January 14, 2010. After the pope’s appeal to Catholics around the world to step up and help the victims of the earthquake in Haiti, a number of Catholic organization are making their way to the island.


Caritas Internationalis is already providing first aid like water, food and shelter in the destruction zone. The charity also sent in a team of experts to evaluate how to best manage incoming aid.

One of its volunteers on the ground reports that hospitals are full of dead and wounded victims, and reported there’s a high risk for the spread of disease.

Caritas is asking for donations on it’s website caritas.org. People can donate using credit cards or cell phones.

Catholic Relief Services, the American arm of Caritas, has also made its way to the island. CRS has put aside nearly 5 million dollars towards emergency services.

CRS has had presence on the island for more than 55 and has about 340 permanent employees in the area. Of these 120 were living in Port au Prince, the city with the most damage after the quake.

Despite extensive damage to transportation routes, supplies like hygiene kits, mosquito nets and tablets to treat drinking water are making their way to the island from as far away as Santo Domingo and Miami.

CRS.org is also taking donations people can send their monetary contributions through a transfer, check, credit card or through cell phones.

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