Facebook users are seeing a new item on the top of their news feeds - a button that allows them to make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross to help people affected by Typhoon Haiyan.
"This is the first time the Red Cross has had a large-scale donation effort through social media," said Kelly Hudson, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids.
Users can donate with a credit card or through Paypal. Those who want to give more than $10 can go to the Red Cross website.
The typhoon that hit a week ago devastated the coast of the Philippines, displacing more than a half-million people. The confirmed death toll stood at 2,357 on Thursday, according to a report by MSN, but aid workers believe the number will rise much higher.
"When the magnitude of the typhoon became apparent, both the Red Cross and Facebook realized this was a fantastic opportunity for Facebook users to support the relief efforts in a very easy way," Hudson said.
The donation link appeared Wednesday. The Red Cross does not have fundraising tallies so far, Hudson said. The link will remain on the Facebook news feed through Friday.
"We were excited Facebook wanted to partner with the Red Cross for this," Hudson said. "We are always looking for easy and convenient ways for people to donate, and this is a great way to do it."
