The Red Cross Haiti Earthquake Relief Donation

The Red Cross campaign to raise funds to donate for the Haiti Earthquake Relief fund has been admirable.  Last checked, Red Cross has raised over $5 million U.S. Dollars.  Through their $10 text donation campaign, it really showed the strength and spirit of the American people and our willingness to help.  To contribute, text “Haiti” to 90999 to make a $10 donation on your mobile phone.

If $5 million has been donated through this text campaign, it means about half a million people in the United States have participated.  That is awesome!

More Donations from the NBA, NFL and MLB

However, it puts to shame on other donation efforts.  Only a $1 million from the NBA?  Another $1 million from the MLB?  $100,000 from the NHL?  Samuel Dalembert of the 76ers donated that amount.  What’s going on here?

Yes, $1 million dollars is a ton of cash and any donation is a good contribution.

But couldn’t the NBA, MLB, NFL or any other professional sports organization and their players have donated much more to the relief efforts?

Considering the median American income is about $48,000 per year.  Their disposable income after tax is about $3,000 a month.  A donation effort of $10 is equivalent to about 0.33% of their monthly income.

The NBA players make on average about $5.8 million per year, MLB player at $3.4 million and NFL player at $2 million.  Total team salaries just for players for all three sports total over $8.1 billion dollars per year split between the almost 3,000 athletes in those three leagues.  32 football teams with 53 players each, 30 basketball teams with 12 players minimum each and 30 baseball teams with 26 players each.

If each player were to donate say 0.33% of their salary for the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund, we’re looking at about $27 million dollars.  Since players are typically on contracts, I’d say their donation would be 0.33% of their annual salary since whether they play or not, they’ll still be paid.

It breaks down like this:

• Donation by each NBA player $19,626
• Donation by each MLB player $11,325
• Donation by each NFL player $6,641

So by the efforts of just under 3000 people, we can effectively raise $27 million dollars.

Hello Oprah! Hello Bill Gates! Hello Warren Buffett…

Making an example out of pro athletes is all I did.  The league’s salary information is widely available.

To the other entertainers, billionaire and millionaire moguls, Fortune 500 executives, etc, here is a message to all of you.  You all need to step up your personal efforts by making more donations from your pile of fortune and publicize it.  There is a huge gap on the wealth distribution in the United States already.  There is no need to go on television or campaign to raise funds from the average American citizen.  Because if you put in your 0.33%, I’m sure the donation amount would grow exponentially.

There wouldn’t be a need for a $10 text via mobile phone campaign.