I've been searching for quite awhile to find a charity that I both admire and think will do good work on the ground in Haiti. I know millions have donated to the Red Cross, but I've always been skeptical of their work in other countries; since they respond to emergencies, they're not usually an established charity on the ground, and it can take time to get relief up and running. From my own time spent working in Latin America, I know that it takes lots of time to create a working relationship in a country. Further, sustained relief will be necessary, and the groups that work in Haiti need support to continue working through the rebuilding effort that is likely to last years.
That said, I've finally found my foundation for helping Haiti. I learned about the foundation from a couple in my church that regularly visits Haiti to do service projects. Further, this foundation's work is so awesome that I want to keep this list on my regular non-profits donation list (other non-profits on this list include Heifer Project, Donors Choose, the Nature Conservancy, and local non-profits). They're a small charity that is extremely efficient -- 92% of donations go straight to Haiti -- and they work both in education and food aid for children.
The What If? foundation really is one of those non-profits that gets it right. They work with people on the ground, which is awesome. They are filling a need that existed, as identified with people who are there. And they are doing so in an efficient manner that maximizes the utility of aid.
One of my favorite sayings is "If you have come to help me, you are wasting your time; but if you are here because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together." Service is about more than just saying "this is what I think you need." It's about working together with the people who have a need to identify the need and work cohesively to meet that need. The What If? Foundation excels at this.