee donations for relief efforts.

• Capital One launched their No Hassle Giving Site in 2008. This website allows cardholders to donate rewards to more than 1.2 million United States charities. Since the devastating earthquake hit Haiti in early January, the No Hassle Giving Site has listed about a handful of worthwhile charities dedicated to Haitian relief efforts. Cardholders have the option to set up charitable donations online as either a one-time only donation or a reoccuring donation; cardholders will also earn rewards on their donation transaction. A Capital One spokeswoman has also declared that donations made to the relief efforts in Haiti are tax deductible and donors could obtain a detailed donation history and summary of taxable donations for their records.

• Chase cardholders who hold either Chase Freedom, Sapphire and/or Ink can redeem and donate their Ultimate Rewards points to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Donations can be made starting at $25 for 2,500 points and then in $25 increments beyond that. There is no limit to the amount of points you can redeem to donate to Haiti, as long as it is up to your points balance.

• Citibank has enabled cardholders to redeem their ThankYou Network loyalty points to make donations to the American Red Cross and the ARC Disaster Relief Fund before the earthquake hit Haiti. Since the earthquake, donations have been reported to increase to 20 times the normal number they will pulling in. On January 20th Citibank added a Haiti-specific donation option which benefits the American Red Cross International Response Fund and since then, there has been a nearly 100 times increase in the daily redemption rate of loyalty points. You may redeem your ThankYou Network loyalty points in denominations of $50 and $100 to benefit the American Red Cross International Response Fund. You can also call the ThankYou Network service center to redeem your points for a donation by calling 800-842-6596.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

Haiti Emergency Relief Milk Program Update–Red Cross Advises Against Breast Milk Donations

Earlier this month, as all of the different information on relief efforts and how people could lend a helping hand to the people of Haiti after the devastating earthquake that has left millions of people dead, homeless and in desperate need of resources, we published a post on how nursing mothers could donate breast milk to Haiti to benefit Haitian babies in need of a food source.

Information on how to donate your breast milk to babies in need in Haiti came to light after a press release was put out by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America. The International Breast Milk Project soon after launched the Haiti Emergency Relief Milk Program, who said that they would be helping to cover hosts for the Human Milk Banking Association of North America to collect, process and ship breast milk that had been donated to Haiti. While the International Breast Milk Project does have several updates on their website from up to January 28th reporting that donated breast milk has arrived in Port-au-Prince and awaiting pick up, the Red Cross has recently released a statement saying that they are 100% sure that they did not ask for breast milk donations and have asked women to stop sending it.

The Emergency Nutrition Network and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance have asked the Human Milk Banking Association of North America to retract their press release, saying that breast milk donations to Haiti present an “unfeasible and unsafe intervention.” In fact, milk that had arrived in Port-au-Prince as part of the International Breast Milk Project’s efforts, has remained unused because of concerns raised by the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance and other agencies. It has also been stated that nursing mothers donating breast milk with the intentions of it being sent to Haiti, while done with the best intentions of helping to provide emergency relief, has stemmed from quite a bit of confusion when the milk banking group, as well as several associations, bloggers and heavy-hitting media released information saying that their milk was in great need, while it turns out that there never was a need for donated milk.

Across the board, every major relief organization agrees that the best way to help Haiti’s struggles at this time, as well as the best way to help any relief efforts, is to donate money so that non-profit organizations and others helping to aid Haiti are able to continue their efforts. If you are interested in donating money to the relief efforts in Haiti, check out our list of worthwhile charities working towards relief in Haiti.

