Diamond Dave here, throwing in his two cents worth.
My wife works at Georgia Tech at night. She was witness to some of the relief efforts going on there for the storm refugees from La/Miss. Some of the things she heard and saw concerning these efforts upset her greatly. Here is a copy of the email she sent me, which she also sent to various news organizations:
There were several busses full of survivors from Louisiana brought to Georgia Tech tonight. As the first bus load arrived, there was an owner from a local restaurant there with enough hot meals for everyone. He was turned away and told that the Red Cross had enough rations, and he'd be better off selling the meals and sending the cash instead. This was told to others as they brought truckloads of diapers, clothes, toiletries, blankets, compassion, understanding and love. Those that offered to open their homes to them were told to put their names on a list until they could screen the people to see who could be trusted with other people.
These people have nothing and they're being treated like criminal cattle. They have to wear bright orange wrist bands so they can be identified as those who belong with the refugees. I can understand that, but these are not foreigners. These are people like most of us, only they have traveled away from their homes because they have no home anymore. These people are lucky to have what family they do, they haven't had warm, decent food in a while, and they don't have change of clothes, very little to no money, and they have to start over again - no matter what age they are. There is plenty of room in the basketball coliseum for them to "store" donated items. A locker room will suffice if nothing else. There were volunteeers who could organize and distribute needed items. I don't know who's in charge, but they are not very organized at all. When the people first went to Texas, people were asked to send care packages with a packing list enclosed - so that the items could be put away and given to those in need.
The Red Cross was founded on compassion, understanding, and love for the fellow man. These people who are supposed to be giving compassion just are not. To tell a community in a major city that they do not rally to help those in need, and then to turn them away, tell them to have yard sales and then donate the money just does not seem right. There has got to be a better way to help these people in need. They’re not in want, they are in basic need of simple things.
I hope that everyone who tried to help last night and were turned away did not go away mad, and will not give up trying to help others. Something must be said, and done to make it better for these humans to get what they
need; compassion, understanding, and love. Even Christ forgave a whore.
My short version?What I have been saying as long as I live:FUCK THE RED CROSS!
I have heard this in a case where a bottled H2O company was told the same and turned away as well. They had trucks of bottled H2O and it was not accepted.
Lets not forget about the missused funds donated to the 911 disaster.
I wash my hands of the Red Curse/Cross. I will never donate another dime to it.
There are other ways to provide assistance to those in need
My point exactly......9/11......"sorry we are not using the money donated for this cause for other causes"......FUCK YOU!I wrote on the fucking check that it is for 9/11 so you damn well BETTER use it for that!Red Cross sucks ass as long as they excist...unfortunatly me Grandpa is dead soe you can no longer ask him about his WW1 and 2 experience with thos assholes.
yep...sounds like the Red Cross. Their reputation precedes them, once again.
There are many fine organizations out there doing great work and still able to treat people with kindness and dignity....Salvation Army is one of them and always has been.
Pam and all,
I also have not given to the "Red Cross" in over 40 years...While stationed in Germany in 1963...I had an army buddy that lost his dad back in the states. He could not afford to make the trip back for his dad's funeral...so the "Good Ole Red Cross" said, "not to worry they would take of everything"...land transportation, air fare, food, spending money, etc. Well I can't say how much the total cost was, but it was a lot for an Army private making $113.00 a month. My friend stayed about a month on leave and settled his dad's personal affairs, etc.
About a month after he returned from his leave, he got a bill from the "Good Ole Red Cross" for the full amount of $ for his trip back to the USA.
Since he did not have that much money, the "Good Ole Red Cross" took it out of his $113.00 a month for the rest of his tour in Germany. From then on he was the poorest member of our company. The members of the 164th MP Company started a fund for our buddy and gave him enough money to make ends meet each month. He was my best friend and I know it made him feel terrible to have to accept our donations. Needless to say, no member of the 164th MP Company has given a dime to the Red Cross in over 40 years. I give my extra $ to the Salvation Army...they may have problems also, but I have never heard anything negative about them.
Just my 2 cents...thanks for listening.
TMc