Apple activates iTunes' Red Cross donation system for Philippine typhoon relief
Following Typhoon Haiyan's landfall and subsequent battering of the Philippines, Apple is now accepting donations via iTunes to help Red Cross efforts in the region.
As it has done before, Apple is helping streamline disaster relief donations to the American Red Cross via iTunes, this time for Typhoon Haiyan, which ripped through the Philippines last Friday.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the massive storm typhoon killed an estimated 10,000 people, with that tally expected to rise sharply as rescue efforts travel to more remote cities and villages. The US and UK are sending military naval vessels to render aid to the roughly 660,000 people displaced by the tropical cyclone.
Apple is advertising the effort on its homepage. Because the service is linked to iTunes, users can charge donations to credit cards on file simply by signing in and clicking the "Donate" button. Increments range from $5 up to $200.
The iTunes/Red Cross donation system was recently used in 2012 to help victims of Superstorm Sandy. Prior to that, the service was activated following the devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011, as well as for a series of earthquakes in Haiti.
Those interested in sending aid can visit Apple's website or click here.
As it has done before, Apple is helping streamline disaster relief donations to the American Red Cross via iTunes, this time for Typhoon Haiyan, which ripped through the Philippines last Friday.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the massive storm typhoon killed an estimated 10,000 people, with that tally expected to rise sharply as rescue efforts travel to more remote cities and villages. The US and UK are sending military naval vessels to render aid to the roughly 660,000 people displaced by the tropical cyclone.
Apple is advertising the effort on its homepage. Because the service is linked to iTunes, users can charge donations to credit cards on file simply by signing in and clicking the "Donate" button. Increments range from $5 up to $200.
The iTunes/Red Cross donation system was recently used in 2012 to help victims of Superstorm Sandy. Prior to that, the service was activated following the devastating earthquake and resulting tsunami that hit Japan in March 2011, as well as for a series of earthquakes in Haiti.
Those interested in sending aid can visit Apple's website or click here.
Comments
Is this US-only (for now)? On the Dutch store I get "Buying a charity gift is not supported in your country's store at this time."
I do seem to remember donating for one of the previous causes a few years ago.
Thank you Apple! Much appreciated!
Proof please.
Quote:
I already donated through UNICEF's website a few days ago, but good work from Apple and The Red Cross here!
Kudos to Apple for facilitating/making it easy for all of us to help in our own small (big) ways and to this publication for reporting.
If you're in Canada, I would suggest donating through UNICEF instead. Not only would it be tax deductible, but your donation will be TRIPLED due to both the federal government and Loblaws matching your donation. Your $$ will go much further.
www.unicef.ca
Do the research. The Red Cross charges people for their services is disaster areas. Donate to UNICEF.
Do the research. The Red Cross charges people for their services is disaster areas. Donate to UNICEF.
Donating to UNICEF is a great idea but if you are going to make outrageous claims, you should link to your research instead of telling people to do so on their own. As it turns out, what you claim, is patently false and stems from an mandate (by order of the US government) during the Korean war, that the Red Cross shall charge soldiers for off base coffee and donuts.
You sir, are the one who needs to do your research. I would begin here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Red_Cross
The Red Cross is not without their controversies but all of their disaster relief is free. They make a lot of money from blood products which are sold to hospitals, primarily in the US, but there is no charge for services such as food, water, sanitation, communication, transportation, medical treatment and a myriad of other services to disaster victims.
www.unicef.ca
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Thanks for the tip. I live in USA and was able to make a donation on this Canadian site.
If one is donating to the American Red Cross. What guarantees the money will go to the Philippines?
They don't do that anymore. You can select from a few different programs but the one that you would likely choose for the latest disaster is called "Where It Is Needed Most". In this case that is logically going to be the Philippines since that is where you'll find the greatest effort of Red Cross assistance and resources being deployed. The reason for the change is that there is a lot of overlap in their expenditures and many of their resources involve transportation, warehousing, logistics and communication which some people might not consider direct support for disaster victims. Furthermore it just costs too much in overhead to provide accounting transparency to every single donor. You just have to trust them.
Another issue is that they may actually receive more donations than they can spend on a disaster. This is something that got them in trouble in the 911 disaster because they could not spend all the money on the things that they do they such as emergency food, water medicine, temporary shelter, etc. So in the 911 case they started giving money to people who were simply displaced and inconvenienced since the funds were earmarked for that particular disaster. In the end they were not doing a thorough enough job on verifying that the displaced people were in actual financial need. So, long story longer, they now spend the money where it is needed most and not necessarily for the cause the money was donated.
Before you click send on that Donation to the Red Cross: In the Decade 2000 - 2010 - 4 Presidents of the Red Cross were forced to Resign in Shame. Haitii had over $12 Billion Donated Worldwide. Wonder how much of that got to Haitians:
http://www.wrmea.org/wrmea-archives/231-washington-report-archives-2000-2005/december-2001/3961-american-red-cross-president-bernadine-healy-resigns-amid-red-shield-of-david-controversy.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/14/politics/14redcross.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/27/AR2007112701307.html
http://www.ezilidanto.com/zili/2012/03/haiti-red-cross-misuse-quake-monies/
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/02/28/172875646/what-happened-to-the-aid-meant-to-rebuild-haiti
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/haiti/120110/haiti-earthquake-aid-rice
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/7/12/clinton_foundation_accused_of_sending_haiti
Average Red Cross Salary: $61,000 http://www.indeed.com/salary/Red-Cross.html