{ the jaunty magpie }

One of the nice things about writing a blog is the fact that at the end of the day, you're beholden to no one over your content and you can just say whatever's on your mind. So I'll just say it like it is: just GIVE already. Everyone has seen the devastation in Haiti. No one needs to hear any more heartbreaking stories or see any more horrible photos of destruction to further convince us that people are in need. T-shirts saying, "I donated to Haiti relief," text message gimmicks, and celebrity-hosted telethons are nice and all, but at the end of the day, we all know what needs to be done, so whether it's $1 or $100, every donation counts, because the need is great. Don't underestimate what a few dollars can do, and don't be so worried about where the money is going to where the donation is never made. These organizations are well-established and have the infrastructure to handle the relief efforts:

The American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
UNICEF
Heifer International

If you can, enroll in a monthly small donation, if a charity offers it -- it can be as little as $7 a month, the price of a couple of skipped lattes. The destruction from Haiti's earthquake will not be resolved in five years, much less one. The ghosts of Katrina and Banda Aceh's devastation still walk, and this is a reminder that prolonged support efforts will be the most beneficial.

Every dollar counts. GIVE.