Donations are pouring in from Nova Scotians of all ages to help victims of Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti, which destroyed much of its capital city and killed tens of thousands of people.

Students at Sir John A. Macdonald High School in Upper Tantallon on Friday gave a big donation, $3,000, to the Canadian Red Cross. The money was collected over two days.

“Well, it was just such a terrible disaster. But, at the same time, their country was in such an unfortunate state that they really needed this help,” Grade 11 student Chris Gordon said. “So, I think that’s what inspired a lot of people to give money.”

Nelson MacCormack, district community supervisor for the Canadian Red Cross in Cape Breton, said the response has been overwhelming.

"The response from the public here in Cape Breton has been excellent. People have a very generous heart in Cape Breton and we've been very busy," MacCormack said.

"We've had to call in quite a few volunteers to help out with donations and we've had to extend our hours as well."

The Red Cross office in Sydney was open until 7 p.m. Friday and will be open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday, as will Red Cross offices in Antigonish, Truro, Dartmouth, Kentville and Bridgewater.

The Red Cross is accepting donations online or over the phone at 1-800-418-1111.

And nine banks are accepting financial donations for the Red Cross from Jan. 15 to Feb.15.

They are:

  • BMO Financial Group.
  • Canadian Western Bank.
  • CIBC.
  • HSBC Bank Canada.
  • Laurentian Bank of Canada.
  • National Bank Financial Group.
  • RBC.
  • Scotiabank.
  • TD Canada Trust.

Donations to the Haitian relief effort can also be made at the Nova Scotia Liquor Commission's 106 retail stores around the province. Donation boxes will be available at all cash lanes until further notice.

The IWK Health Centre in Halifax and the Capital Health District are sending a truckload of emergency medical supplies to Haiti.

"Pretty routine medical things — masks, syringes, dressing and gauzes. They're being prepared now, and they'll be shipped by truck to Montreal [Saturday] and be part of a larger group of supplies," Capital District spokesman John Gillis said.

The supplies are worth $25,000.

Members of the school board and hospital locals of the Canadian Union of Public Employees gathered in Truro on Friday to try to reach a collective agreement with the provincial government also passed the hat to raise money for Haiti.

The 14 locals donated $4,050, which is being matched by CUPE Nova Scotia.

Another $1,000 was donated by the Nova Scotia Highway Workers Union, CUPE Local 1867.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the families of Canadians who perished in the earthquake, as well as those who are still awaiting word on loved ones who were in Haiti," Danny Cavanagh, CUPE Nova Scotia president, said.

He challenged every CUPE local in the province and all other unions to donate money.