Apple opens up Red Cross donations

A lot of charities have opened up in the eve of the near-apocalyptic earthquake that occurred in Haiti recently, and while Apple isn't really opening up a new charity as much as giving a gateway to an existing charity, it's still nice to see that even a company like Apple has a heart from time to time. (I know the term CSR, in case you're calling me naive.)

So through iTunes, Apple is offering consumers a much more convenient gateway to donate to the American Red Cross, and by convenient I mean a page full of buttons you can click.

The offerings range from 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 200 dollar denominations, and the user need not input any personal information, because the personal information won't be sent to the Red Cross. And really, who cares about getting their name credited for the sake of fame when there are tons of people dying in the rubble-ridden South American country?

Fine, politicians, but ordinary people who buy iTunes stuff aren't politicians, so why make a big fuss about not being credited?

Unfortunately enough, iTunes does not offer a donate button for other countries (or at least it seems that way with the Philippines store). Perhaps they are negotiating with local Red Crosses?

In the meantime, SMART subscribers can text their donations to the Philippine Red Cross through texting HAITI <amount> to 4483. (eg, HAITI 50.)