If you are a nursing mother and would like to donate breast milk to help babies in need in the United States, the International Breast Milk Project has stated that they, along with the Human Milk Banking Association of North America does collect milk to help critically ill babies in neonatal intensive care units, as well as babies that cannot tolerate formula. You can contact the Human Milk Banking Association of North America on their website or by calling 1-866-998-4550 for further information and the donation process.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

Medical Supplies are Still in Demand in Haiti

It has been more than two weeks since the disastrous earthquake hit Haiti, leaving countless dead and the rest of its population living in tent cities and fighting for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. We have heard quite a bit about Haiti over these past weeks–about what the earthquake really meant to the Haitian people, how, where and what to donate and we have seen most of our favorite celebrities speaking out and raising awareness of the amount of help Haiti needs. It is easy to tune the Haiti-talk out, especially after hearing about it so much day-to-day.While it’s easy for us to forget about Haiti, they certainly have not forgotten what happened there. They have not forgotten about the amount of help they need–and fast.

I was recently made aware of continual relief efforts by Marcy Sasso, the Director of Operations of the Ambulatory Surgical Center, which she stated that the Ambulatory Surgical Center is working with The United Way, Inspire Haiti and The Red Cross to collect all types of medical supplies to be sent to help the relief efforts in Haiti. The following medical supplies are very much needed by the people of Haiti, so if you are in the medical profession or know someone who is, please pass this information along; regardless whether you can donate a case or a box or fifteen boxes of supplies, please help in this major relief effort.

Medical supplies needed:

• boxes of gloves (regular and latex free)
• IV solutions and supplies
• oxygen masks
• blood pressure cuffs
• sterile water and saline oxygen tubing, elderly care supplies
• Band-Aids
• hand sanitizers
• anti-fungal creams
• glucometers
• alcohol wipes
• Tums and antacids
• sanitary napkins, menstrual products
• Neosporin
• cotton drapes/gauze, First Aid supplies
• Aspirin, pain relievers, unopened sample medications
• walkers, crutches, wheelchairs. canes, walker boots
• medical soap
• insulin syringes
• sheets, towels
• stethoscopes

Please drop off any supplies to the Ambulatory Surgical Center located at 950 W. Chestnut Street, Union, NJ 07083. If you have any additional questions or concerns, you may call 908.688.2700.

Also note, if you are unable to drop off your supplies, Integrated Health will pick them up. Please call the number above to set up a time for your supplies to be picked up.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

Donate Your Breast Milk–Haiti Emergency Relief Milk Program

While most of the information you will find concerning the need for relief efforts in Haiti following the tragic earthquake that hit Tuesday will be about the many, many charities you can donate to who are in need of emergency funds in order to provide the people of Haiti clean drinking water, food, blankets, temporary shelter and other supplies, I have just learned that you can also donate something else to the people of Haiti; something that will undoubtedly save countless children’s lives and something relatively easy to donate, especially if you, like myself, have a very low number coming up in your bank account. Breast milk–that’s right, you are able to donate your breast milk to Haitian babies in need; that is, if you can keep up with your child’s needs, of course.

Children are the most vulnerable during emergencies. Due to malnutrition and respiratory illnesses that are common and rampant among children after an emergency situation, particularly in the days, weeks and months following a natural disaster, child mortality can soar from 2-70 times higher than average. In addition to ensuring that a baby in Haiti has a food source when other sources may not be available for them, breast milk can also be used to wash with and treat scrapes and other small wounds, which will go such a long way in Haiti, where hospitals have been demolished and doctors, nurses, volunteers and caregivers are waiting on relief and aid when it comes to all sorts of medical supplies that they are in desperate need of.

The World Health Organization/United Nations Children’s Fund had this to say about breast milk in emergency situations:

“Where it is not possible for the biological mother to breastfeed, the first alternative, if available, should be the use of human breast milk from other sources. Human milk banks should be made available in appropriate situations.”

To donate your breast milk, contact the Human Milk Banking Association of North America by calling 1-866-998-4550 for further information on how to get your breast milk to children in need. You can also check milk banks and medical centers that accept breast milk donations all across the country, as well as in British Columbia, Canada here. Because of the conditions in Haiti, the International Breast Milk Project has reported that breast milk donations may be difficult to make it to and be sustained in Haiti and if your donation is not possible, your breast milk will be used in the United States for babies in the NICU and cases where it is medically needed so either way, your breast milk donation will be saving and sustaining lives.

