"It's something that an average person can do -- and the $10 amount has been key. It's doable," she said. "A 10-year-old girl texted her donation and called to tell us and said she was planning to spread the word through her classmates. It was very emotional for her."

Housman said the campaign started early; it was set up just three hours after the first quake struck. The text-to-donate plan was spread through various means, including popular social networks .

The cellular companies will transfer the funds to the Red Cross once donors pay their phone bills, which means the money might take 30 to 60 days to reach the Red Cross, Housman noted. Still, the Red Cross has already funneled some $10 million to Haiti relief, using cash on hand. The delayed funds will also come in handy as the island rebuilding effort will likely go on for years, Housman said.

The Red Cross texting effort is powered by Mobile Accord and the mGive Foundation, and is being coordinated with the U.S. State Department, according to the Red Cross Web site.

A indicates that the largest number of text donations has come from populous states, including those near Haiti such as Texas and Florida.