On the 12th of March, one day after the tragic earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan Ichi - Hiroyasu Ichikawa - the NetSquared Local organizer from Tokyo sent an e-mail to our NetSquared Local Organizer listserve asking for the best practices for mobilizing online communities in the time of a disaster. In the weeks that have followed, Ichi’s e-mail provoked a series of responses from all over the world. In this post, we hope to voice many of the tools, resources, and tactics that have been shared, in hopes of encouraging others around the world to get involved with the digital relief efforts.

In some ways, the impact of the recent earthquake in Chile wasn't as immediately obvious as that of the earthquake in Haiti. President Michelle Bachelet initially refused foreign aid, but as the death toll has grown, the need for an international response has become obvious. This week, the American Red Cross increased its original response pledge to a quarter of a million dollars.

The American Red Cross has been using its Facebook and Twitter accounts to promote support for relief of the Haiti earthquake victims at a national level, and has a mobile solution where people can text "HAITI" to "90999" to donate $10 to the Red Cross.

Locally my chapter used Twitter, Google Checkout, Facebook and LinkedIn to raise more than $4,000 in just six hours on our page at http://www.tricountyredcross.org/2010/01/donate-to-support-haitan-earth.html . All the funds raised go to the American Red Cross International Relief Fund and the $1,000,000 the Ameircan Red Cross has already provided to Haiti.

A little girl encountered through HELP's Mobile Medical clinics following a devastating earthquake in South America.  She was alone wondering the streets.

One last desperate plea to HELP US HELP THEM?

Please vote for HELP Telemedicine Mobile Medical Clinic Nework

PLEASE HELP US HELP THEM

Victim of famine/malnutrition/starvation in Bangladesh

Victim of Malaria in Mozambique