With more than $5 million already raised for the Red Cross through text-driven donations alone, the power of social networking has been harnessed to initiate a fundraising effort that could permanently change how emergency funds are raised for disaster or humanitarian relief. According to Jenna Wortham of The New York Times, “old-fashioned television telethons can stretch on for hours. But the latest charity appeal is short enough for Twitter: “Text HAITI to 90999 to donate $10 to @RedCrossrelief.”

The $5 million raised since the January 12th earthquake that rocked Haiti may ultimately only scratch the surface of how much will be raised via social networking mechanisms to help victims of the disaster in the Western Hemisphere’s most impoverished nation. Technology users have similarly been joined by technology purveyors in the spirit of giving, as both Microsoft and Google have pledged $1.5 million and $1 million, respectively, to help assist in providing disaster relief.

While many will debate whether the Haitian crisis has elicited a greater showing of generosity or merely benefited from technology having made giving easier, the only issue of importance at present is the quickened pace at which aid is finding the tens of thousands of people whose lives have been overturned as a result of one of the most cataclysmic natural disasters to impact a community of Haiti’s size.

“When something like this happens, it’s incredibly frustrating because there isn’t much that we can do,” said Laura Fitton, a media consultant familiar with digital fund raising. “It helps to be able to at least make a gesture, and that is what is catching on.”

As of Thursday, the Red Cross has raised in excess of $35 million in total for disaster relief in Haiti.