It’s unfortunate that it sometimes takes a natural disaster to remind of us what associations and nonprofits are capable of. Although Saturday’s terremoto Chile was of a greater magnitude than the one six weeks ago in Haiti, fewer people, thankfully, have died. Regardless, the death toll is close to 1,000 and rescuers are still searching for possible survivors and surveying the infrastructure.

Of course, the difference between these two quakes is poverty level and infrastructure sophistication, but Chile still needs global aid as hundreds of thousands of citizens are displaced. Several nonprofits issued alerts and statements over the weekend.

The American Red Cross made an initial pledge of $50,000 from its International Response Fund. The Chilean Red Cross is working closely with the Chilean government to lead the emergency response teams.

National Nurses United’s RN Response Network issued a standby alert to its volunteers and initiated preliminary outreach to emergency centers in Chile. They are also still deploying nurses to Haiti.

Unicef issued an alert stating they are monitoring the situation in Chile and are prepared to step in to help if necessary. “UNICEF will assist all those affected by the earthquake in Chile, especially the children,” said a spokesperson for the agency.

AmeriCares is sending a rapid response team to Chile to help, and medicine and medical supplies are being prepared for shipment, as well. The organization is also working with affiliate organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Colombia to coordinate its disaster relief efforts.

Habitat for Humanity is working to provide low-income displaced families with shelter as the country recovers.

World Vision is sending tarps, tents, blankets and water containers for survivors as soon as Chilean airports reopen.

Although operations in Santiago seem to be running semi-smoothly today (buses are running and people are going to work), this quake reached more remote locations than the one in Haiti. Many bridges and buildings have collapsed and the death toll remains uncertain.

If you or your organization would like to donate, click here to find out how. Once again, organizations have enabled donations through text messaging, which makes it easier than ever.

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F is for Friday (and Five)! I hope everyone has had a good and productive week! Hooray for the weekend!

1. Seems like many people are writing posts based around the letter C – I keep waiting for someone to make a “Sesame Street” reference and say, This post is sponsored by the letter C! I really enjoyed Jeff Hurt’s post this week: The Four C’s of Conferences and Social Media. Jeff discusses Content, Communication, Collaboration and Cumulative Value. A great read!

2. I linked to these Acronym posts in yesterday’s blog, but they bear repeating. It’s so inspiring to see so many people (and associations!) donate money and time to help the Haitians who were affected by the earthquake on Tuesday. Very timely and relevant posts.

3. I loved the slideshow Elizabeth Engel posted the other day about free (or low-cost) Web tools. The slideshow was created by ASAE and The Center‘s Amy Hissrich, and is packed with useful information. With the subtitle Quick Wins for Your Web Site, this presentation is a win.

4. David M. Patt chimed in on the mobile technology discussion with some reminders for us all – we don’t need to be attached to our phones 24/7. Our smartphones are certainly useful, but just because we have access to all information, all the time, doesn’t mean we should ignore the real world.

5. Rather than making a New Year’s Resolution, Shelly Alcorn picked a word of the year: Authenticity. She writes, Many calls for authenticity are routinely promulgated on blogs and in staff, board and committee meetings. Unfortunately, I don’t see a lot more than talk when it comes to actually embracing authenticity. Definitely watch her blog this year, because she plans to discuss look outstanding!

Honorable Mention: I was featured on the SocialFish blog on Thursday discussing social media and MemberClicks. If you haven’t seen the piece yet, check it out! Thanks, Maddie and Lindy!

From all of us at MemberClicks, have a fantastic Martin Luther King Jr. Day Weekend!

By now, we’ve all either heard about the earthquake in Haiti or we’ve been glued to our televisions watching CNN’s eerie coverage. The earthquake was estimated to be 7.0 in magnitude, and was felt as far away as Cuba, 200 miles from Haiti. Death toll estimates are now at least 50,000 and at most, more than 100,000, while the impoverished nation’s capital is now destroyed.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas and is one of the world’s least developed nations. Many Haitians are still trapped in rubble and the world is rushing to get medical aid, food and water into the country.

Acronym’s Kristen Clarke wrote two excellent posts about what associations are doing to help. She writes, The American Red Cross, World Vision International, Oxfam, numerous faith-based relief services, and myriad other disaster relief charities have already set up emergency funds. But if you don’t work for an association such as the American Red Cross and still want to help out, here’s a few suggestions.

Many organizations have enabled donations through mobile devices. Text HAITI to 90999 and $10 will go to the International Red Cross and be charged to your next cell phone bill. It’s been confirmed that more than $3 million has been raised through these text messages alone. Pretty amazing for mere $10 increments!

If you’d like to consider other opportunities to help, here’s a great list of organizations to consider.

• American Red Cross
• AmeriCares
• Doctors Without Borders
• UNICEF
• The American Jewish World Service
• CARE
• Catholic Relief Services
• Direct Relief International
• Oxfam
• Yele Haiti
• Google Support Disaster Relief