Social networking changes the face of charity
You will all no doubt already be aware of the devastating earthquake that has destroyed entire towns in Haiti and has killed thousands of people.
While natural disasters of this scale can't be predicted and can rarely be adequately prepared for, it is always worse when they strike a developing country that is painfully ill-equipped to deal with it.
Consequently, the support of charities is more important than ever before and fundraisers are feeling the benefit of direct contact with the public on social networking websites like Twitter and Facebook.
The American Red Cross set up a special text number whereby you simply sent a text message to donate money directly, placed the phone number on their Twitter account and then encouraged celebrities - who have the most followers - to re-Tweet the message.
According to the BBC, this tactic helped raise $8m in text donations within 48 hours, with support from the likes of Michelle Obama.
Using social media means charities can get their message out there quickly and, crucially, for free, rather than relying on costly, time consuming radio and television appeals as they would have done just a few years ago.
The landscape for charity donations has changed dramatically,
and certainly for the better.
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