How to help the people of Nepal right now

The world is rallying to help the people of Nepal following last week’s massive, devastating earthquake. The scenes of destruction and loss from that nation are absolutely heartbreaking. Thousands have perished, thousands more were injured, and UNICEF reports that nearly 1 million children are severely affected. The best way to help is by donating money for supplies such as food, shelter and medicine. These supplies are urgently needed. Consider setting up an ongoing monthly donation – it will take a long time to repair the damage and heal injured bodies.

Where to Donate

Here are four places that list of reputable relief organizations currently on the ground in Nepal: Quartz: A list of organizations collecting funds to aid victims New York Times – Nepal Earthquake: Where to Donate CNN - How to help victims of the Nepal earthquake USA Today – How to help Parent.co donated to the Red Cross. Note that the donation page for the Nepal Red Cross Society is currently offline. However, the American Red Cross is working with them to coordinate support. Select Nepal Earthquake Relief on their donation page. It’s also possible to dedicate time at your computer to help. Quartz has a great list outlining the options here.

Tips on Talking to Kids About Difficult News

Here are some tips about how to discuss difficult or scary news and events with kids from Teachingkidsnews.com. Another article from Time Magazine: “It can be scarier not to talk about them.” Kidspot also offers great advice on this subject.

Getting Kids Involved

Many kids will want to get involved in helping the people of Nepal. For example, Leo (below) had a bake sale in his front yard to raise money for UNICEF. It’s appropriate to encourage kids in these activities. They encourage values of compassion, empathy and charity. Research shows that kids that have at least one parent that volunteers time and money are more likely to do so themselves.