The St. John the Baptist Parish Public School System will celebrate its 100th day of the school year Tuesday, and officials are asking students to make a donation to the relief efforts in Haiti.

We’ve all heard about the devastation Haiti suffered this week when a massive earthquake rocked the island. Thousands of people are dead, thousands are missing, and many, many more are homeless and hurting.

We all should feel an extra twinge of grief in our hearts for these people. We’ve seen devastation and loss of life first hand. We’ve known how it was to be without water, without electricity, without the creature comforts we’re all accustomed to. Many of us know what it’s like to lose our homes.

Many of these people didn’t have much to begin with. But their city has crumbled, and now they are left with nothing.

We’ve seen the pictures on television. We’ve heard the cries of babies that have been played on radio reports. We’ve heard our president, our former presidents, our athletic heroes and our religious leaders all talk about what needs to be done to help these people, first to survive, then to rebuild their lives.

We received so much outpouring of kindness and compassion from around the world when we were in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Now it’s time we give back. 

The school system is asking all students to bring 100 pennies to school Tuesday to be donated to relief organizations. I’m sure they’d take your pennies, too, if you have spare change lying around.

And there are other ways you can help.

The easiest way is to simply text the word “HAITI” to 90999, and a donation of $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross. Your contribution will be charged to your cell phone bill.

You can also go online to organizations like the Red Cross or Mercy Corps, but government officials are warning Internet users to be careful of solicitations on the Internet which may not be legitimate.

InterAction.org has compiled a list of organizations responding to the situation in Haiti, all legitimate for those wanting to make donations that way.

Local churches are holding prayer vigils, which are extremely important in times like these. The churches are also collecting donations, and some are even planning to send church members who can physically help to the country.

It’s important we all take part in something, whether it is offering a prayer or making a donation of money, food or clothing.

This tragedy has hit on foreign soil, but when it comes down to it in the big scheme of things, that doesn’t matter. We are all God’s children, and in a time of crisis we should rally together.

After all, that’s what the world did for us.

Sandy Cunningham is publisher of L’Observateur. She can be reached at sandy.cunningham@ wickcommunications.com.