Helping Haiti, South Beach Style

Sure we are a party town, but when need be, we put our parties to good use to raise money for a cause. This week, my inbox was jam-packed with email after email calling for help for Haiti. Every party promoter reached out to include a collection component in their events or sent instructions on how to donate directly to the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army or other organizations. Social media was also put to good use this week in helping Haiti. The outreach was incredible and technology took over.

Celebrities are also putting their money where there mouth is. I even received an email from Madonna calling for a contribution for Haiti through Partners in Health. She had already personally donated $250,000.

Wyclef Jean’s “Give on the Go” text-based campaign is set to raise $1 million in donations per day for earthquake survivors. “Give On The Go,” is a Miami-based fundraising division of Red Fish Media, one of the country’s leading mobile marketing and application providers. It raised more than $1 million in donations for Wyclef Jean’s “Yele Haiti” foundation after its first day of going live and is on track to raise in excess of $1 million a day as part of its grassroots text drive.

The company is providing the back-end SMS technology that enables mobile users to give an automatic $5 donation to the charity for those suffering from the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti on Tuesday. In conjunction with all major mobile carriers, users can text “Yele” to 501501 on their mobile device for a simple, one-step text-back confirmation on how to make the instant donation. This process is by far the easiest and most immediate way to donate, surpassing check and credit card donation methods. One hundred percent of the donations that are made are given directly to the charity

The “Give On The Go” campaign went live at 6 p.m. on January 12 and continues to receive thousands of dollars in donations. Users are billed for their donation through their own cell  phone bill as part of an easy, one-step transaction.

According to the Associated Press, up to 3 million people in the impoverished country may have been affected by the quake.

HOPE GAINER, President of Hope International (www.ehopeinternational.com) is a global imagemaker, marketer and branding expert with 30 years of lifestyle experience with a focus today on the luxury market.  She produces unique, upscale events around the world. Gainer is a founding member of the Florida Luxury Council and a contributor to several luxury magazines including Elite Traveler and Haute Living. She also represents spectacular trophy real estate properties worldwide as well as Miami where she is based.