Help for Haiti

By Miguel Gomez

The earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, caused devastating damage and cost thousands of lives in and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince. Our heartfelt condolences are with those feeling the repercussions of the this tragedy around the world, including members of our own AIDS.gov team.

The U.S. Federal Government has joined people and organizations around the world to respond promptly in the relief and recovery efforts, sending supplies, funds, people, and sharing information widely on and offline. Like many other agencies, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has deployed personnel to Haiti. As President Obama said in his State of the Union address last night, "over 10,000 Americans are working with many nations to help the people of Haiti recover and rebuild." To stay informed about the U.S. government relief efforts in Haiti, check out the White House blog updates or the HHS Haiti Relief and Support Activities website and blog.

Haiti is the Caribbean country most affected by HIV/AIDS. In the wake of this disaster, getting long-term support as well as immediate assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS is critical. Check out POZ Magazine's update on how the AIDS community has mobilized to help Haiti, and you can also read about how Federally funded HIV/AIDS supply-chain networks have taken a role in getting other types of medical supplies distributed. For updates on the response from the international HIV/AIDS community, follow tweets from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief .

Technology has not only helped keep people informed about what is going on on the ground, it has also helped people locate missing loved ones , put out a SOS via text if they were trapped under the rubble, get communication lines back open through cellular networks, and map the most affected areas to help first responders target in on priority areas. To learn more about these and other ways people are using technology to assist in relief efforts, you can read the a recent article on the subject .

And, as we mentioned last week, two texting campaigns the Red Cross and the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund are helping to raise donations for Haiti. You can text "HAITI" to 90999 and make a $10 donation to support the American Red Cross Haiti relief efforts , or can text the word "QUAKE" to 20222 to donate $10 to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund , charged to your cell phone bill.

For more ways to help, you can visit the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund .