Many times on here, we’ve discussed how to use tarps as a tent and other protection. But, no matter how you angle or place a tarp, the key aspect in using one is the composition – something that a basic tent doesn’t have. The important aspect of all tarps is the waterproof nature of polyethylene and, in instances of camping, tarps are brought along to protect the tent and other items that won’t withstand the rain. With the rain season in Haiti approaching, those left homeless by the hurricane will need some temporary adequate protection, and a tarp, with stakes and rope, will provide better long-term shelter than a camping tent.

If you have some older but still solid tarps hanging around and want to donate your materials to Haiti, various local organizations and companies may take your supplies. Although this varies by location, churches, various charitable organizations, and even companies that sell camping equipment and tarps have all chipped into relief efforts by holding drives for supplies. If you’re interested in donating tarps, with rope or stakes, to Haiti, look up any organizations in your area holding such supplies drives. They will, in most cases, take your old tarps, assuming the material isn’t torn or too worn.

Because of these two connections, the Church of the King in Mandeville held a drive for blue tarps to send to Haiti. The church sent an 18-wheeler truck of supplies to Haiti, with tarps as one of the supplies sent. Many residents in the area, not only for the church but also in the New Orleans area, have tarps on hand. With the hurricane season over, many of these unused tarps can be donated to relief efforts in Haiti to give temporary shelter, much like the way tarps are used around the Gulf after a hurricane.

Aside from the tarp connection, the natural disaster connection between New Orleans and Haiti is also significant. With the Saints making it to the Super Bowl recently, attention to the changes since Katrina are another focus on New Orleans. Mentioned in the linked article above, some of the most significant changes to New Orleans have been to make it more flood protected, including creating elevated homes to survive a flood and storm resistant homes in the Ninth Ward. Additionally, more charter schools to improve the education quality and recovery tours have also come about in rebuilding efforts.

In the US, various organizations and companies are donating these supplies to relief efforts in Haiti to be distributed. One company in east Tennessee, Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, has been holding a tent drive to get more of these shelters to donate. Tarps are some of these shelters they’re requesting, as well as ordinary tents that can fit a family. Although the tarps and tents don’t need to be new, they need to be in sturdy enough shape so that no repairs need to be made to the material before being donated. Additionally, they also request trucks to help distribute supplies. The estimated delivery time to Haiti is two to three weeks from donation.

Individuals are also organizing donations for tarps. In Hattiesburg, Mississippi, residents have started Operation Pitch-A-Tent to gather items, such as tarps, tents, and sleeping bags, instead of money to donate to relief efforts in Haiti. After enough of these supplies are gathered, the organization plans to ship them from Gulfport, MS, to Haiti.

Although both of these donation efforts are in the South, check locally for any organizations, companies, or individuals holding their own donation drives for tarps and tents.