The catastrophic Typhoon Haiyan, which hit the Philippines in early November, has largely fallen out of the day to day news. But Rochester resident Michelle Cusolito has worked to keep people in her online community aware that there are still many needs in the country.

Cusolito studied abroad in the Philippines during high school and is still connected with friends she made there. So after seeing the typhoon’s devastation, she wanted to help.

Beginning a few weeks after the typhoon, Cusolito called on members of the children’s literature community to donate their talent, books, artwork and time to an online auction, called KidLit for the Philippines, hosted on her blog.

Writers and illustrators responded to Cusolito’s request with more than 30 auction items.

“I received some messages from people along the way,” said Cusolito. “One person who offered to donate an item was born in the Philippines. Another person’s dad is still missing, so he wanted to bid on an item.”

One person volunteered a classroom visit, and many offered to critique books.

Cusolito said there was even a bidding war for a “jump-the-slush-pile” critique of a picture book, meaning the winner of the auction would get to bypass the many other submissions on the desk of an editor.

“There was a bidding war up to the final second,” said Cusolito.

Due to the high demand, author Kate Messner and her editor Melissa Manlove at Chronicle Books agreed to critique four books.

“That’s a huge offer of their time. It meant more than $2,400,” Cusolito said.

Bidding on all items has closed and Cusolito reports that $5,399.50 has been donated to Mercy Corps or UNICEF.

She said no money changed hands on her part. Instead, auction winners made their donations directly to the nonprofits and sent Cusolito the receipt. She then connected them with the author.

Cusolito said there is still time to give. Children’s author and illustrator Katie Davis is donating half of the proceeds from her online courses until the end of the month, and a few people have simply given without bidding on items.

“It feels good that in some small way I could help,” said Cusolito. “It’s a drop in the bucket to what is needed, but it brought awareness to the need.”

For more information, visit Cusolito’s blog at michellecusolito.blogspot.com.