Haiti: Taxpayers can write off relief donations this year
U.S. taxpayers will be able to write off charitable donations to Haiti earthquake relief efforts when they file their 2009 taxes this spring, under a bill that received final congressional approval Thursday and was later signed into law by President Barack Obama, who enlisted former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton to help raise money for quake victims.
Before this law was enacted, donors would have to wait until they file their 2010 returns next year to take the deductions. Donations made by the end of February can now be deducted from 2009 returns. Click here for more information on donations to Haiti relief on the Internal Revenue Service web site.
Lawmakers hope the accelerated tax break will encourage more donations. U.S. residents have already donated millions, with the American Red Cross collecting more than $127 million since the Jan. 12 quake, which reportedly killed an estimated 200,000 people, left 250,000 injured and made 1.5 million homeless. A powerful aftershock caused even more damage.
How to help
According to the Independent Sector, the best way to help is through cash or credit card donations to organizations with a long track record in this kind of work. IS urges donors to choose organizations carefully, since recent disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami produced scams that benefited only the dishonest people behind them, not those in need.
The Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, GuideStar, and Network for Good are resources to cross check whether an organization has the expertise and competence to help the people in Haiti at this time. Click here for a regularly updated list of nonprofits and foundations with expertise and experience in disaster relief that are already working in Haiti.
Hawaii People’s Fund has provided links to articles addressing the dire needs of earthquake survivors “with care, caution, immediate sensitivity; with an eye to root causes, working with those already on the ground, and incorporating planning for long-term need:”
- To Rebuild, Put Haitians in the Lead, audio from National Public Radio
Frequently-asked questions about Haiti relief
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships has received many inquiries on the ongoing situation in Haiti and has compiled information on how nonprofits can assist with the disaster in Haiti:
Locating Family Members – The State Department Operations Center has set up the following number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti, (888) 407-4747.
Monetary Donations – 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. Or you can go online to identify some relief organization accepting donations for the disaster relief efforts. Monetary donations are the most effective form of assistance because they allow humanitarian organizations to purchase – often within the affected region itself – the exact type and quantity of items needed by those affected by the crisis. Read about the advantages of monetary donations
Commodity Contributions – While monetary donations are preferred to commodity contributions, there may be rare instances when a commodity contribution would be of value to relief operations.
- See a list of conditions which are necessary to ensure that a commodity contribution is appropriate.
- If a commodity collection has already been made, but there are problems identifying a need in the affected region for the commodities or an organization to accept them, read about some alternate ideas.
Volunteering – Volunteer opportunities in disaster settings are extremely rare, and are usually limited to people with prior disaster experience and technical skills, such as health, engineering, etc. To register your skills and experience for a possible volunteer opportunity, go to the Center for International Disaster Information's registration page. For opportunities to volunteer overseas in non-disaster settings, visit Serve.gov. Or read about Volunteers for Prosperity, a volunteer program managed by USAID.
Stay Updated – As more information becomes available on the best ways to help in Haiti going forward, the center will distribute it through its listserv for faith and community-based organizations. You can sign up for weekly email updates to receive future updates on Haiti response and U.S. health and human services information relevant to community and faith based groups.
