Typical Twitter message going out across the US Twitter-sphere at present:
If you have not done so already… please consider texting the word “Haiti” to 90999 to automatically donate $10 to help
Messages like this have been spreading at amazing speed and getting big responses so that the Red Cross (via the US State Department) has raised $1.7m in 24 hours and over $10m in a matter of days in the USA. The message is spreading so rapidly that messages like this – tweeting the details for how to donate $10 – are being sent out at a rate of around a message a minute!
The spontaneous and random ordering-force of kindness in the face of chaos -Wow!
And it hasn’t just been happening in the US! The UK has set up DEC Haiti Earthquake Appeal and has raised £3m over the last 24 hours through web and phone donations – the SMS amounts have not yet been counted! The typical tweet has been:
Text GIVE to 70077 to donate £5 to Haiti. £5 goes to DEC. Please RT
Social Media has enabled this spontaneous outpouring of heartfelt care to find expression in solid material aid. Not sure how to do it? Check out this video for a simple demo: