Before his untimely death, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made it his mission to make the world a better place. Many years later, his legacy has gone on, as have the changes he put into motion. On this day of rememberance, many people observe this day off as “MLK Day of Service.” On this MLK Day, with Dr. King’s efforts in mind, many of our hearts are heavy with the state the world is in, specifically in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti. Many people, especially kids, want to put their best foot forward more than ever.
Explaining to littler kids what, exactly, is going on in Haiti is a difficult, yet there are various ways to broach this conversation when necessary. But what’s much easier to discuss is empathy and compassion. At this stage of disaster relief, it is reminded that donations are most vital. It is encouraged that people donate as much as they can to the Red Cross. To donate to the Red Cross: Text “HAITI” to the number 90999 to donate $10, which will be added to your next cellphone bill. You can also donate online through the Red Cross website.
Right now, it’s somewhat limited as to how kids can help the Haiti recovery efforts, however, I wanted mention that Nickelodeon has set up one of the kindest kid-centric sites to date. Over on Nickelodeon, they’re encouraging kids to Help Haiti to make a difference. They’ve offered great suggestions on how kids can organize fundraisers and contribute to relief organizations. And for older kids, this site is a great resource on understanding the relief organizations that are already helping Haiti. Nickelodeon’s Help Haiti site provides helpful information on the Yele Foundation, UNICEF, Save the Children Foundation and more.
