A list of charitable organizations active in the nation

updated 12:14 p.m. MT, Fri., Jan. 15, 2010

Action Against Hunger, 877-777-1420

Agape Flights, 941-584-8078

American Red Cross, 800-733-2767

American Refugee Committee, 800-875-7060

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, 212-687-6200

American Jewish World Service, 212-792-2900

AmeriCares, 800-486-4357

Beyond Borders, 866-424-8403

B'nai B'rith International, 202-857-6600

CARE, 800-521-2273

CarmaFoundation

Catholic Relief Services, 800-736-3467

Childcare Worldwide, 800-553-2328

Church World Services, 800-297-1516

Clinton Foundation, 501-748-0471

Text "HAITI" to 20222 to donate $10 to Haiti relief

Concern Worldwide, 212-557-8000

Convoy of Hope, 417-823-8998

Cross International, 800-391-8545

CRUDEM Foundation, 413-642-0450

CRWRC, 800-55-CRWRC

Direct Relief International, 805-964-4767

Doctors Without Borders, 888-392-0392

Episcopal Relief and Development, 800-334-7626

Feed My Starving Children, 763-504-2919

Food for the Poor, 800-427-9104

Friends of WFP, 866-929-1694

Friends of the Orphans, 312-386-7499

Habitat for Humanity, 1-800-422-4828

Haiti Children, 877-424-8454

Haiti Foundation Against Poverty

Haiti Marycare, 203-675-4770

Haitian Health Foundation, 860-886-4357

Healing Hands for Haiti, 651-769-5846

Hope for Haiti, 239-434-7183

International Child Care, 800-722-4453

International Medical Corps, 800-481-4462

International Rescue Committee, 877-733-8433

International Relief Teams, 619-284-7979

Islamic Relief USA, 888-479-4968

Lions Club International Foundation, 630-203-3836

Lutheran World Relief, 800-597-5972

Medical Benevolence Foundation, 800-547-7627

Medical Teams International, 800-959-4325

Meds and Food for Kids, 314-420-1634

Mennonite Central Committee, 888-563-4676

Mercy Corps, 888-256-1900

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, 800-306-9950

New Life for Haiti, 815-436-7633

Operation Blessing, 800-730-2537

Operation USA, 800-678-7255

Oxfam, 800-776-9326

Partners in Health, 617-432-5298

RHEMA International, 248-652-9894

Rural Haiti Project, 347-405-5552

The Salvation Army, 800-725-2769

Samaritan's Purse, 828-262-1980

Save the Children, 800-728-3843

ShelterBox

UN Central Emergency Response Fund

UNICEF, 800-367-5437

United Methodist Committee on Relief, 800-554-8583

World Concern, 800-755-5022

World Hope International, 888-466-4673

World Relief, 800-535-5433

World Vision, 888-511-6548

Yele Haiti, 212-352-0552

Wyclef Jean's grassroots org

Text Yele to 501501 to donate $5 via cellphone

The U.S. State Department Operations Center said Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti should call 1-888-407-4747. Due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording. "Our embassy is still in the early stages of contacting American citizens through our Warden Network," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Communications are very difficult within Haiti at this time."

For those interesting in helping immediately, simply text "HAITI" to "90999" and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts, charged to your cell phone bill. (More information)

Some of the major credit card companies, including American Express and Mastercard are waiving their usual fees so that the full amount of donation will go to the relief organization. Typically, a small percentage is charged to the organization accepting the credit card.

An analysis by the Huffington Post found that credit card companies make about $250 million a year off of people's charitable donations.

Finally, the FBI urges people who are looking for ways to help with earthquake relief to be wary of solicitations that could be from scam artists.

"Past tragedies and natural disasters have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization or a good cause," the FBI said, in passing along these tips:

Ignore unsolicited e-mails, and do not click on links within those messages.

Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.

Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files, because the files may contain computer viruses. Open attachments only from know senders.

Decline to give personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions.

Make contributions directly to known organizations, rather than relying on others who claim in e-mails that they will channel the donation to established groups.

The FBI says anyone receipting an e-mail that appears to be a scam should forward it to this Web site: www.ic3.gov