The Haitian Red Cross in Port-au-Prince estimates that the death toll from last week’s 7.0 earthquake is 45,000 to 50,000. Countless others are injured, in need of care and lacking basic necessities like clean water.

Because I, like you, want to help, but also want to make sure that my money is going to the right place, I did a little research on charities that are seeking donations for efforts in Haiti.

The following charities have staff already in Haiti, assisting as we speak:

CARE has nearly 140 staff on the ground, distributing water packets, food and other forms of aid. (Charity Navigator rating: four stars.)

Doctors Without Borders has been working in Haiti for 19 years, and is operating three emergency hospitals. (Charity Navigator rating: four stars.)

Partners in Health has been working on the ground in Haiti for over 20 years and has set up triage for the injured. (Charity Navigator rating: four stars.)

World Vision is distributing food, clean water, blankets, and tents to children and families. (Charity Navigator rating: four stars.)

UPDATE 1/19: Last night I learned about another four-star charity that’s based in my hometown. It’s called Hope for Haiti, and they have medical crews on the ground now.

I’m glad people from Naples are actively helping, since this tragedy directly affects the community. My mother teaches disadvantaged preschool children there, many of whom are Haitian. Almost 60 students in her school have family currently living in Haiti, and there are many more throughout the county.

One girl, who’s now 15, has grown particularly close to my mother over the years. Her family lives in the hills, and hopefully are safe, but she, like so many others, hasn’t been able to get in touch with them yet. They remain in our thoughts.

I’m pleased to hear that the Obama administration is doing its part to help the crisis in Haiti, including granting Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, so they can help support their family back home.

(Images used under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license from the United Nations Development Programme’s Flickr stream)