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On January 12, a massive earthquake in Haiti caused catastrophic damage to that nation and its people. This has prompted international leaders and aid organizations to urge the public to donate in the relief effort.  However, spammers are also sending out scam e-mails requesting donations to send to Haiti – and these messages are convincing!  You want to ensure your donations are being used to help people as you intended.

The best practice is to donate directly to charitable organizations that are properly registered and helping the cause. If a group is soliciting funds in Washington state, it must be registered with the Washington Secretary of State’s office. It only takes a few seconds to check online at http://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/search.aspx.

The White House website has additional information and guidance on donations to support Haiti, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/haitiearthquake. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a press release with information on identifying fraud and how to report if you are a victim of donation fraud. 

Faith Communities Disaster Preparedness Meeting and Web Page

Local faith organizations meet quarterly to discuss disaster planning for their organizations and for the community. The next meeting location, date, and time will be posted here when it is scheduled.  For more information, click here.

Health Care:  Public Forums

Several downtown Olympia Faith groups are sponsoring a series of public forums about health care beginning Tuesday, January 12th from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the First Christian Church on Seventh Avenue and Franklin Street.  For more information, click here.

H1N1 Influenza Updates and Information

Current, local information on H1N1 influenza (swine flu) is available at Thurston County Public Health's website at www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/personalhealth/influenza/index.html.  This site also includes links to the Centers for Disease Control and Washington State Department of Health influenza sites, which are updated regularly.

Homeland Security Advisory System

The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has a citizen preparedness website - Ready.gov.   You can also request a copy of Are You Ready? A Guide to Citizen Preparedness, a 101-page all-hazards preparedness book by calling 1-800-480-2520.

The American Red Cross provides recommendations for individuals, families, neighborhoods, schools and businesses that correspond to the color coded Homeland Security Advisory System.

For information about avian influenza and pandemic influenza, see www.pandemicflu.gov.  For information preparing for flu-related disruptions in the work force, see  It's Not Flu As Usual:  What Businesses Need to Know About Pandemic Flu Planning.   This publication was developed and distributed by the Trust for America's Health.  For more information, see www.healthyamericans.org.