New media acts quickly for Haiti appeals

Fundraising globally for the earthquake victims in Haiti  has seen the biggest response to disaster appeals since the tsunami on 26 December 2004, but this time much of the activity has been internet or social media oriented, allowing campaigns to start taking donations much more quickly.

In the UK the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which represents 13 major aid agencies including Oxfam, British Red Cross, ActionAid, Islamic Relief and World Vision, had raised £50m by 25 January through a combination of broadcast, press and outdoor media appeals and with ‘tweets’ on Twitter and a Facebook page also directing donors to the DEC appeal online (www.dec.org.uk). A spokeswoman said it was not currently possible to break down how much had come through social media channels and how much through more traditional avenues. In comparison, the DEC’s Tsunami appeal in 2004 raised £390m.

The DEC has also had to warn potential donors to be aware of possible fraudulent appeal websites or fraudsters falsely using the name of genuine charities to make money.

One of the first appeals out was via SMS from the American Red Cross, just a few hours after the quake struck. Within days it had raised more than $137m, more than $21m of which came from SMS donations.

Philanthropy Today calculated that at 29 January, more than US$560m had been givein to 40 US non-profit groups raising money for the earthquake disaster.

American donors will also be able to claim tax relief in their 2009 tax returns, provided they make their donations to nonprofits fundraising for Haiti before 1 March. Normally they would have to make the claims in 2010. A similar allowance was made in 2005 for donations to the Tsunami relief efforts.
Other fundraising efforts have included a charity single put together by pop mogul Simon Cowell and including celebrities such as Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus, Rod Stewart, Michael Buble and Jon Bon Jovi. Money raised will be split between the DEC appeal and the Sun newspaper’s Helping Haiti appeal.
A two-hour telethon in the US – Hope for Haiti Now – hosted by Larry King raised more than $66m and featured such luminaries as Mick Jagger, Jennifer Lopez and P Diddy. The concert aired on more than 12 broadcast and cable networks and was seen by millions. Funds raised will go to the Red Cross, UNICEF, Oxfam America, Partners in Health and Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation.

Elsewhere in the world, 10.6m Euros were raised in the Netherlands before the country declared 21 January to be a national fundraising day for Haiti with all the Netherlands’ popular radio and tv stations broadcasting a 24-hour appeal. The day itself raised 83.4m Euros – half through direct fundraising and half matched by the Dutch government. A Hit for Haiti celebrity tennis match in Australia, organised by world number 1 Roger Federer raised 185,000 Australian dollars.

Perhaps the most amazing use of social media has been by seven-year-old Charlie Simpson in the UK. After hearing about the earthquake, Charlie decided he’d like to raise some money to help buy some tents and food, so he elected to cycle five kilometres around his local park in London with the ambition of raising £500. His efforts were tweeted around the world and groups set up on Facebook by well-wishers. So far he has beaten his target by 39,598 per cent and raised £197,989 – and counting!