The earthquake in Haiti prompted a huge amount of charitable donations from people around the world. Concerned citizens worldwide, still recovering from global recession, are giving all they can to the people of Haiti who have suffered so much and continue to suffer in the wake of the powerful and destructive earthquake that hit on January 12, 2010.

But there is an ugly and greedy force meeting this beautiful and selfless generosity. Credit card companies have been siphoning off upwards of 3% of all donations as so-called "transaction fees." While 3% may not sound like much, it adds up quickly. The Huffington Post recently reported that credit card companies and banks make as much as $250 million each and every year from these fees, a number that increases greatly in times of crisis. This is an unconscionable amount of money to take away, money that is vital for relief and development across the globe.

The major credit card companies — Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express — responded to public outcry against this practice with half-measures and smoke and mirrors. They chose a very small group of charities which would be exempt from those fees for a very limited amount of time. Donations sent to help in Haiti — such as those to Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, and Mercy Corps — are still subject to excessive and amoral fees.

Send a strong message to credit card companies: waive all transaction fees, for all charitable donations, for all time.

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