AHaugeto

TTT

reneeinva

I just donated online and I takes all of a minute or two to do.

I hate hurricanes.

blacktie

Making certain your money gets to the homeless is easy - as suggested, donate through a local church.

On related issue: IRS announced last week they are analyzing over 2,000 not-for-profits on their salaries, perks and expenses. Will Red Cross be included?

Regarding 9/11: as already mentioned, citizens donated hundreds of millions, but Red Cross was slow in distributing significant funds to survivors who qualified. Matter of record.

Suzanne_Valadon

It might be more appropriate for those who disapprove of the Red Cross to post their own thread and keep this one on the subject of Hurricane Relief.

GoTravel

I agree Suzanne.

It's pathetic that whatever questionable thing that has happened in the past has overshadowed the overwhelming amount of good they do.

Where would the rest of the world be without the Red Cross?

blacktie

Well then, why don't you post the discussion guideliness at the start of threads? If you look back, several have mentioned Red Cross issues, freely exchanging information. I didn't get a sense that anyone actively urged posters to boycott RC. Is there perhaps a bit of over reaction going on here? People are afterall free to express reasonable views, even views that make certain posters uncomfortable. IMHO.

Cassandra

It would seem to me that you don't need published guidelines to know that mean-spirited posts are not called for. In this case, trying to discredit the Red Cross is, indeed, self-evidently mean-spirited.

wagonwheel

ttt

Dick

Questioning how charitable contributions (to any group) will be spent is not mean spirited.

It is being and informed.

GoTravel

If you are questioning the Red Cross, go to www.Give.org. It is the BBB's site and rates the Red Cross. With an anual budget of over $4 Billion dollars they do pretty well.

http://www.give.org/reports/arc.asp

blacktie

I suppose one's perspective is largely an experience thing. Lets just say some of us have witnessed both the good and bad side of charitable organizations, and we still support them. Having worked for a former pres. of the RC, I'll simply stand on what I've said, having heard this person raise precisely the same issue while in that office. I've already sent my contribution via RC. I assume you have as well. Have a good day.

Cassandra

You'll notice from my earlier post, I did indeed already contribute.

Questioning the policies and procedures of charitable groups is not mean-spirited in itself -- there are unquestionably huge abuses (invited, IMHO, by our tax laws governing supposed "non-profits"). But chosing this particular event, this particular appeal for help, this particular expression of support for Floridians to raise negatives -- that is mean-spirited.

Take up the argument elsewhere and some other time.

Scarlett

Dick, you are right. Everyone should have some knowledge of the organizations to which they send contributions.

I agree with Suzanne also, the topic of this thread is more in regards to helping people affected by the Hurricane, than the merits of the Red Cross.

Keeping this at the top and hopefully On The Subject ~

blacktie

Cassandra, step back, take a deep breath and relax. And re-read the posts. No one here is half excited as you are. Do you have some issue with taxation of charities? I'm actually not sure what your issue is. So, perhaps you ought to use that energy to write another check. My own goal is to send some money each day to help in FL. I'm using both RC and the local churches. LOL, presumably acceptable to you! Have a nice day. Gosh, I think that's on the subject, gt;

Scarlett

I think everyone who is volunteering and donating to the Victims of this Hurricane and any other tragedies are the Best! It says a lot about a person when they are so caring and giving.
But I hope that no one reading these posts feels that they have to say that they are donating, sending checks, etc.
That is no ones business and I would hate to think someone would feel that they need to talk about if they donate.
The world is full of good and kind people and we know who you are

nanb

Did this a couple days ago.
Feels great to help, even in this "small" way.

Blacktie

LOL, better re-read yours ... you know what they say about the paste outta the tube.

Jayne11159

We are donating all of the provisions we didn't use. I've been waiting to see which organization that has been collecting them has been the most effective in distributing them. So far it looks like Walmart.

The relief agencies are concerned that after this first wave of help, and as it gets less and less press, the donations of needed supplies will dwindle as well. I'm planning to wait until the end of the week to take ours. When the press moves on to the next hot topic, many of these people will still be without life's everyday necessities.

I wish there was some way to go door-to-door in the areas highly populated by the elderly. There was a story on the news last night about a mail carrier taking frozen bottles of water along the parts of her route that were driveable and giving each elderly resident a bottle. Even though their homes are intact, without AC the heat is unbearable and these people were obviously so grateful just to get a little relief from ice cold water. So many of the elderly cannot get out for help and depend on others to come to them. I worked for an agency that served the elderly in all of the counties affected and I know where they live and it's frustrating to not be able to just load of a few hundred bottles and go but they don't want individuals adding to the controlled chaos.

SwimChick

The Lowe's company is matching their customer's contributions to the Red Cross. I don't know if it is in all of their stores or only in SW FL, however I do know that you can also donate on line at www.lowes.com.