According to Foreign Affairs Canada, the best way to help is to donate money – not clothing or food – to experienced humanitarian organizations, such as:

Canadian Red Cross: Canadians are encouraged to support Red Cross relief efforts by making a financial donation to the Canadian Red Cross Haiti Earthquake fund. Donations can be made online at www.redcross.ca/helpnow, by calling toll free 1-800-418-1111 or at any Red Cross office.

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF or Doctors Without Borders): Donate to MSF's Emergency Relief Fund for Haiti

Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada (MAF): Donate online or call 1-877-351-9344

Oxfam Canada requests that donations be made through the Humanitarian Coalition (Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, CARE, Save the Children Canada)

Plan Canada

Salvation Army: Donate online or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY (725-2769). You can also mail donations to The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters, Canada and Bermuda, 2 Overlea Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M4H 1P4, or dropping off financial donations at the closest Salvation Army unit in your area. Donors should specify their gift to the Haiti Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund. You can also text the word HAITI to 45678 from any Rogers Wireless or Bell Mobility phone. You can learn more about the Salvation Army's Text to Donate program by clicking here.

UNICEF Canada

World Vision Canada: Donations can be made online or by calling 1-800-387-5112.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Global viewers may have heard about other campaigns to help, but some of these are intended for U.S. residents only. One example includes Wyclef Jean's Haiti charity asking people to donate $5 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake fund by sending a wireless text message to 501501. As well, the American Red Cross says you can send a $10 donation by texting ‘Haiti’ to 90999, but again, these pitches are only for U.S. residents.

Also be careful about who you're giving your money to. RCMP and government agencies are warning you that tragedies like this bring out scam artists preying on your generosity. The Better Business Bureau says it's up to you to make sure you know the agency you're donating to is legitimate.