U.S. cell phone users donated more than $8 million by 8:25 a.m. EDT Friday in a Haiti earthquake relief text message appeal. 
 
 The donations were pledged in $10 increments to the Red Cross for Haiti disaster relief, by far the largest outpouring of support via mobile devices in history. 
 
 The response to the devastating earthquake produced the highest amount of mobile donations "that we have ever seen," said Jenifer Snyder, executive director of mGive Foundation, the nonprofit group that is working with the Red Cross and wireless carriers to channel the donations. 
 
 To donate to the Red Cross, mobile users are texting the word "Haiti" to the number 90999. Snyder said the money is coming in at a rate of roughly $200,000 an hour. As of Thursday afternoon, people had donated $5.1 million. 
 
 "We could be handling more," she said. "We are not at capacity." 
 
 Red Cross spokesman Roger Lowe called the outpouring of $10 donations by hundreds of thousands of mobile users "nothing short of awe-inspiring." But he said the largest donations the organization is getting is still coming in online. 
 
 So far, the Red Cross has released $10 million for earthquake relief in Haiti. 
 
 On Thursday morning's "The Early Show" on CBS, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton asked Americans to contribute to the Red Cross via text donations. And on social networks Twitter and Facebook, users continued to urge one another to text money as well. 
 
 Other charities, such as singer Wyclef Jean's Yele, were also collecting mobile donations. To send $5, donors can text "Yele" to the number 501501. The William J. Clinton Foundation was accepting $10 per text from users sending the word "Haiti" to 20222. 
 
 Verizon Wireless said Thursday morning its users have pledged more than $1 million to the Red Cross through text donations. The outpouring easily surpassed earlier records for mobile giving. 
 
 In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the Red Cross collected $400,000 from mobile users. A year earlier, following the Asian tsunami that left 230,000 people dead, the organization received $200,000 through text messages, Verizon Wireless said, citing industrywide figures. 
 
 Jeffrey Nelson, a spokesman for Verizon Wireless, called mobile donations a "new stream of philanthropy." 
 
 "So many folks who are texting $10 now might not have been at a place to write a check, or call a toll-free number or send mail," he said. 
 
 Wireless carriers, including AT&T, Verizon Wireless and Sprint, said they were not charging regular text-messaging fees on top of the donations. 
 
 T-Mobile USA Inc., which is also waiving texting fees, said Thursday it is enabling international calls to Haiti free of charge through Jan. 31 and will retroactively credit accounts for such calls made since Tuesday. And T-Mobile users in Haiti will be able to make roaming calls on local networks Voila and Digicel thorough the end of the month, the company said. 
 
 The Associated Press contributed to this report. ||||| While the devastating Japan earthquake and tsunami have passed, the recovery and mourning have just begun. The disaster could become the most expensive earthquake in history. The crisis could get even worse, depending on what happens next at the Fukushima nuclear power plant. 
 
 Now, more than ever, the Japanese people need our help and support to get through this crisis. 
 
 You don't need to pack your bags and fly out to Japan to help, though. There are plenty of ways you can help online, whether it's with your wallet or simply with your Twitter account. New technologies make it possible to lend a helping hand with your texts or even with virtual crops. 
 
 Every little bit counts. Here are a few ways you can help the victims of the Japan earthquake and tsunami: 
 
 1. Text to Donate 
 
 The American Red Cross has once again launched a texting campaign to raise money for relief efforts in the Pacific region. Last year, the Red Cross was able to raise over $20 million for Haiti relief through simple text donations. 
 
 If you would like to donate to the American Red Cross for Japan Earthquake Relief, just text REDCROSS to 90999. Each text will provide $10 toward the Red Cross's humanitarian efforts. 
 
 2. Donate via Facebook 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The Red Cross has also launched a campaign on Causes to raise at least $25,000 for relief efforts. By logging in to Facebook, you can donate anywhere from $10 to $500 to help Tsunami victims and their families. 
 
