by Marianne Meyer
As the world watches in shock and concern for the people of Haiti, the entertainment community, including musicians, are looking for ways to help.
George Clooney has announced that next Friday (January 22), he will host a live telethon to benefit earthquake victims. According to first reports, the telethon is set to air on from 8-10 p.m. ET on all MTV channels worldwide, along with ABC, NBC, HBO, and CNN. Clooney first mentioned the event at a private reception for his film “Up in the Air,” adding that he was seeking friends and performers to join in from both coasts.
Meanwhile, the efforts of hip-hop star Wyclef Jean's “Yéle Haiti” charity, which asks donors to text “YELE” to 501501 for a $5 donation toward earthquake relief efforts (the donations are added to your cellphone bill) have raised over $1 million for the cause. Though some experts (see this article in the Christian Science Monitor) believe charitable giving is better focused on larger organizations with tried-and-true emergency aid programs (The Red Cross is taking $10 donations to its Haiti relief efforts from donors who text "HAITI" to 90999), there is no doubt that the help of high-profile artists like Jean and the ease of contributing via text message show great heart and the fund-raising potential when those in the public eye ask their fans to get involved.
At Arcade Fire's web site, the home page has a statement from the band that begins, “Haiti needs your help in her darkest hour” and directs fans to the Partners in Health organization,which has undamaged clinics in the areas surrounding the capital city and is setting-up field hospitals to treat the injured on the ground. As the site tells it, “Paul Farmer (the founder of PIH) is at the UN and has access to the best information on where to direct the money... so for the moment if you want to help, we suggest sending funds…” to this link.
In a statement release today, R&B star Maxwell spoke of attending an emergency meeting organized by President Bill Clinton on January 14. “It was pivotal to me, and even uplifting. I was in a room with all kinds of incredible people from all sorts of different backgrounds, all working on solutions - artists, financiers, disaster specialists and Haiti experts like Dr. Paul Farmer, the public health specialist who is a United Nations Deputy Special Envoy to Haiti.”
Offering up his “hearfelt prayers” for the Haitian people, he added, “The most important thing I learned was that sending cash is the best way to help right now.” Links to the Clinton Foundation, Unicef, The Red Cross and Wyclef Jean's charity are at the home page of his site.
Even those potty-mouth bad boys in Blink-182 are showing their true, sweet stripes, having released an exclusive Haiti Charity T-shirt. All proceeds from the sale of the shirts – costing $15 each and only available on the bands official online store - will go to the Red Cross.
The bottom line is, helping is a good thing, however you choose to show your compassion.
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