Donating Credit Card Points to Help Haiti

Credit card networks have already waived fees for certain donations aimed at helping Haiti. Now, many are also making it possible for you to redeem your rewards points to make donations to aid Haiti.

Here’s a look at how to donate your credit card rewards to Haiti. Have you used your points to help Haiti or do you plan to? Why or why not?

American Express: American Express cardholders enrolled in the Membership Rewards program can redeem points to support charities aiding the relief effort in Haiti, with 1,000 points equaling $10. Donations can be made in increments of 1,000, 5,000, 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 points.
Bank of America: By Friday, Bank of America plans to have a donation option that will enable WorldPoints Rewards and Power Rewards customers to donate to the Red Cross to help Haiti. Currently, the bank does enable customers to donate to other charities, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the World Wildlife Fund. To redeem points for a donation, customers log into their account here and select their credit card account rewards tab. Customers can also visit here to redeem points or call the customer service number on their card to redeem by phone.
Capital One: While it doesn’t have a donation program specific to the Haiti crisis, Capital One began a “No Hassle Giving Site” in 2008. The site allows cardholders to donate rewards to more than 1.2 million United States charities, including organizations supporting Haiti relief efforts. Cardholders can set up charitable donations online as one-time only or as a reoccurring donations and also earn rewards on the actual donation transaction.
In addition, a spokeswoman for Capital One said the donations were tax deductible, and donors could get a detailed donation history and summary of taxable donations. The response so far in donating points to help Haiti “has been phenomenal,” she said. “We’ve seen an 850 percent increase in donations year over year comparing January 2009 to January 2010, with one week yet to go in January 2010.”
Chase: As of last Saturday, Chase Freedom, Sapphire and Ink from Chase cardholders can redeem and donate their Ultimate Rewards points to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief and Development Fund. Cardholders can donate starting at $25 for 2,500 points and then in $25 increments, with no limit, up to their points balance.
Citibank: Before the earthquake, the bank enabled customers to redeem their ThankYou Network loyalty points to make donations to the American Red Cross and the ARC Disaster Relief Fund. Donations to these charities increased to 20 times the normal number after the earthquake. As a result, Citibank added a Haiti-specific donation option, to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, on Jan. 20. Since then, there has been a nearly 100 times increase in the daily redemption rate for the American Red Cross, Nancy Gordon, executive vice president for affluent loyalty assets at Citibank, said in a statement.