My heart has been weighted with sadness and concern during the last few days, as harrowing news reports and images have surfaced capturing the devastation caused by Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti. I could barely sleep Wednesday evening after watching CNN and hearing about how those lifeless bodies were just laying on the street, stacked up as people tried to determine how to give their loved ones a proper burial. Tears welled up in my eyes as I saw photographs of a city in ruins, a grief-stricken community trying to figure out the next step: how to get care for the injured, how to get water and food, where to sleep, how to help those in need… Words simply don't suffice to capture the magnitude of this catastrophe, and it's not enough for us to pray or to send positive thoughts or to voice our sympathy. It's imperative that we all do our part to help — and that means action. So how can you help? Check out this CNN article outlining the various agencies that have set up relief efforts. You can text "Haiti" to 90999 to donate $10 to the International Response Fund or you can text "YELE" to 501501 and donate $5 to Wyclef's Yele Haiti organization (and c'mon, guys, you probably spend that much at Starbucks or McDonald's, so there's really no excuse to stand by idly).
Here's the next thing. It's going to take a long time to rebuild Port Au Prince and, as time passes and the news coverage starts to ebb a bit, we have to actively continue to think about our obligation to Haiti. Several beauty companies have pledged to donate large sums of money to the American Red Cross and many have pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds of future product sales.
Bond No. 9 is among the companies that has vowed to help, planning to donate 10% of the proceeds from the sale of its The Scent of Peace fragrance to the American Red Cross for the next thirty days.
The Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace is available at the brand's four New York City stores and at BondNo9.com.