Woman Tribune has been reporting on the relief efforts, current conditions, ways to donate and how people around the world are uniting to help Haiti in a time of serious and desperate need. We will continue reporting as information becomes available, so please consider following our reporting on Haiti to stay up to date on what is happening there.

Bloggers Unite for Haiti

As surrounding nations and aid organizations around the world come together in an effort to help aid Haiti after the tragic, deadly 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit the nation on Tuesday, Bloggers Unite are asking bloggers to help raise awareness of what is going on in Haiti as more information become available and what people around the world can do to help.

If you have not already, join Bloggers Unite for Haiti and write just one post on your blog in an effort to raise awareness of the situation there; it can be about current conditions in Haiti, how to donate money, supplies, or volunteer to the ongoing disaster relief efforts. This global blogging event is taking place on January 19th, but they are accepting links to blog posts now and will continue to do so as more information becomes available.

For a list of charities in desperate need of relief funds to aid Haiti, check out our list of worthwhile charities doing amazing work.

Celebrities Giving Back: Helping Haiti

In the wake up the tragic earthquake that has left hundreds of thousands of people in Haiti dead and many more on the streets of Haiti in desperate need of life-saving aid, celebrities have stepped up to the plate in order to help the people of Haiti and also help spread the word about aid relief. If you’re want to know what you can do, we have already compiled a tidy list of worthwhile charities you can check out, all of whom are doing everything in their power to provide the relief that is desperately needed.

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[Images via INF Daily]

Charities Dedicated to Helping Haitians in Need

In the wake of the tragic and deadly, 7.0-magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, people are banding together in order to help those in need who have survived, who are grieving the loss of their loved ones and who are trying to imagine their lives before the earthquake and wondering how they are going to pull through after. When any tragedy strikes, people are always coming forward and asking ‘How can I help?’ and while there are a great deal of generous, kind and giving people in the world, there are also people who prey on the generosity of others. There have already been several confirmed cases of scams and hoaxes that have lured people who want to help the people in Haiti into giving money to what they thought were charities, only to have their money stolen.

We are all devastated over the tragedy that has occurred in Haiti and it is important for us not to feel helpless during this time of great need. I have done much research on the legitimate charities that are out there and who are truly committed to helping the people of Haiti. If you are asking yourself, ‘How can I help?’ please look below for the number of different things you can do that will truly make a difference in the lives of the people of Haiti.

• Doctors Without Borders
  Doctors Without Borders have been working in Haiti for 19 years, most recently operating three emergency hospitals in Port-au-Prince. They have been successful in mobilizing a large emergency response to the disaster in Haiti and their immediate response in the first hours following the deadly earthquake was only possible because of the private unrestricted donations from around the world that have been dedicated to making the relief efforts of Doctors Without Borders possible. Doctors Without Borders will use your donations to ensure that their medical teams can react to the Haiti emergency and humanitarian crises all over the world, particularly in neglected crises that remain outside the media spotlight. Your donation to Doctors Without Borders is ensured to be earmarked from their Emergency Relief Fund.
  Donate to Doctors Without Borders

• UNICEF
  UNICEF believes that children are always the most vulnerable population in any natural disaster and they are committed to being there to provide aid to those children. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF is absorbing all associated administrative costs so that 100% of every dollar you donate to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will support their relief efforts for children in Haiti.
  Donate to UNICEF

• Mercy Corps
  Mercy Corps always distinguishes themselves as one of the first responders when an earthquake hits. They were on the ground in Peru in 2007, in China in 2008, in Indonesia in 2009 and they landed in Haiti as one of the first on the ground ready to help. As stated on their donation page, the next $250,000 in donations made to Mercy Corps for their Haiti Earthquake Fund will be matched by a generous donor.
  Donate to Mercy Corps

• American Red Cross
  From your mobile phone, regardless of your carrier or plan, text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross (U.S. State Department) or text YELE to 501501 to donate $5 to Yele Haiti, the foundation started by Wyclef Jean. Your donations to the American Red Cross will go immediately to the first responders on the ground in Haiti and will be sorely needed.

