Law school creates relief fund for Haiti

JAN. 21, 2010 - The Charleston School of Law has created the Charleston School of Law Haiti Relief Fund to provide aid to Haiti after the devastating Jan. 12 earthquake in which tens of thousands of people died.

"The law school's mission is to teach the practice of law as a profession with its chief aim to give public service and use the law as a way to alleviate human suffering," Dean Andy Abrams said. "To further our mission, faculty, staff and students believe it is appropriate and necessary to provide a channel for aid through our new fund."

Abrams encouraged people to contribute, in part, so the school could receive matching charitable dollars. An anonymous donor has offered to match the first $1,000 raised collectively through the school's Haiti Relief Fund and through a special link to the Doctors Without Borders Web site.

How to give

• By check: Donors can contribute directly by writing a check to "Charleston School of Law Haiti Relief Fund."  Checks should be mailed to the Coastal Community Foundation, 90 Mary Street, Charleston, SC 29403.

• Online.  To give directly through the Internet to the Charleston School of Law Haiti Relief Fund, visit the Coastal Community Foundation's Web site.  Then follow these steps: Click on "Donate Now."  Then click on "Donate," which will lead to a page where you should check the box marked "Add a Designation."  Then be sure to type in "Charleston School of Law Haiti Relief Fund."  It is important for this designation to be added for donations to go into the fund.


• An online alternative is to give directly through the school to the Doctors Without Borders Web site by visiting this link.

Donations made to the Charleston School of Law Haiti Relief Fund will be distributed to organizations on the ground in Haiti, including Food for the Poor, Water Missions International and God's Littlest Angel Orphanage. More information on these organizations follows below.

The Charleston School of Law is thankful for the generous outpouring of support for these organizations and the country of Haiti. For information on the tax-deductible status of donations to the Charleston School of Law Haiti Relief Fund, please visit: www.coastalcommunityfoundation.org and http://www.irs.gov.

More about the Fund's relief organizations

Food for the Poor is the largest international relief organization in the United States and focuses on relief to 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Founded in 1982, Food For The Poor is an interdenominational ministry that not only provides food for the starving, but also builds small houses for the destitute, digs water wells for parched villagers, provides medicine and medical equipment for the sick and elderly, supports orphanages and education for children, and much more.

Since its inception, Food For The Poor has distributed more than 43,900 tractor-trailer loads of aid and has built more than 50,000 homes for the destitute. Total support received in 2008 was more than $1.5 billion, with fundraising and administrative costs comprising only 2.26% of expenses - the organization's lowest ratio ever. More than 96% of all donations received went directly to programs that benefit the poor.

In 2007, Forbes magazine rated Food For The Poor as having an efficiency level of 97% in charitable commitment and 98% in fundraising efficiency. In addition, Food For The Poor received the highest possible ratings from industry observers: four stars from Charity Navigator and five stars from Ministry Watch. Food For The Poor is also proud to meet the extensive standards of America's most experienced charity evaluator, the Better Business Bureau.

Water Missions International is a Charleston-based nonprofit organization that provides clean, safe water to people in developing countries and disaster areas through a variety of technologies.  Water Missions' goal is to provide sustainable access to safe water so that no person should perish for want of safe drinking water.

Clean water is the source of life and the foundation for health, education and viable economies. Through your generous support, Water Missions International is able to develop low-maintenance, self-sustaining water treatment systems for communities around the world that provide safe drinking water, wastewater management and storm water control.

Through community development programs, disaster relief efforts, advocacy, education and custom engineering solutions, Water Missions has been able to bring hope and relief to more than 1.5 million people around the globe, including the people of Haiti for several years.

God's Littlest Angels Orphanage is a Haitian orphanage located in the mountains above Pétion-Ville, close to the village of Fermathe. The majority of the children brought to the orphanage are between the ages of newborn and 7 years old. The orphanage also cares for older children, sibling groups, and children with special needs waiting for adoptive parents.

God's Littlest Angels has ministered to the children of Haiti since 1994 and has been involved in international adoptions since 1997. GLA is involved in several children's ministries in the local community. In the year 2000, GLA implemented a school sponsorship program for children unable to attend school due to the lack of funds. Today, more than 200 children attend school sponsored by people in North America and Europe.

• More information:  Aurore Victor.