Chapel Hill area experiences ?urry of fundraising efforts

Correction (March 28 10:17 p.m.): Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this story listed an incorrect Web address for Hope for Haiti, an organization for which Paulette Bekolo is raising money. The correct site is Hope for Haiti Ministries at hfhm.org. This story has been changed to reflect the correction. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.

Students and Orange County residents have already begun fundraising to help victims of the catastrophic magnitude-7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti last week.

Here are a few of many organizations and individuals around campus and Orange County who have dedicated themselves to helping Haitians in need.

Paulette Bekolo

What she is doing: Chapel Hill resident Paulette Bekolo, originally from Haiti, is collecting money. She’s also collecting any donated first aid supplies.

Where donations go: Hope For Haiti. Visit hfhm.org or call Bekolo at (919) 610-2883 for more information about how to donate.

Why she is doing it: Bekolo has family in Haiti, close to Port-au-Prince. “I got the call at 12:04 telling me my family was all OK,” she said. “I’ll never forget that minute. I just started crying.”

Chapel Hill Comics

What they are doing: Chapel Hill Comics owner Andrew Neal said he will match up to $500 in donations before 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Where donations go: Doctors Without Borders. Visit Chapel Hill Comics at 316 W. Franklin St. or call Andrew Neal at (919) 967-4439.

Why they are doing it: “A lot of people may think, ‘I only have a little bit of money, that won’t do any good,’” Neal said. “If they can throw it in a pile, every dollar they give ends up being two.”

Kirk Huslage, Erin McClain

What they're doing: Kirk Huslage, a nurse at UNC Hospitals, and his wife Erin McClain, a researcher at UNC, volunteered in Haiti. They are collecting health kits, blankets and tarps.

Where donations go: Hearts with Haiti. Visit the Web site, heartswithhaiti.org, to donate money directly. Contact them at haitiUNC@gmail.com for ways to donate.

Why they are doing it: “It’s a country with an amazing culture and people who have, for so long, done so much with nothing,” McClain said. “Right now, the biggest need is really for cash. It’s being used for things like purchasing water filtration systems, basic supplies and transportation of supplies.”

DSI Comedy Theater

What they're doing: DSI Comedy Theater is working to raise $2,000. So far, they have raised $1,295, which includes all ticket sales from three of Saturday’s shows.

Where donations go: Mercy Corps. Visit mercycorps.org/fundraising/dsicomedy to donate to DSI Comedy’s Haiti Response Fundraiser.

Why they are doing it: “We have a pretty strong community of performers and regular audience members looking for ways to help,” he said. “This weekend we decided to help out the only way we know how: to put on a show.”

Students Supporting Haiti

What they're doing: UNC sophomore Lola Bajomo has started this initiative, which will organize campus leaders and organizations to make sure “no efforts are doubled,” she said.

Where donations go: Doctors Without Borders. The initiative will have an interest meeting at 7 p.m. today tentatively set to be held at Manning Hall, Room 209.

Why they are doing it: “I kind of notice whenever there is a disaster, a lot of people don’t really do anything besides go, ‘Aw, that’s really sad,’” she said. “You care on the human level, but as far as being active … a lot of people will leave things alone and after a couple months, people forget.”