Haiti has been devastated by earthquakes. The media reports are heartbreaking. Thousands of miles away, we feel helpless. What can we do?

The most valuable contribution you can make is CASH. When you make a monetary donation to a charity, they put your money exactly where it is needed the most.

Make your contribution to an organization that is already established in the region and that will get the largest portion of every donated dollar to the people who need it - direct services rather than administrative or fundraising costs. To see how the charities measure up, visit Charity Navigator at www.charitynavigator.org.

If you have unique skills, adequate training and disaster-related experience - search and rescue, emergency medicine, etc. - and can provide direct help, don't just set out on your own. Volunteer through established organizations. Expect very, very difficult living and working conditions, long hours and hard, heartbreaking work.

If you have a warehouse full of blue tarps, bottled water or other essential resources appropriate to the region and the disaster, make your in-kind donations through an organization that is set up to handle large-scale shipments on a timely basis.

Resist the impulse to send clothes, blankets, household goods, etc. While the need to make a difference is laudable, donated items have to be sorted, cleaned and shipped, all at considerable cost - with funds that could be used more effectively elsewhere.

Instead of boxing up those supplies, have a garage sale or collect donations in your community and send the resulting money through one of the established charities.

Beware of scams. Disasters often bring out the best in people, but, unfortunately, they also bring out the worst. There are scammers eager to profit from Haiti's pain. They work individually and in groups, door-to-door, on the phone, by e-mail and on the Internet. To benefit the cause - and to protect your privacy! -- always do your homework before making a donation.

Thank you for your concern and your generosity. Our business is real estate in the Coachella Valley, but our concern is for human well being. Give us a call today at 760-567-1550. In real estate, as in life, knowledge is power!