Reply #7: Here come the Red Cross bashers. [View All]

Never fails. Post anything about the American Red Cross and they come out in droves. The author of this complains that we only provide emergencly relief and therefore aren't worth the donations. As far as being reimbursed by FEMA? Its no "secret" that FEMA is reimbursing the Red Cross for stepping up and providing overnight stays in hotels for survivors that GO BEYOND the one week policy of the Red Cross. We are ONLY being reimbursed for time AFTER the first week. People should be thankful we aren't throwing them out on their ass after a week and are working on THEIR behalf to make up for FEMA's lack of response. Had it been up to FEMA and Bush, shelters would have been closed after 30 days. Bush actually tried to order shelters closed.

I know first hand its a mess down there and there are those who still haven't gotten the help they need. This is a HUGE effort and until you've driven through there with in an Emergency Response Vehicle doing case management and providing meals to survivors and seen how thankful they are for a simple meal, snack, a bucket and a mop, and a voucher for a new bed and clothes you might want to get the facts straight.

From the posted article: "If it takes care of 300,000 people, that's $7,000 per victim." Lets take a look at the real numbers and not the numbers of someone who obviously has a beef with the American Red Cross.

At the height of the relief effort, the Red Cross served more than 995,000 meals in a single day.

In the first SIX weeks, a record 20 million meals and 13 million snacks were served to hurricane survivors located in 27 states.

the Red Cross has provided hurricane survivors with nearly 3.42 million overnight stays in nearly 1,100 shelters across 27 states.

To date, the Red Cross has made more than 1,633,350 mental and health contacts.

The Red Cross has distributed more than 509,060 comfort and clean up kits.

Ask anyone who just lost there house if they couldn't use an immediate 1,000-1,500 dollars to buy a bed, clothes, and pots and pans if it isn't worth it. Ask someone standing with a blanket and sometimes no clothes after a fire (which happens in the Portland area every 32 hours) if they aren't thankful for a weeks stay and a visit with a mental health counselor and an emergency relief counselor.

Get this. 219,500 Red Cross disaster relief workers from all 50 states have responded so far. The Oregon Trail Chapter in Portland Oregon has sent OVER 300 emergency response trained volunteers since the beginning of the disaster during rotating 21 day deployments to help in the relief effort. Do people think this is free? Its NOT free and donations to the Red Cross are being responsibly used to support this continuing effort.

Instead of bitching about the Red Cross and the mistakes it MAY have made in the past (most people don't know the facts), go to your local chapter, get trained, and go spend 21 days of your life helping the survivors and see if your attitude doesn't change.