The people of the U.S. have responded to the crisis in Haiti with an enormous outpouring of help. Our first effort has been frustrated by the enormous destruction that blocked roads, ports and airports. The country has been so devastated that at first we could not get any real help to them. Now that the situation has improved, we can be more efficient in delivering supplies and services.

First, we need to continue to send food, water, medical supplies and personnel. Second, we need to help them rebuild their country.

Yet we should not try to push our ideas on them. They are the ones to make the decisions -- we should simply supply the materials and expertise. One of the reasons that Haiti is one of the poorest countries on Earth is that the U.S. has interfered with its government. This has happened again and again over the years. We have consistently made poor decisions.

If we choose to donate to charities, which ones should we choose? Here are some suggestions:

1. Do NOT donate to charities that call you on the phone. New York State has filed lawsuits against telemarketers who kept 74 percent of the donations. Only 26 percent of the donations reached the charities.

2. Do not pay a lot of attention to letters you get from charities. The more letters you get from them, the less likely it is that your money will be spent economically.

3. Consider sending money to a charity or group in Florida. That state is the closest to Haiti, and they have taken the lead in relief efforts.

4. Why should you give money to musical benefits or telethons? They are, at best, a link to charities. Why not give directly to the charity? A recent musical benefit gave part of the proceeds to a charity that I never heard of and which is not listed in "Charity Navigator." Some of these benefits are not planned carefully. When that happens money can be easily misappropriated.

5. Be very wary of e-mail requests for money. The safest way to deal with them is simply not open them. If you open them, be even more leery about opening attachments -- even those from friends. Sometimes our friends send us recommendations without checking on them.

6. After donating money, check on the organization later and see if they have done the work properly. Many times a charity will claim they are doing needed work, but when you check later you may find that their attempts were ineffective. In fact, some charities simply collect money and give it to other charities.

7. Before choosing a charity, consult "Charity Navigator" on the web. That is an organization that rates charities according to their efficiency and capacity. One of the guidelines I have used is the salary of their CEO. I am more likely to donate to charities if the salary of the CEO is reasonable.

8. Government publications tell you not to give money to the Haitian government. This is because the Haitian government has been corrupt for years. I agree that it is premature to give money to that government now. But once more roads are cleared, and the government sets up again, the basic decisions about the re-building of Haiti should come from Haiti. Not foreign governments, especially the USA -- witness our poor response to Hurricane Katrina.

9. Be suspicious about pleas from people who claim to be injured.

10. Do not give to charities that are awash in debt. There are several reasons, including:

A. It may indicate that they are not competent.

B. Your money may be used to repay the debt, so that none of your money gets to Haiti.

11. Consider giving money to organizations that actually have people on the ground in Haiti.

We have neighbors that are sorely in need of help. Yet our response should not be superficial. It is best to think carefully about what we can do. Our policies toward Haiti have helped to underpin and strengthen the corruption there. Now we have the chance to help them emerge from this catastrophe -- stronger and more vital than ever.

Stanley Peele serves as an emergency judge throughout the state. Readers can contact him at chh@heraldsun.com or c/o The Chapel Hill Herald, 2828 Pickett Road, Durham, NC 27705.