Earthquake Devastates Haiti: How You Can Help

"Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed. There area lot of schools that have a lot of dead people in them. All of thehospitals are packed with people. It is a catastrophe. --Haiti president, Ren Prval

Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12. The epicenter was just ten miles from the capital of Port-au-Prince. The country now faces a "major humanitarian emergency," says Unitied Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon. Indeed, the Red Cross estimates that one-third of the nation's 9 million citizens may need aid and an official from Haiti's Red Cross told Reuters, "Our organization thinks between 45,000 and 50,000 people have died.

You will not be forsaken, you will not be forgotten, President Obama said, directing his remarks to the people of Haiti, In this, your hour of greatest need, America stands with you. He urged American's to visit www.whitehouse.gov, to find ways to donate money, adding, This is a time when we are reminded of the common humanity that we all share. CNN's Impact Your World website also has links to a number of agencies accepting donations for the relief effort. By texting "Haiti" to 9099, will donate $10 to the Red Cross earthquake relief program. You can view a photoessay compiled by the American Red Cross that gives a glimpse of the devastation, Haiti Earthquake Strikes.