Posted on 06/16/2008 6:20:36 PM PDT by LonghornFreeper
DES MOINES, Iowa - The American Red Cross said on Monday that its Disaster Relief Fund is wiped out and it's being forced to borrow money to help flood victims throughout the Midwest.
Jeff Towers, the organization's chief development officer, said the balance for domestic disaster relief efforts is zero. He said the American Red Cross would borrow to keep workers and volunteers in the field helping flood victims.
"The Red Cross remains committed to providing the scale of services that people expect of the Red Cross when disaster strikes, and the way that we are doing that right now is taking out loans to fund our response," he said during a conference call from Washington. "That's not a position we want to be in; it's obviously not sustainable."
The shortage in the organization's only domestic disaster relief fund comes as it continues flood relief efforts in soaked Iowa and ramps up its work downstream in Illinois and Missouri as more flooding is expected there. Officials said the Red Cross has 2,500 workers on the ground, 89 percent of them volunteers.
Joe Becker, senior vice president of disaster services, said the fund has been depleted over the past few years in the absence of large-scale disasters that bring attention to the relevance of the Red Cross.
"We have had a large number of mid-size disasters or silent disasters that have cost us a considerable amount of money where we've not been able to raise what it's cost us to provide that service," he said.
So far, he said the flood response in the Midwest has cost about $15 million, and Towers said it could reach as high as about $40 million.
"That's putting this in the category of a very significant disaster for the Red Cross, historically, when you would look at what we spend on relief efforts," Becker said.
Towers said the organization has raised only about $3.2 million toward the flooding response. He said it's an especially difficult time to seek funds with a troubled economy and many previous givers now reaching an age that they are on a fixed income.
He said much of what the Red Cross can expect to spend will depend on what happens down river.
"Frankly, the wild card is whether St. Louis floods or how significantly St. Louis floods," Becker said, adding that the crest there is expected to be 39 feet, about 10 feet lower than in 1993. "We're taking that as good news."
...or their use of 9/11 for other purposes in their organization or the disposal of blood donated for 9/11.
Give to the Salvation Army - directly.
After 9/11, I remember friends and classmates at school in Northern Virginia emptying their wallets and piggy banks for the Red Cross. I donated money to them, too.
Then we found out that they were diverting 9/11 donations to "administrative" purposes.
As far as I am concerned, I will never again donate to the Red Cross, and I could care less if they go belly up. I would rather send my money to Salvation Army instead.
Eff the Red Cross. See the tagline.
Hmmmm....Maybe there are consequences to violating the public trust, in the past?
-PJ
The problem with the Red Cross is that they want money - cash! We had many evacuees from Katrina in our town and we ourselves were without power and we were willing to help ... the Red Cross would not take food or other donations to help these people. I will never donate to them again!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031677/posts
Quote:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2031677/posts?page=2#2
ON THE INTERNET:
SALVATION ARMY USA
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
2 posted on June 16, 2008 12:47:30 AM PDT by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
To: All
ON THE INTERNET:
OPERATION BLESSING
http://www.ob.org
OPERATION BLESSING - DISASTER RELIEF
http://www.ob.org/_programs/disaster/disaster_index.asp
3 posted on June 16, 2008 12:50:52 AM PDT by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
To: All
ON THE INTERNET:
Snippet - Quote:
http://www.corridorrecovery.org/CedarRapidsArea.asp
We are still continuing to gather information for the website and will continue updating the site. Keep checking back for more information as new website features and community information is released!
FEMA Assistance
6/15/2008 11:42:13 AM
SIGN UP!
Apply online at www.fema.gov
Or apply by Phone: 1-800-621-FEMA (1-800-621-3362)
(TTY 1-800-462-7585 for the speech- or hearing-impaired)
Please have the following information available when you call:
A phone number and a reliable alternative in case FEMA needs to call you back
Address of the damaged property
Social Security number
Current mailing address
Brief description of damages
Insurance information (if you have insurance)
*Bank Account Information
*If you are eligible for disaster assistance, you may choose to have the assistance check deposited directly into your bank account.
