NBC4 news anchor Colleen Williams helps Luca Ordonez pour coins into a cooler of change at the Haiti relief fundraiser sponsored by the station.

Alexandra Miller, age 8, was having dinner with her family on Jan. 12 when she first saw the disturbing photos of injured and distraught Haitians following the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake. She knew she needed to do something to help.

The next day, Alexandra met with the principal of Westwood Charter Elementary School, and along with members of the student council, the third grader mounted a fundraising campaign that yielded more than $4,000 for Red Cross Haiti relief efforts.

Alexandra decided to raise money on behalf of the Red Cross because “we wanted to give to an organization that would make sure it got to the people right away.”

Red Cross representative Alex Rose receives a donation from Alexandra Miller, a third grader at Westwood Charter Elementary School. She helped mount a fundraising campaign for Red Cross Haiti relief efforts.

Southland residents young and old were moved by the humanitarian crisis in Haiti and opened their hearts and pocketbooks to assist the American Red Cross with its humanitarian relief efforts.

Hundreds of schools, restaurants, sports teams, media outlets, businesses, religious institutions and other organizations coordinated events to raise money for the Red Cross. The organization is providing food, water, relief supplies, field hospitals, sanitation facilities and family linking services for the Haiti earthquake survivors.

In addition to donating at fundraisers, millions of individuals have contributed online, by mail, by texting, and through their workplace. You can still make a donation online or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS. You can also donate $10 to Haiti relief by texting “HAITI” to 90999.