SALT LAKE CITY — With its missionaries in Haiti all safe, the LDS Church is beginning its humanitarian-relief efforts in the wake of Tuesday's massive earthquake and Wednesday's aftershocks in the Caribbean island nation.
Within 24 hours of Tuesday's quake, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints joined forces with one of its major partners of late in providing humanitarian aid, Islamic Relief USA, the nation's largest Muslim relief organization.
Islamic Relief USA officials announced Wednesday they were flying $1 million of aid to Haiti in cooperation with the LDS Church.
Two planes, one departing from Denver as early as Thursday and another leaving from Miami later this week, each will transport to Haiti more than 80,000 pounds of food and emergency resources such as tents, tarps, water filtration bottles and medical supplies donated by the LDS Church, spokesman Scott Trotter said.
Transportation is being provided by Airline Ambassadors, and Food for the Poor will aid with distribution in Haiti.
"We are constantly assessing needs to determine how our resources can directly help the people of Haiti," said Nate Leishman, manager of the LDS Church's humanitarian emergency response efforts. "We are fully committed to this ongoing process and doing our best to help wherever we can."
The two air shipments are in addition to emergency supplies being sent by truck from the Dominican Republic. That shipment contains personal hygiene kits and supplies for newborns.
"We express our sympathy and prayers on behalf of the citizens of Haiti following the recent devastating earthquake," said Kim Farah, a spokeswoman for the LDS Church.
Donations for the LDS Church's relief efforts in Haiti can be made at give.lds.org/emergencyresponse. Donations to Islamic Relief USA's "Haiti Emergency" efforts can be made online at www.islamicreliefusa.org/donate-now.
Utahns eager to help those affected by the devastation in Haiti flooded the phone lines at offices of Utah's American Red Cross offices Wednesday. They offered everything from donations of money, clothing and food to requests to travel to Haiti in person to help with relief efforts.
Red Cross officials are asking people to carefully consider the best way they can help — which is most often a monetary donation or partnering with the Red Cross to raise money.
Susan Thomas, communications director for the Utah region, said a quick way for people on the move to donate is to send the text message "Haiti" to 90999 — which will automatically send a donation of $10 to the Red Cross. Texters will then be billed for the donation on their next cell phone bill.
Donations to the Red Cross International Response Fund — used for international relief work — can be made by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or online at www.utahredcross.org and clicking on the "donate" tab.
At this point, Thomas said, monetary donations "are the very best way" for Utahns to help those in Haiti or other areas who need emergency response. Groups or organizations who want to raise funds or organize fundraisers to help the Haitian relief effort are encouraged to call Neva Baker at 801-323-7003 to coordinate those efforts through the Red Cross, she said.
The American Red Cross has already sent $1 million for initial Haitian relief efforts, and the total may rise as relief workers already on the ground assess the situation and coordinate with other relief organizations, Thomas said.
Earlier Wednesday, the LDS Church reported all of its missionaries serving in Haiti were safe and accounted for. No North Americans were serving as full-time Mormon missionaries in Haiti at the time.
The LDS Church is continuing to account for its Haitian members in the aftermath of the deadly quake and had no reports available on members Wednesday.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has established a family linking Web site — www.icrc.org/familylinks — that enables people in Haiti and abroad to search for and register the names of relatives missing since the earthquake. Those who can't get word about a U.S. citizen living or traveling in Haiti can call the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens services, at 1-888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.
e-mail: taylor@desnews.com; carrie@desnews.com
How to help
Red Cross International Response Fund: 1-800-RED-CROSS or www.utahredcross .org. Donate $10 automatically via text message by sending the text message "Haiti" to 90999.
LDS Church's Humanitarian Services fund: give.lds .org/emergencyresponse or mail a check to Humanitarian Services, 50 E. North Temple St., Floor 7, Salt Lake City, UT 84150-6890.
International Rescue Committee: www.theirc.org/donate/donate-now-haiti or call 1-877-REFUGEE.
Catholic Relief Services: www.catholicrelief.org
Church World Service: (Relief ministry of 35 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican denominations of the National Council of Churches.) www .churchworldservice.org
Doctors Without Borders: (Has 800 medical staffers in Haiti and is working to re-establish an operating surgical center.) donate.doctors?withoutborders.org
Partners in Health: (A medical relief organization headquartered in the U.S. that has nine hospitals/clinics in Haiti.) www.pih.org/home .html
The Utah Division of Consumer Protection is advising residents to avoid scams preying on those wanting to help Haiti quake victims by not replying to unsolicited e-mail asking for donations, not clicking on links within unknown e-mails, being wary of people claiming to be officials asking for e-mail donations, opening e-mail attachments only from people you know and never giving out personal or financial information over the phone or through an e-mail that could result in identity theft.