Initial plans for the telethon were announced by MTV Networks on January 15 , 2010 , three days after the 2010 Haiti earthquake struck on January 12 that is assumed to have claimed the lives of about 200,000 people . The event was one of a number of humanitarian responses to the earthquake . Processing of the telethon 's donations was in the hands of the Entertainment Industry Foundation . The telethon was patterned after the form begun with the 2001 '' America : A Tribute to Heroes '' program and continued with the 2005 '' Shelter from the Storm : A Concert for the Gulf Coast ''
2010 Haiti earthquake
2010 Haiti earthquake
Hope for Haiti Now