Red Cross Relief Efforts in Haiti

The Situation

On Tuesday, January 12, a 7.3 earthquake struck Haiti near the capital of Port au Prince, causing catastrophic damage and loss of life.

Read the One Month Progress Report for Haiti Disaster Relief.

The American Red Cross is working hard on long-term plans to help the people of Haiti recover from the earthquake and prepare for the upcoming rainy and hurricane seasons, even as emergency relief is expected to continue for several more months.

  • While these recovery plans are being developed and put into place, the Red Cross continues to meet the immediate needs of 80,000 families in Port-au-Prince with basic relief supplies and food, and our emergency support will extend through June.
  • As early as next week the American Red Cross intends to make a multimillion dollar commitment to address emergency and transitional shelters, which are among Haiti’s most pressing needs.

The Red Cross is already well on its way to providing emergency shelter supplies – tents, tarps and tools – for 400,000 people, which is one-third of the people estimated to need shelter. It is our priority to distribute all of these supplies before the rainy season officially begins on April 1, knowing the weather will cause significant hardship for those trying to recover from the earthquake.

  • The Red Cross also plans to provide transitional shelters for 50,000 of the most vulnerable people. However, land issues may prevent us from moving as quickly as we would like.
  • In coming months and years, the American Red Cross will work with partners to rebuild the many different services which communities require to function, including establishing water and sanitation systems, health programs, and sustainable livelihoods.

The Red Cross has helped nearly 1.9 million Haitians since the January 12 earthquake, and we expect to support hundreds of thousands of additional survivors in the years ahead until the last donated dollar is spent.

  • In just under two months, the American Red Cross has spent or allocated $82 million in the areas of food and water, shelter, and health and family services. Two-thirds of the money spent or allocated is for food and water; 22 percent is for shelter, and 10 percent is for health and family services.

To get the latest news as it comes out, visit the Disaster Newsroom.
To see the latest photos of Red Cross relief efforts on the ground, click here.

Donate Any of the Following Ways

The American Red Cross has already released $10 million for relief efforts in Haiti and are certain we will certainly add more. Future allocations will be made once we know more about the situation on the ground in Haiti and the greatest needs in both the short term and in the long term.

You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent.

  • DONATE ONLINE by clicking here.
  • TEXT "HAITI" to "90999" and a $10 donation will be given to Red Cross relief efforts
  • CALL 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish)
  • MAIL TO the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013


Giving Blood

The American Red Cross is meeting the needs of this tragedy through current supplies. At this time we do not anticipate the need for a special donor appeal to support our efforts. As always, blood donors are encouraged to call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit us online at www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.


How You Can Help

If you are communicating by email or in another format, feel free to use the language and photo above. If you are active in a social networking site like Facebook or Twitter, you can copy/paste these messages or text them:

  • If you are concerned about a U.S. citizen living or traveling in another country, you may call the U.S. Department of State at 1-888-407-4747 for assistance.
  • The Int'l Red Cross has a website for ppl in Haiti & abroad to search for/register names of family missing since quake. http://ow.ly/Wo6S
  • RT @RedCrossGGR Help the people of Haiti. Give $10 to the American Red Cross by texting HAITI to 90999. #haiti
  • Help the people of Haiti recover. Give to the American Red Cross International Response Fund at http://tinyurl.com/arcirf #haiti
  • To host @RedCrossGGR fundraising effort in your home/business for #Haiti, visit http://redcrossggr.org.
  • @RedCrossGGR can't accept food/supplies/etc. FUND needed items by giving to the Red Cross http://tinyurl.com/arcirf #haiti

You can also post a web banner on your website or blog. To download a web banner, click here.

To download TV and radio PSAs, click here.


Contacting Loved Ones

We know that people in the United States may be very concerned about loved ones living or traveling in Haiti.

  • Telephone, Internet and other communication lines are often disrupted in times of disaster.
  • The International Committee of the Red Cross has also established a family linking Web site, enabling persons in Haiti and abroad to search for and register the names of relatives missing since the earthquake. www.icrc.org/familylinks
  • If you’re trying to reach a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti, you should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 1-888-407-4747.
  • The State Department has also constructed a website for all nationalities to use. You may visit their website by clicking here.
  • For more information and instructions on how to use Family Linking, click here.