I can't believe the Email my Dad sent me

[HEyHEY]

I emailed him and asked him if he had donated to the REd Cross.
HEre's his reply.

"Years ago I said I would not donate to the red cross because the chair gets paid in excess of $500,000 a year and more than 50% of donations are eaten up in administration.

I have other reasons for not donating this time. Throwing money is a gut reaction not the answer. Right now there are doctors sitting in airports waiting and unable to get a flight. I will explain when I see you."

I sent him and email back saying why money is needed.

[oneighty]

1. Why is your Dad wrong?

180

[HEyHEY]

2. Medical supplies, fuel for generators, food

All have to be purchased. Unfortunately no-one donates this kind of stuff.

[Fiona]

3. His facts are wrong

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm/bay/search.summary/orgid/3277.htm

OVERALL RATING:

(64.11)

 
 
 

ORGANIZATIONAL EFFICIENCY
 
 

    Fundraising Efficiency $0.19
 

     Fundraising Expense 3.7%
 

    Program Expenses 91.1%
 

    Administration Expenses 5.2%

[HEyHEY]

4. Thansk!

I just email that link to him....that'll shut him up..for once. ;-)

[oneighty]

9. Google Healy President red cross

She Left Red Cross with 1.9 million in her pocket.

She created a special fund for 911 only 60 percent of donations reached their intended purpose.

When I was shipping out for Korea in 1952 hundreds of us were standing in a huge warehouse waiting to board a troop ship. Salvation Army was giving away coffee and donuts. Red Cross was selling coffee and donuts.

Some years later (Still in the Navy) Red Cross loaned me 26 dollars to go on emergency leave for a funeral. The docked my pay and took back 52 dollars.

Perhaps your Dad has seen these things too.

Donate to Doctors with out boarders. Donate to American Friends Service Committee.

180

[HEyHEY]

10. Thanks 180 - I'll take that into consideration

[lumpy]

16. I have heard many servicemen

since WW2 tell stories as you describe. Red Cross administraters make a good living, they are NOT donating their time. In the 50s my sister, who lived in a small Cal. community, was pulling down $400 month ( pretty good salary for those times). She spent an average of 15 hours a week at her office(of one) 'administering' funds for occasional servicemen's needs. Plum job. I ceased donating to RC many years ago. There are plenty of other organizations who donate time, money and effort into helping those in need.

[BamaGirl]

21. This is why our money goes elsewhere

Anyone who wants to give to a military related charity should go to AER (Army Emergency Relief, almost exclusively used by family members) or the other service relief funds. I stick to AER, the UW, and I'll have to check out Doctors Without Borders.

[Booster]

26. I donated to the Red Cross even though they are not one of

my favorite charities. On your suggestion, I just donated to Doctors Without Boarders. Thanks for reminding me of them; from now on they will get my donations.

[jwirr]

27. These are the things I have

heard about Red Cross also. They have a tendency to charge for any help they give and hold back money given for one disaster for use in another possible emergency. I will be donating to DoctorsWithoutBorders.

[jdj]

22. yes, tell him this is one of MANY online sites that rate charities.

Since we no longer have to get in our car and go to the library to find info like this anymore, there really is no excuse for ignorance like this anymore.

The internet is a wonderful thing, as long as you are discerning.

[nashville_brook]

5. i kinda agree with your dad

but the answer is to find a better org to donate to.

[Maraya1969]

6. My Stepfather said the same thing about the CEO

But when I went to their website they had some badge thing saying that they were considered one of the best charities.

I do know that the Red Cross shows up. They were here in Florida this summer helping people all over the state.

After Charley hit we were without electricity for a week. It was an electric company from some state up north that finally got ours turned on. I cannot tell you how heart warming it was to know that these people drove hours and hours to come down and help us. I wish I had taken the time to thank them personally.

I think it is important to know who you are giving to but maybe it is more important just to give.

[roguevalley]

7. have him send to www.etan.org. they are the best on the ground

organization for getting relief to the right people in Asia. They were on democracy.org. They give all of it to the causes they help.

[Vektor]

8. That picture...

...is the cutest thing I have ever seen.

[Rockerdem]

11. My ultra liberal BIL feels the same way

My brother in law is a hardcore, unapologetic socialist. Right after 9-11, he was riding with me in my car. We stopped at an intersection where some Red Cross volunteers were collecting aid relief. He rolled down his window and started lecturing them about the RCs high overhead expenses and how they were in it for themselves.

I found out later that he was right about the high overhead and cushy salaries. But it didnt make that red light seem any shorter at the time. We got a lot of bad looks and I wanted to melt away.

[LiberalEsto]

12. We just donated to Mercy Corps

My husband says they are much better at getting the funds directly to the victims.

[TreasonousBastard]

13. Half a million for...

running something as big as the Red Cross is pretty close to chump change. Let's see an ad agency, retail chain, candy company, airline, insurance company, or even a big car dealership get someone to run it for that.

Just because it's a nonprofit doesn't mean you don't have to pay for talent. Of course, you can always get someone like Bob Dole's wife to run it and take the pay cut for future "benefits."

Be that as it may, though, when you get that big, and that political, things do tend to get a little sloppy. You should see what the United Fund wasted money on.

But, he's right that there's no immediate rush to send money. It will take a little while to assess things so that they know where the money has to be spent.

BTW, AFSC is sharing their money with the Mennonites, who don't waste a penny and already had teams on the spot doing other work.

AFSC, Mennonite Central, and Doctors Without Borders are my personal choices.

[HippieCowgirl]

14. Don't forget the UUSC

The Unitarian Universalist Service Committee is taking donations to help people impacted by the disaster. They have a program in India which can get aid to people directly.

more info at http://www.uusc.org/info/article123004.html

[Goose1963]

15. I evaluate like your father

I try not to give to charities where I don't know exactly where the money goes. Or, ethical situations arise. It gets worse, throw money in the basket at the Catholic Church it goes to huge legal bills for pedophiles (esp. L.A.,BOSTON, Philly), billions.

I try to give Blood to the Red Cross every chance possible, every 60 days or so. Tell your father they are at a critical low right now, they need blood donations.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BillZBubb]

17. Your dad is a wise man.

The Red Cross is a cesspool. He's wrong about the percentages, but right about the essence.

Think Elizabeth Dole and then Healey. What makes it even less appealing is that it is a Repug front group. I won't give them a nickel.

[Piperay]

24. Yeah, I would never

give to the Red Cross, that money has a way of being diverted to things it is not intended for.

[Straight Shooter]

19. My .02 worth, give to Doctors Without Borders.

They don't just talk the talk, they walk the walk.

With Red Cross, Elizabeth Dole is the first thing that comes to my mind. And with that, it just as rapidly leaves.

[hunter]

20. Note to posters on this thread...HEyHEY is in CANADA.

The U.S. American Red Cross and the Canadian Red Cross are slightly different beasts.

In my opinion you can do a lot worse than donating to the Red Cross.

My own guess is that U.S. tax dollars directed towards this disaster are going to fare much, much worse than any dollars donated to the Red Cross.

At this very moment there are people in the Bush administration thinking "How are we going to profit from this?" and lamenting that this disaster has disrupted their carefully choreographed "news cycle."

[CHIMO]

23. Yes

And the new head to be of the Canadian Red Cross was recently on TV stating his references for the job.

Because he had worked with the military and much of the RC work involves co-ordination with the military he feels that he is well suited for the position.

[SmokingJacket]

25. He has a small point.

I don't know about the Red Cross's numbers, but if he donates later rather than now, that could be a good thing. Lots of times donations drop of right when things like disease start to set in...