something about the REd Cross ads..

[Peytonn]

something about the REd Cross ads rub me the wrong way (at least here)... it makes me feel like they're saying if you're not giving CASH directly to them... then you're not helping...

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

Oh well.

[not2late]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

The Red Cross will buy supplies with the money you provide them, so what your money buys will go to the survivors. And in a way it makes sense not to hand out cash---afterall, the stores have been looted, so where will these people get food and clothing?

[Peytonn]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

there's a local drive for shampoo, deo, bug spray, diapers etc.. and a guy who owns an 18 wheeler is driving it over.. (it's going to a church housing several hundred families)...

I spent money buying a bunch of that stuff.......

but somehow I worry that only a tiny percentage.. if any gets to the people when we donate to these big things like Red Cross... I mean.. the office space isn't free.. their corporate salaries... etc. etc... and then it's like what price to they pay for the things they buy?

I know I can get 5 toothbrushes at dollar tree for $1...... do they spend $5 per toothbrush?

it's sad that I don't trust them now...I think more and more people are willing to donate things on a more 'personal' level..... where somebody we know actually SEES the people get the stuff we bought

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

I agree Peytonn. I would rather buy tangibles to donate than to have part of my money help fund salaries and office supplies. I remember the big scandal with the United Way and I think of that everytime a charity organization tries to shame me into giving them cold hard cash. I am more than ready to help by giving food/toiletries and the like!

[Peytonn]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

I"m not saying they should hand out cash......

they're collecting food here too... clothes next week.....

I'm saying of every $100 donated... how much BUYS stuff for people....? and at what price?

If I am able to buy it directly.... and have it sent directly... by people I know... it makes me feel like I've done MORE...

I'm probably dead wrong... but after 9-11 and the PROVEN misappropriation of funds... I just don't trust them now

[Peytonn]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

and I'd feel really stupid if I learned they could buy a CASE of shampoo for what I paid for 5 bottles... but.. it's a chance I take...

I bought some GOOD stuff... wal-mart had white rain shampoo with the bonus 25% free for 88 cents... and deo/anti-perspirant.. good stuff that I personally use.. for 90 something cents a stick

the only item I bought that was over $1 was the mouthwash... I bought a few bottles at wally world.. then went to dollar tree and bought more (a bit smaller).. for $1 each..

and feminine products... I know how I freak if I don't have enough tampons etc.. at my age you'd think I'd be menopausal....it's worse now than ever.... I can't imagine ladies without those things..... so I bought those too...

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

We just got a memo that our company gave a One Million Dollar grant to the Red Cross!

[Peytonn]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

and THAT'S pretty cool! that corp. to corp stuff doesn't bother me .... it's way better than if corp. #2 gave nothing at all.....

[Finelly]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

The thing is, when you give to the Red Cross, unless you specifically designate it for the Hurricane relief effort in Mississippi or Louisiana, it won't necessarily go there.........

We experienced this problem in San Diego two years ago during the huge wildfires. People donated tons of money and very little went to the actual victims.

[LindaJay]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

In defense of the Red Cross (no relationship, etc. just my opinion) -- somebody has to pay for overhead or the work wouldn't get done. Somebody has to pay the phone bill, pay for the trucks that deliver the supplies, pay for the supplies that no one donates (so you get 12 million bottles of shampoo and no diapers?) etc.

When you are running relief efforts of this magnitude, the amount of time and effort it takes to sort hundreds of thousands of individual items that have been donated and make sure they are what people need is a huge undertaking -- and there is not a huge volunteer base to do all that work -- so the Red Cross has to hire people to manage that process - -which is yet another overhead expense.

Sometimes a donation of money to a RELIABLE organization is the best thing we can do. There will always be people within any organization that do something crooked and give the organization a bad rep, but that is why non-profits are required to file reports showing what percentage of donations go toward overhead and admin.

I just hate to see the Red Cross dissed when they are asking for what they need to get the job done.

[Finelly]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

I just hate to see the Red Cross dissed when they are asking for what they need to get the job done.

They already had what they needed to get the job done. ANd they quite obviously haven't and aren't doing the job.

[womanpraised]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

I agree that someone has to facilitate. I believe, personally, that is what local organizations, faith groups, and social orgs are for. Smaller executive salaries, or none, if it is a volunteer organization, person to person care, less overhead. If a church is distributing donations, or a synagouge, or a mosque, the pastor/rabbi/etc doesnt increase their pay for it, the building doesnt cost more, and the community volunteers the time.

This is a personal pet peeve of mine, I spent a good number of years in non-profit, and the folks at the top were profiting big time, some of them, and the fees for our services could be outrageous.

The Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way, do serve a purpose. For me, I prefer a more local organization.

But I am this way across the board, stuff like this, community programs, aide services (like the local food pantry), esl or reading programs... I love to see these things at the community level instead of wasting bazillions of dollars trickling from Washington to the local library.

[mamakimberly]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

I've personally been volunteering time and resources (food, toiletries, meals, clothing, etc...) locally because there are so many refugees here in our local hotels, shelters, sports arenas. There are so many people here in Dallas it is overwhelming at times.

It does feel better to do something on a personal level when possible.

[sadie147]

Re: something about the REd Cross ads..

When you are running relief efforts of this magnitude, the amount of time and effort it takes to sort hundreds of thousands of individual items that have been donated and make sure they are what people need is a huge undertaking -- and there is not a huge volunteer base to do all that work -- so the Red Cross has to hire people to manage that process - -which is yet another overhead expense.

I asked this in another thread as well, thought i'd ask here too. I understand that the volunteer agencies are needed there as well, but what about FEMA? Not being sarcastic, but i'm Canadian and not really familiar with them, from what i've seen on TV i get the impression that they are a gov't funded agency that is supposed to pull together these rescue/relief efforts? I thought their purpose was specifically major catastrophes/natural disasters etc. am i wrong (i very well could be..just the impression i'm getting)?

From what I see from this side of the border (I'm watching the US news/cnn reports) I would be questioning the fed gov't and their responise time/effort if i was there, not the Red Cross. That's just my opinion from how i see it from here.