Wasn't there a scandal that Red Cross had not used our 9-11 donations appropriately, but had paid the upper management billions of dollars salary instead? I am already learning of scammers taking donations for the hurricane victims, but my wallet is shut tight until I see what my government and the red cross do with money they already have. I really don't think that even a fraction of my donations after 9-11 were seen by 9-11 families. I won't give to those nicely dressed people at stoplights, either. I have seen too many con artists. I really don't know where my donations are ending up. It's sad to be jaded.
If you don't trust the Red Cross, then try to find an organization that you can trust. There are dozens of legitimate organizations doing relief work. The Salvation Army is one that immediately comes to mind. There are many other religious organizations with low overhead, such as Church World Service. Most denominations have some sort of disaster relief program. There is a list of agencies requesting donations at
I personally trust my money more with Salvation Army to see it go where I want. Way back when my dad was in the military and coming home and penniless the Red Cross would not even give him a cup of coffee and the Salvation Army gave him coffee and a meal so I guess this has always stuck in my brain. I am thinking I also heard something about the Red Cross but can't remember what. Michele
Please find an organization you do trust and make a donation. Note the later posting for quilts, blankets, sheets, etc., needed in Houston for those evacuated from NO.
Many years ago I was told a story of the Salvation Army giving a meal and a bus ticket home to a friend in need. There are many such stories, I'm sure.
I just sent my donation through the Red Cross because it was easy to do, but I'm not worried about it not being used to help victims. I said a prayer for it so God could bless it to be fully used, and I really believe it will be put to the best need. That is how our donations work, no matter where we send them. God takes care of the details. There are many places who can take the donations and use them to help..... we just need to share what we can from our end. Even one dollar can be blessed.
Every time I see a story on the news, my heart aches for the people who are still there struggling to survive. I wish there was more I could do to get them out of that water and put them in shelter and with warm meals and comfort. I'd take them all home with me if I could!!
But all I can do from here now is pray. So I will......
I have to agree with Cyndi & Michelle on this. My father always said he would never forgive the Red Cross for charging the soldiers for coffee. He said how on earth did they think these soldiers out in the battlefields had any money. Whatever I give goes to the Salvation Army.
I was fortunate to have a mentor help me understand the best ways to help other people. One of her main points was that before you write a check for an organization get involved enough in the organization so you can watch the flow of funds. This has been very valuable advise. It has also lead me to a career in volunteerism.
In this case I will not be able to go south to see my donation at work. I will have to rely on the reputation of others to decide where I give my donation.
First I can send quilts to Quilters Comfort America being organized by Quilts, Inc. (check a later post or Quilts, Inc website for info) This will help those being moved to Houston today. I will wait a few days to see what other groups with which I have worked are doing. Any good agency has funds (or credit) for helping these first few days. They will need our money in the coming weeks and months to continue to help. This need isn't going away soon.
I really like how the Quilters Comfort America stresses the urgency of this need. For someone like Karey Patterson Bresenhan, director, International Quilt Festival to say ". . . do whatever binding is the quickest, even a close zigzag stitch. You don't have to quilt it-tie it! If you have only small project, add borders. . . These quilts are not meant to be heirlooms. . . Tie them, machine quilt them, work in a group with your friends and finish several on an assembly line, do whatever it takes to get these finished quickly. THE NEED FOR THESE QUILTS IS RIGHT NOW!" Remember this is coming from the lady who is responsible for the Houston and Chicago Quilt Festivals. She normally pushes beautiful quilts, now she is saying just get them done and to Houston.
I have to stop writing and get to the post office. Overnight mail will get those old class samples to Houston by tomorrow morning.
My Grandfather (WWI) said the same things about Red Cross. He always dropped all his coins into the Salvation Army kettle (liked to hear the rattle ; ) and said "If it wasn't for them" and never finished the sentence. He always bought the Poppies that they sold...and would buy one for each one of us girls. My Dad (WWII) would always buy the poppies, too.
And I just noticed that donations can grow!! I found this on Quilts, Inc.
QUILTERS COMFORT AMERICA.
PART 1: Urgent Donations to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. We will match EVERY donation made by quilters to the American Red Cross, up to a maximum of $10,000, on a dollar for dollar basis. In other words, if you make a $25 donation, we'll match that with another $25 donation. If you make a $100 donation, we'll match that with another $100 donation, right up to the maximum. To avoid delays in your donations reaching the Red Cross, and because we have trusted quilters for more than 30 years now, just email us with the amount of your donation that you sent to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Every penny of every donation--up to $10,000--will be matched by International Quilt Festival. You have my word on that. Please use this email address: snipped-for-privacy@quilts.com and use the subject line: RED CROSS DONATION.
Howdy! Fine. For you. If that's the only problem you can find with giving to those who have nothing, and I mean NOTHING anymore, then that's your choice. There are hundreds of trustworthy, ethical, dependable charity organizations who do need the cash and will see that it is spent on what's really necessary. Here in Arlington, Texas, hundreds of miles away from the disaster areas, we have evacuees/refugees showing up at our homeless shelters and Mission Arlington; they need help. Mission Arlington is a reputable group of volunteers who set up their mission to Help People, and they do. I've already sent a check there. I also love the work done by the Salvation Army. And my church: Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. These are 3 organizations I know and trust. I know where the money went; they keep records; it's up to me to keep track. I certainly would not, have not, sat by and watched other people suffer and refused to share what I have just because there were rumors about dishonorable groups who scammed the system and stole some money. No offense intended, Cyndi. YMMV
Ragmop/Sandy--holding off on the quilts which need a home; dollars go directly to the homeless
p.s. We also have children from Lousiana, Mississippi and Alabama enrolling in our schools, with or without their school records; Reunion Arena in Dallas will be opened for the refugees/evacuees as are so many other useable, useful areas of this wonderful state
I can only speak from experience and tell you that when my neighborhood was completely devastated by a tornado (almost 400 homes damaged, many uninhabitable and needing complete rebuilds), the Red Cross was there for us and stayed for weeks feeding the workers who were clearing trees, my neighbors etc. When I said -- "my home is (more or less) habitable and they have restored electricity you don't have to feed me" they said -- you have a lot of stress right now (which was certainly true) and you need to focus on getting your life back together (mainly hundreds of hours arguing with the insurance company) and you don't need to worry about cooking and trying to get out of the subdivision to the grocery ( it could take up to an hour to get out of the subdivision because of the huge trucks hauling off debris and the phone and electric company trucks trying to restore services, never mind the random people driving around and sightseeing ... This is not to say that there aren't other reputable charities out there that need support. I can only tell you who showed up when we had a disaster.
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