• Oxfam America
  Oxfam America has over three decades of experience in Haiti and they have rushed in teams from around the region to respond to their tragic earthquake where their assistance in most needed. Oxfam is providing clean water, shelter and sanitation to the people of Haiti. Your donations to Oxfam America will go immediately to the most critical needs in Haiti and is ensured that every penny will be used wisely.
  Donate to Oxfam America

As you sit down and watch the news every night over the past three nights, you have most likely heard of the amount of money that certain celebrities, businesses, organizations and also our government has donated to the relief efforts in Haiti; do not let this discourage you from donating what you can, as much or as little as you can afford to part with, because when such tremendous tragedy strikes, it takes the world to lean in and help when and where they are able.

A New Use for Your Old Holiday Cards

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children creates new chances, choices and hope for children and families who have been abused, abandoned and neglected. Their mission is to break the cycle of child abuse and have been fortunate enough to provide help and hope to children and families who need their services the most.

Over thirty years ago, St. Jude’s Ranch for Children thought up a great idea, the Recycled Card Program, as a way to thank their donors by turning the previous year’s holiday cards into new cards for the upcoming season. The children at St. Jude’s participate in making new cards by removing the front portion of the old cards and attaching a new back made of recycled paper. These cards are then sold with proceeds going back to the Ranch.

This is an awesome way not only to help a worthwhile cause, but also to get rid of the holiday cards you keep around because Miss. Manners says it’s the nice thing to do, regardless of the fact you’ll most likely never pull them out of storage again.

Donate Your Old Holiday Cards To…

St. Jude’s Ranch for Children
Recycled Card Program
100 St. Jude’s Street
Boulder City, NV 89005

J. Lo Cancels Her Appearance on Project Runway

Due to a foot injury, J. Lo has canceled her appearance on this season’s finale of the popular fashion reality show, Project Runway. Instead of J. Lo, the guest judge on the finale of the show to choose a winner for this season will be the show’s resident fashion guru and mentor, Tim Gunn.

While Jennifer Lopez will be absent on Project Runway, she will not miss the triathlon she has been training for for two months in order to raise money for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles.

Apparently sitting, watching a fashion show and some more sitting mixed with a little talking is too strenuous on Ms. Lopez’s foot injury but a triathlon sounds like a fab idea.

[Image via INF Daily]

The Sisterhood is Traveling to New Orleans

As part of a marketing campaign for The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, the cast is helping out Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans.

If you’re thinking, what on Earth does a movie about four friends and a magic pair of jeans have to do with Habitat for Humanity you will surely be surprised. Alexis Bledel stated in an interview, “They are recycling jeans and making these tubes for insulation that will help insulate the houses they are building down there.” See, get it? Magic jeans, using jeans for insulation. Yeah!

The sisterhood aren’t the only ones helping out with this amazing project; Cotton Inc., GUESS, and Warner Bros. Pictures are spreading the word about the Habitat project to people who are purchasing GUESS products and if you’re one of those people, you should also be aware of the fact that you also have the opportunity to help with the efforts in New Orleans simply by turning in old pairs of jeans you may have laying in back of your closet gathering dust. Not only that, but if you do turn in a pair (or multiple pairs) of your old jeans, you will receive a discount on your new purchases for every pair of jeans you turn in. Your old jeans will be reclaimed into cotton and turned into energy efficient insulation.

So get out there, buy some new pairs of fabulous jeans, bring in the old jeans you never wear anyway and get a discount on said fabulous jeans. It’s as simple as that!

Oh, and if your Gilmore Girls antennae goes up at the mention of Alexis Bledel and you’re like me and so many other Gilmore Girls fans, Alexis was also asked in the interview about a Gilmore Girls movie coming out to which she replied with she didn’t know and hadn’t heard anything. Come on Gilmore Girls cast, crew and writers, we want a real ending! Give us a movie and shut us up, please.

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