Many of us have donated money to charities helping earthquake survivors in Haiti. A few of us have skills to offer. My friend Ann Totusek is heading to Haiti from March 20th to 28th has been asked by Dr. Alan Koslow to work as a nurse as part of a medical relief team organized by the Jewish Renaissance Foundation. This is a self-financed operation (i.e. the doctors pay their own way and the nurses hit up their friends) that brings supplies, including medical supplies, on their missions.

Her personal expenses for this mission will run possibly a thousand dollars. (Not counting airfare, for which someone has kindly offered airline points.) She has set up a ChipIn donation page. This is not one of those religious organizations offering sermons with the assistance; it’s just a group with people and skills available for good causes. I’ve known Ann for seven years and I can vouch for her personally; she was asked to go because of her prior experience with relief operations. If she has a shortfall, a few of her friends have offered to cover her outstanding expenses; if she gets more than she needs, the surplus will be donated to ongoing medical relief in Haiti. If a few dozen more people put in ten or even five dollars, it should cover her expenses. Online payment is through PayPal (so any credit card will work). If you have questions, you can ask me and I’ll find out, or you can ask her on her ChipIn page.