I
live in Vancouver, and sometimes take the bus to work through an area
known as the Downtown Eastside -- what's called "the poorest postal code
in North America." Not a lot of people with a lot of money ride that
bus. So imagine my surprise this week, hearing passengers talk about how they want to send money to Haiti, devastated by an earthquake Jan. 12. "I owe Visa a whack of money," said a middle-aged woman, dressed in a slightly dirty coat, missing a button. "But I'm gonna put a donation to Haiti on my credit card. They could use the money."
An older man across the aisle joined in, saying he had a collection agency tracking him down, but he was putting a cheque for $25 in the mail to help people in Haiti.
A third passenger said he planned to collect bottles and donate the money to the Red Cross, earmarked for Haitian aid.
These are people with very little money figuring out how to help others far worse off than themselves. It says a lot about the spirit of our country. Yes, our household debt hit a record high last year -- for every $100 of income, Canadians now owe $145 in debt.
And yet, people are opening their wallets to lend a hand to Haiti. The Red Cross says Canadians have donated almost $36 million and made another $8 million in pledges. Other charities are reporting big donations, too. World Vision says aid is coming in faster than during the 2004 tsunami. So far, it has raised more than $5 million. Oxfam, Care Canada and Save the Children are raising millions, too. There's no overall figure available, but other charities receiving donations include Medecins Sans Frontieres Canada, UNICEF and Plan Canada.
Tonight, Marketplace, the program I regularly co-host on CBC Television, will be pre-empted: CBC Television, CTV and Global Television are collaborating to produce Canada For Haiti, a one-hour, commercial-free special featuring a star-studded lineup of Canadian talent. Also broadcasting tonight is the U.S. telethon Hope For Haiti Now, hosted by George Clooney.
Programming begins tonight at 7 local ET/CT/PT, 8 local AT/MT and 8:30 local NT.
Donations accepted during the broadcast will benefit a coalition of Canadian NGOs, including Canadian Red Cross Society, Care Canada, Free the Children, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, Plan Canada, Save the Children Canada, UNICEF Canada and World Vision Canada.
I hope you'll tune in, and donate if you can. Who knows? Maybe next week on the bus you'll be talking about what you did to help.
Keep your money. France owes Haiti and Haitians a lot of money since they Haitians have to pay for their freedom. That was back in 1825, under Napoleon. They have finished paying in 1946 or 56.
While I greatly admire those who can afford little and yet find ways to contribute, I have misgivings about some of this. The lady who already "owes Visa a whack of money" shouldn't be digging herself in even deeper (at VISA's exorbitant interest rates)even for a cause as worthy as this. Likewise the guy being chased by collection agencies. Maybe volunteering time and effort instead of money would be a better choice for people in such dire financial circumstances themselves.
There were literally hundreds of charities on the ground in Haiti before the Quake hit, so your claim that the Salvation Army were there first is a bit of an overstatement.
Hmmm... no mention of The Salvation Army, even tho they're already stationed there and were the first ones on the scene...
I live on less than $850 per month and will soon be on OAS plus the GIS and will feel rich: so, I have given about $100 to MSF and the Haiti Relief,recommended by OCA.
Unfortunately,VISA and RBC collect much more than that on a yearly basis from me ith their fees.
It is amazing what people will do when other counties are in need. Some times it is the people we are concidered the less fortunate in our own counrty show us they have the biggest hearts.