Dear Neighbor:

As you may know, on Tuesday, January 12th, a massive 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti and its capital, Port-au-Prince. The death and devastation are unimaginable, and the people of Haiti will need the assistance of people all over the world, including Americans, to recover from this tragedy.

A number of aid efforts are now underway for those who wish to provide help and support. In order to ensure the prompt delivery of needed relief, I encourage local residents to consider contacting the American Red Cross, which is helping to lead the effort to meet immediate needs for food, water, temporary shelter and medical services. To make a donation on-line, please visit their website at american.redcross.org.

For those who wish to donate by text message, simply text: "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts. The donation will appear on your cell phone bill.

New Yorkers have a long and proud tradition of providing aid and relief to those in need, and communities across our state are now pulling together to lend a helping hand during this time of great need. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Haiti in the wake of this devastating tragedy.

Sincerely,

Senator Joe Griffo