Relief organizations in the U.S. have raised an estimated $1.3 billion for Haiti relief, but experts are warning that more support will be needed to continue dislocated Haitians throughout hurricane season. Philanthropist Stacy Palmer says that while the money donated has provided food, water and shelter to many, the temporary homes most Haitians are living in are not suitable to withstand hurricane weather.
The donations have been enough to provide basic necessities such as food and water, according to Stacy Palmer, editor of the Chronicle of Philanthropy. But now homeless Haitians also need help fending off tropical storms.
"That's potentially worrisome with the hurricane season about to begin," she said. "The kind of shelters that people are in right now are tarps and things that would not necessarily be able to withstand a hurricane. The goal is to get sturdier kind of housing."
Palmer said that $1.3 billion is an impressive tally, coming close to the $1.6 billion that was raised in the wake of the 2004 tsunami in the South Pacific.