 As of publishing time, the Causes campaign has raised over $40,000 from over 1,000 donors and 3,000 promoters. 
 
 3. Buy Virtual Goods 
 
 Virtual sweet potatoes and the Japanese Tsunami may not seem related, but buying digital crops could help children affected by the earthquake. 
 
 Zynga, known for its effective social good campaigns, has partnered with Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Emergency Fund to get its users to donate money through the purchase of virtual goods in CityVille, FrontierVille, FarmVille and its other games. 
 
 100% of the proceeds from the purchase of sweet potatoes in CityVille, radishes in FarmVille or kobe cows in FrontierVille will go toward Save the Children's efforts to provide relief in the Pacific. The world's largest social gaming company is shooting to raise $2 million for relief efforts. 
 
 Zynga has raised millions of dollars over the last few years with these types of social good campaigns, most notably for the relief efforts in Haiti. 
 
 4. Embed Some Code 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 If you run a website and want to get your customers or users involved in relief efforts, all you need to do is embed a simple snippet of code. 
 
 The Hello Bar places a simple message at the top of your website with just a few lines of code. The service, which is in private beta, has decided to open its doors to anybody willing to help the victims of the crisis in Japan. 
 
 Simply sign up with the invite code "helpjapan" and you can quickly get the code snippet you need to embed a customized Hello Bar that will drive donations. Check out our full article for more instructions on how to add the donation bar to the top of your website. 
 
 5. "Like" a Facebook Page 
 
 The people over at Explore.org are donating $1 for every "Like" of the "Dog Bless You" Facebook page, up to $100,000. 
 
 Explore.org founder Charlie Weingarten delivered the challenge at South by Southwest yesterday. “Search and rescue dogs are a critical resource for emergency situations," he told the audience. 
 
 6. Ways to Help on Twitter 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Harness the power of your Twitter account to do some good for the people of Japan. 
 
 Earlier this morning, Twitter published a blog post detailing ways you can help with the relief efforts. Not only have they updated Japan's mobile website with the latest information on the disaster, but they have also published a list of hashtags to tweet and/or follow related to the crisis. 
 
 Here are some key hashtags to remember: 
 
 #Jishin: focuses around general earthquake information 
 
 #Anpi: a hashtag for the confirmation of the safety of individuals or places 
 
 #Hinan: Evacuation information 
 
 #311care: a hashtag regarding medical information for the victims 
 
 #PrayforJapan: A general hashtag for support and best wishes for victims of the crisis 
 
 7. Donate via iTunes 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Apple is also dedicating resources to the crisis in Japan. They have created a simple donation page in iTunes [iTunes link] that makes it simple to donate anywhere from $5 to $200 to the Red Cross with just a few clicks. ||||| On March 11, 2011, a huge 8.9 earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit Japan, causing widespread destruction. 
 
 President Obama has already released a statement sending "deepest condolences" and promising support to the stricken country. 
 
 "The United States stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial." 
 
 Additionally, many organizations and funds have mobilized to provide relief to those affected by the disaster. 
 
 In response to the quake, The Red Cross has already launched efforts in Japan. Visit Redcross.org or text REDCROSS to 90999 to donate $10 from your phone. 
 
 Save the Children has also responded. Eiichi Sadamatsu of the organization released a statement, saying: 
 
 "We are extremely concerned for the welfare of children and their families who have been affected by the disaster. We stand ready to meet the needs of children who are always the most vulnerable in a disaster." 
 
 The organization is currently organizing efforts and donations to its Children's Emergency Fund will support outreach. 
 
 UNICEF is also coordinating efforts to help the children of Japan. Use this form on UNICEF's website to donate 100 percent of your desired amount to their fund designated for victims of the earthquake or text JAPAN to 864233 to donate $10. 
 
 International Medical Corps is responding to the health needs of the disaster's victims. Nancy Aossey, President & CEO, International Medical Corps said in a statement: 
 
 "We are putting together relief teams, as well as supplies, and are in contact with partners in Japan and other affected countries to assess needs and coordinate our activities." 
 
