In this animation created by Cognitive Media in partnership with the Gates Foundation, Bill Gates discusses the incredible lifesaving power of vaccines. In particular, he highlights the case of polio, which is 99 percent eradicated and within reach of being the second disease to ever be completely eliminated from the world.
On Saturday, February 27th an 8.8 earthquake hit just off the coast of Chile, killing over 700 people (to date) and causing tsunami warnings in over 50 countries near the Pacific ocean. And while the physical destruction is not nearly as significant as that seen in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake in January, millions of Chileans are homeless, confused, anxious and hungry. The following slides are a current list of the organizations working with or in Chile to restore order and normalcy. Click the picture(s) to go directly to the website.
Text Your Support for Chile: Donate to Chile through one of several organizations via the Mobile Giving Foundation.
• Text CHILE to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross
• Text CHILE to 23583 to donate $10 to Habitat for Humanity
• Text CHILE to 20222 to donate $10 to World Vision
• Text CHILE to 50555 to donate $10 to the Friends of World Food Program
• Text CHILE to 52000 to donate $10 to the Salvation Army
• Text REBUILD to 50555 to donate $10 to Operation USA
• Text 4CHILE to 50555 to donate $10 to Convoy of Hope
On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti, causing catastrophic damage inside and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince. President Obama has promised the people of Haiti that “you will not be forsaken; you will not be forgotten.” The United States Government has mobilized resources and manpower to aid in the relief effort. Here are some ways that you can get involved.
List of organizations active in Haiti
Wyclef Jean’s grassroots org
Text Yele to 501 501 to donate $5 via your cellphone
The U.S. State Department Operations Center said Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti should call 1-888-407-4747. Due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording. “Our embassy is still in the early stages of contacting American citizens through our Warden Network,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement. “Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time.”
For those interesting in helping immediately, simply text “HAITI” to “90999″ and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. You can also text “HAITI” to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Foundation. (More information)
On January 16, Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama met at the White House. A new organization has been established to help with the relief efforts in Haiti. To donate $10 to the Clinton-Bush Haiti Fund, text “QUAKE” to 20222. (More information)
UPS has donated $1 million dollars to Haiti. People are encouraged to take boxes of food 50lbs and under to your local UPS. They will ship the goods to Haiti free of charge.
The HuffPost reported that some credit card companies like American Express and Mastercard are waiving the fees normally charged to the organization to ensure that the full amount of your donation is given to the charity. Check with your credit card company for more information.
MSNBC and HuffingtonPost also have comprehensive lists of the charities.
Finally, the FBI urges people who are looking for ways to help with earthquake relief to be wary of solicitations that could be from scam artists. If you receive an e-mail you believe is a scam, please forward the e-mail to: http://www.ic3.gov.
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