Does anyone here on DU have some Good "Red Cross" Relief Stories?

[KoKo]

I for one need to hear or see some video clips before I donate to them...even though they are the "Charity of Choice" for AOL/Time Warner and EVERYWHERE.

I have withheld donating to them because I don't see any video or reports that they are anywhere. But, I had to turn alot of it off..couldn't handle it.

BTW: CBS/Schieffer and Company are really going hard at Bush...given what we've seen some of us could think it's Pro Bush...but I didn't see it that way.

[KoKo]

1. Jon Roberts says "IT'S TOO LITTLE TOO LATE!" Good ...it was too little

too late...for sure...I'm impressed with this coverage...it shows the horrible disaster.

[Extend a Hand]

2. we are giving to

Veterans for Peace , who currently have a soup kitchen in LA

and Habitat for Humanity.

I've just seen to many accounts of bureaucratic SNAFU's from red cross to be comfortable with them (except for donating blood)

[Spazito]

3. I have only seen clips of the President of the Red Cross

in terms of clips, I haven't seen any clips of specific Red Cross shelters but the media aren't too swift in saying who the shelters are run by so it makes it hard to know.

Edited to add: I decided to send my donation to the Louisiana Governor's The Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation, it seemed to me it would go more directly to the people, both short term and long term.

[2Design]

4. not good

I have seen after a tornado when people needed immediate cash for clothing housing etc - because they had insurance

lived across the street from section 8 house
It burnt to the ground (kid had been playing with matches) red cross said they could help with one or two nights housing but the girl and kids needed to move in with family - the girl said the family was not a good place for her and kids

they do set up places for people to get food and shelter but you have to be able to drive to that place

some other choices
2nd harvest gets food to people right away
habitat for humanity is planning on building several houses- they help many poor

Red Cross has already gotten HUGE donations but I never saw them in new orleans helping those 50,000 people who had many die of starvation and dehydration -

with 911 they only gave small portion to victims rest went to a war fund

[Celebration]

5. experience with Red Cross

In Memphis they are acting as a sort of clearing house for disaster aid. They have mobilized a lot of volunteers. There are long lines of people that register and then have to come back for food and clothing vouchers. There is plenty of food and water. It is mainly for immediate emergency relief. There are handouts on shelters, apartments--hurricane victims were returned with signed forms regarding apartments. Some of the victims needed only gas money but all vouchers were gone. Immediate medical needs were taken care of if they were emergencies. Others were sent to the Church Health Center.

One family told me to tell everyone to donate directly to families. It isn't as if the Red Cross was handing out money to anyone. A guy from the neighborhood came by wanting to help just one family personally and I told him of the folks that needed to fill the car up with gasoline to get back to Baton Rouge.

If I had the money I would have given a hundred bucks to everyone standing in line. And these were the hurricane victims who *mostly* got out early, and had cars and cell phones. One guy was a high school math teacher who wanted to start substituting but all his records are underwater at New Orleans University.

The Red Cross can probably use the money. But if there is any activity in your area some of the local churches might be a better place.

[nine23]

6. I have a bit of news from Canada if it helps...

This morning on my clock radio wake-up there was a report about 200-odd Canadian Red Cross relief workers working along side the American Red Cross in one of the "parish" locales just north of NO. (please pardon my geographical ignorance). Apparently, they're all going full steam with relief efforts (food, clothing, triaging/documenting folks "onward", etc.), and apparently they continue to be busy +++, as this is one of the first *dry* communities just outside/north of town.

That's all I've heard from my locale. Please keep in mind/keep it in context: this is what they do, they're not *front line rescue*, so to speak. From my perspective, it sounded like they were doing what they were set up to do...at least in part.

I'll try to find a link for you...

[Nikki Stone 1]

7. YES, my friend from Lacombe was helped by the Red Cross--She loves them

Lacombe is on the north side of the lake, near Slidell. The Red Cross may have been kept out of the city, but they were in the suburbs.

They were in two Red Cross shelters in nothern St. Tammany parish. In the first, the roof started coming off during the hurricane . So the Red Cross hustled everyone into cars IN the hurricane--to bring them to another shelter a half mile away--a half mile drive took forever because they had to cut trees that were in the road.

They were brought to a school and as they were going into the school, the roof of its gym collapsed! They ended up staying in another part of the school until the end of the storm.

The Red Cross was very good in northern St. Tammany parish.

[KoKo]

8. Keep kicked for Positive Red Cross Personal Stories!

:kick:

[Winston702]

9. Report from San Antonio

Friend worked 36 hours straight. Left for home with coworkers and found that 5 of their cars were stolen.

Guy in town closed up his restaraunt for the day and made over 4,000 breakfast burritos to donate. He brought them in and the evacuees said "that's nasty. We want hamburgers and pizza!!"

Sad to say, but it is true.