 To donate or learn about other ways you can contribute to its medical response, visit Internationalmedicalcorps.org. Also, text MED to 80888 from any mobile phone to give $10. 
 
 The Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund was launched at GlobalGiving.org to garner funds that will be given to a variety of relief organizations helping victims of the earthquake. It has already raised over $100,000, particularly from concerned Twitter users around the world. The project page explains: 
 
 We are working with International Medical Corps, Save the Children, and other organizations on the ground to provide support. Our partners on the ground are working hard to provide immediate relief. 
 
 Salvation Army personnel are organizing efforts in Tokyo and will soon send a team to help the severely damaged city of Sendai, Japan. To contribute to earthquake relief, text 'JAPAN' or 'QUAKE' to 80888 to make a $10 donation or visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. 
 
 Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is sending two three-person teams to the Iwate and Miyagi prefectures in Japan. To learn more about the organization's efforts or make a donation, visit Doctorswithoutborders.org. 
 
 Other relief organizations are also sending representatives to disaster sites, including AmeriCare and Shelterbox. 
 
 MercyCorps is gathering donations for its overseas partner, Peace Winds Japan, which currently has personnel on the ground distributing emergency relief in Japan. 
 
 Operation USA has also announced efforts to collect bulk corporate donations of health care supplies. Their first major shipment of supplies includes 130,000 pieces of winter clothing along with hand-crank radios, flashlights, hygiene supplies, portable lights and miscellaneous medical supplies. The organization is encouraging monetary donations through their website, OpUSA.org, so additional supplies can be purchased closer to disaster sites. 
 
 The International Fund for Animal Welfare will soon be deploying a team to assess needs regarding animal rescue. Dick Green, the organization's emergency relief manager for disasters, wrote on IFAW's blog: 
 
 "As we saw most recently in Haiti, major disasters require long-term planning and a concerted effort between NGO and governmental ranks to ensure that the greatest number of animals and humans benefit from the intervention." 
 
 They are encouraging support through donations, which will be used to buy pet food, veterinary supplies, vaccines and other necessities for animals needing help. 
 
 For any who have loved ones abroad, Google has stepped up to help. Along with a tsunami alert posted on its front page, Google has launched the Person Finder: 2011 Japan Earthquake to help connect people that may have been displaced due to the disaster. Google has also launched a crisis response page filled with local resources and emergency information. 
 
 Judy Chang, head of PayPal's nonprofit group, announced that transactional fees incurred by money transfers to US 501(c)(3) organizations (or charities registered with the Canada Revenue Agency) between March 11 and April 10 will aid relief efforts in Japan. 
 
 World Vision has announced global mobilization in response to tsunami warnings. Geoff Shepherd, the organization's humanitarian and emergency affairs director for the Asia-Pacific region, released a statement on World Vision's website, saying: 
 
 “We’ve also alerted our Global Rapid Response Team and have put team members on standby for possible deployment to affected areas. This could be a very serious disaster in multiple countries and our staff are prepared to respond.” 
 
 To donate to World Vision, follow the Impact links below:
– Text messaging has proven to be a wildly popular method of donating to the relief effort in Haiti. As of 8:25 this morning, the Red Cross had pulled in more than $8 million through text messages, Fox News reports. That’s the most mobile donations “that we have ever seen,” says the head of mGive, the nonprofit that set up the mobile donation service. Money is pouring in at a rate of roughly $200,000 an hour, in $10 increments. A Red Cross spokesman called the contributions “nothing short of awe-inspiring,” though he noted that the majority of donations are still coming through the organization's website, redcross.org. To donate, head there, or text the word “Haiti” to 90999, which automatically charges a $10 donation to your phone bill. The four major wireless providers have agreed to waive the charge for users whose accounts don't cover unlimited texting, the Consumerist blog reports.