Helping in Haiti

The images -- both still and moving -- coming out of the absolutely devastated island of Haiti break your heart. Battered bodies are on the sidewalks and streets covered with dingy sheets or scraps of cardboard, if anything at all. Wounded people have little to no access to medical care because hospitals have either been destroyed by the massive earthquake or are overflowing with patients and have precious few medical supplies. An unknown number of people are trapped in the rubble for whom we can only pray will survive -- that's if they're still alive -- until help comes. If it comes. If people can get there in time in a land where there's no electricity, no clean water, where gasoline is scarce and simply getting around is being described as close to impossible.

While we sit in our homes with the luxury of engaging in discussions about the fate of late night comedians and whether a guy working for a U.S. Senate candidate shoved a reporter to the ground, it's important that we do what we can to help the victims of this natural disaster, which Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is saying caused "Biblical" damage.

The White House has a blog post directing you to ways you can help and the New York Times has a page of organizations which can help get aid to where it's needed, including the American Red Cross and Americares. Beware of folks trying to scam you and take advantage of your generosity. Make sure the organization you select is legit.

Image credit: Lisandro Suero/Getty Images via Huffington Post.