Get Off Facebook and Help the Pakistan Flood Victims

By Alexandra Gehringer

While you’ve been stressing over extra-long sheets and we’ve been hurriedly preparing you for another back-to-school season, the people of Pakistan have had an entirely different set of worries to contend with.  20 million of the country’s citizens have been affected and 1,600 (considered to be a low estimate) have been killed by the horrific floods that have been destroying homes and displacing families for weeks now.

If you haven’t heard much about the disaster, you’re not alone.  It has gone widely under-covered by media outlets and it is for this reason that relief efforts are severely lacking.  As of present, Angelina Jolie is the only Hollywood celebrity to donate, no fundraising concerts have been planned, no drives organized.

Forget packing for school and seeing your friends for a minute and take a moment to donate to people who are really in need. Prove to all those people who say we’re a no-good, selfish generation that we’re able to put to do some good in the world.

The New York Times has released a list of agencies that are collecting resources to help Pakistanis in need.  Some credible, heavy-hitters on the list include:

UNICEF

World Food Program USA

American Red Cross

Doctors Without Borders USA

Oxfam America

Save the Children

If you donate to the organizations listed above (or any other that you have ties to), tweet your contribution and charity of choice @CollegeCandy for a chance to win a Pureology NanoWorks® Shampoo and Condition prize pack (valued at over $100!). This is the best of the best in hair care, which, together with Pureology, we’ll be giving to one very charitable reader. Don’t forget to include the hashtag #pkfloods. We’ll randomly draw a name on Friday and reward your do-gooding.

But really, helping people in need should be reward enough.