NAPLES, Italy — U.S. military and Italian community members in the Naples area have set up several ways for people to donate items or money to help victims of Monday’s earthquake in the central Italian city of L’Aquila.

At least 272 people have been confirmed dead and tens of thousands remain homeless after Monday’s 6.3-magnitude quake. The temblor struck at 3:30 a.m. as the historic city slept, crumbling buildings atop residents.

Commander Striking and Support Forces NATO held a fundraiser barbecue Wednesday at the Bagnoli base, raising more than 2,000 euros to donate to the Italian Red Cross for the earthquake victims.

While the U.S. Navy can’t officially endorse any charitable or relief agencies, it is offering contact information. In a message posted on Naval Support Activity’s Web site, officials said donors can give:

Directly online to the Italian Red Cross at http://www.cri.it/donazioni/index.php?mode=form, which has an English-language option.Through the American Red Cross office at Capodichino base, which has preprinted envelopes and donation slips to be mailed to Italian relief efforts in L’Aquila.Directly to the American Red Cross "International Response Fund" at http://american.redcross.org.Through transfers to the Italian Red Cross via the Community Bank branch at the Capodichino base. The bank can transfer funds in dollars or euros to any charitable organization as long as the donor knows the charity’s bank and international bank account number.Italian volunteers have set up a collection point for new clothing at Via S. Giovanni A. Teduccio, No. 45.

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