Government disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate you for your entire loss. If you have insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered under your insurance policy. Some disaster aid does not have to be paid back, while other assistance may come in the form of loans.
4 posted on June 16, 2008 12:54:21 AM PDT by Cindy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse]
To: All
FEMA.GOV
http://www.fema.gov
5 posted on June 16, 2008 12:55:10 AM PDT by Cindy
Roger that.
As long as there’s still some Heineken beer left in New Orleans, there’s nothing to worry about.
Oh wait, Larry the Heineken Katrina guy got it all.
Never mind.
Last time the Red Cross gave out some mops and brooms and left. I haven't seen them this time, although they may have paid a brief visit.
Give to the Salvation Army.
Screw the Red Cross. They won’t get a cent out of me.
I know that they have flaws but I can tell you that, as a Katrina victim myself, they did help my family somewhat. The Salvation Army is for sure the best at what they do and I always!!!! give to them.
Salvation Army does far more and doesn't make a big deal about it.
Their historic misappropriation of funds appears to be coming home to roost. Or perhaps they just need some fresh money to divert.
Democrats don’t donate because it would interfere with their plan to grow government.
They won’t take my blood right now on bogus grounds. I won’t donate cash either. They say the programs are totally separate but my disgust does not distinguish.
SCREW the RED CROSS.... while I was in Iraq, my wife went into labor over a month premature, she endured 14 hours of intensive labor followed by an emergency C-Section. The baby couldn’t maintain body temp, had severe jaundice, and difficulty breathing. My wife was having difficulty breathing and recovering.
The Red Cross message read that my wife was “ill after childbirth.” My command, rightfully so, acted as if it were a minor case of the snifles. When my wife called the RC to have them update the message with the baby’s complications, the b!tch at the RC became rude and basically told my wife (still in the hospital) to go to hell. —
“Well don’t you have a follow on doctor’s appointment? Then just wait the week and see what the doctor says then, but I’m not updating what the message says now just because you don’t like it.”
SCREW THE RED CROSS.
and furthermore, maybe the gummin’t could have diverted the money they sent to Africa for AIDS. As in diverted the money from taxpayers to people in our own d@mn country.
I will keep the Army in my donations. SA gets at least a couple hundred each year and sometimes a grand from me. They are the best and seem to have the least demand. Like the Marine Corps they stretch a buck and use it very efficiently.
I, too, was a Katrina victim, and the Red Cross was the last organization that helped. We could never reach them by phone, and when they did set up a Red Cross sight, it was always in some out of the way place that was difficult to access, and they would make you jump through hoops just to get a very little help from them.
Red Cross CEO Pulled Down $651,957 Salary (2005-wonder what $ in 2008?!?)
Total Revenue FY ending 6/2003: $2,946,000,000”
There is no one, repeat no one, that is worth that kind of money let alone members of a charitable organizations who can’t or won’t fulfill even their mandate let alone are befitting of all that dough!
Just like days of old when all were duped into thinking that the kings where above others but finally when challenged to prove that they indeed were better than others they could not do it.
In this gloomy picture there yet may be glimmer of hope - naturally you will not hear much about this if at all....
“...One charity has stayed above all this for 137 years. The Salvation Army is unique among all U.S. charities for many reasons. Let’s start at the top. Commissioner Todd Bassett receives a salary just $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 Billion dollar organization. By comparison, Brian Gallagher, President of the United Way receives a $375,000 base salary (plus numerous expensive benefits) and the Red Cross President Marsha Evans receives $450,000 (the article was written in 2002 a wapping 50% increase in 1 year??) plus benefits...”
-snip-
I am totally with you on that. The Red Cross will never get a dime from me.
I don’t actually even believe that they are out of money.
Not for a minute.
I have not donated to the Red Cross since the 9/11 scandal. I now give to the Salvation Army.
I used to give all my AmEx points to SA but then they quit letting me do that. I have huge accumulated points and don’t have anything to do with them. I’m not smart enough to figure out how to do miles and don’t travel much by plane anyway, maybe once every two or three years.
well I guess the Red Cross can start cutting administrative salaries first...? right?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.