Haitian folk artists have long fashioned sequins, beads and recycled cloth backings into ornate, colorful flags depicting island deities. Said to offer protection to those who display them, the flags have been working overtime here in Baltimore since the catastrophic earthquake Jan. 12 - offering protection in a way that says as much about local generosity as the flags' spiritual powers.

Since the earthquake struck, Sideshow, the gift shop at the American Visionary Art Museum, has raised some $15,000 through sales of the ceremonial flags and other pieces of Haitian folk art. Operator Ted Frankel, who makes two or three trips a year to Haiti in search of material for the shop, has been sending all proceeds back to the Caribbean nation and the artists themselves.

"Not only do they need money to live, but they're probably going to need money to keep creating, and to keep their families going," said Frankel. "As soon as I heard what happened, I thought, 'What can I do?' We know they need the money."

AVAM's fund-raising effort is just one of dozens devised by Baltimore-area merchants and other organizations anxious to help. Clerks at area High's convenience stores are routinely asking customers if they'd like to donate $1. Benefit concerts are popping up in and around the city. At Bourbon Street Ballroom downtown Saturday, four local bands - Jimmie's Chicken Shack, All Mighty Senators, Free Lobster Buffet and Fiction 20 Down - played a benefit concert. Several performers will be on the bill at the NightCat in Easton on Saturday and Feb. 2. And about one-third of the Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra will be performing Feb. 5 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Bel Air, with money going to Lutheran World relief.

Even the Orioles are getting in on the act, offering all proceeds from silent auctions and memorabilia sales at the past weekend's FanFest.

Whether the donations are large or small, Red Cross officials say they have been overwhelmed by the broad range of support.

"The level, the enthusiasm, the compassion, the sense of, 'We need to contribute, whether we're a small donor or a big donor' - everybody wants to do something," said Red Cross of Central Maryland spokeswoman Linnea Anderson, who has been with the group for some 14 years. "I know how hard it is, just to raise money for day-to-day operations. It's just overwhelmingly wonderful to see people coming forward to help this relief effort."

There's no shortage of businesses and groups looking to get involved. The Spotlighters Theatre in Baltimore earmarked a portion of the proceeds from Sunday's "The Forbidden Cabaret" for Haitian relief and will do the same with "Comedy for a Cause" on Feb. 7. Beginning Monday, all City Sports franchises, including Baltimore's Harbor East location, are urging customers to bring in "gently worn" footwear to be sent to Haiti, and offering a 10 percent discount on new shoes in return. At Bad Decisions in Fells Point, owner John Reusing pledged $1 for every tropical drink that was sold at the bar through Saturday. As of Friday, he had raised about $600, with word spreading through Twitter and other social networking sites.

At the AVAM gift shop, Haitian flags and banners have been selling steadily, including on Sideshow's Web site. Sizes and prices vary, from 11-by-14-inch flags at $50 to giant banners priced as high as $3,000. Individual flags honor voodoo deities, and include depictions of skulls, mermaids, angels, madonnas (usually with child), fish and other animals. Originally made to be waved during religious ceremonies, they are now often found hanging from the walls of temples, as well as in the homes of art lovers who admire their beauty and have little, if any, notion of their religious significance.

Always a popular item at Sideshow, they've been selling especially briskly since the earthquake. About 50 are in the store and pictured on the Web site; Frankel says he has another 30 in stock, waiting to be displayed.

Frankel said he has only started to hear from some of the folk artists he has come to know and patronize in Haiti. Many do not have access to a phone or the Internet, and must depend on doctors and other aid workers to get word to the outside. Through trips going back 18 years, Frankel said he has developed a genuine affection for the island and its people. He's confident they'll bounce back, and he's glad to offer whatever small help he can.

"They are a very friendly, very giving, very outgoing people," Frankel says. "But most of all, the Haitians are a very strong people."