Red Cross' Secret Disaster: Huff Post, Pro Publica

[Stuart G]

http://www.propublica.org/article/the-red-cross-secret-disaster

by Justin Elliott and Jesse Eisinger, ProPublica, and Laura Sullivan, NPR
October 29, 2014

In 2012, two massive storms pounded the United States, leaving hundreds of thousands of people homeless, hungry or without power for days and weeks.

Americans did what they so often do after disasters. They sent hundreds of millions of dollars to the Red Cross, confident their money would ease the suffering left behind by Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Isaac. They believed the charity was up to the job.

They were wrong.

The Red Cross botched key elements of its mission after Sandy and Isaac, leaving behind a trail of unmet needs and acrimony, according to an investigation by ProPublica and NPR. The charity’s shortcomings were detailed in confidential reports and internal emails, as well as accounts from current and former disaster relief specialists.

What’s more, Red Cross officials at national headquarters in Washington, D.C. compounded the charity’s inability to provide relief by “diverting assets for public relations purposes,” as one internal report puts it. Distribution of relief supplies, the report said, was “politically driven.” During Isaac, Red Cross supervisors ordered dozens of trucks usually deployed to deliver aid to be driven around nearly empty instead, “just to be seen,” one of the drivers, Jim Dunham, recalls.
____________________________________________________________________________________________

This one is very ugly. It is a long read, but very well documented. Shows real incompetence and self indulgence. I read about this a couple of years ago in relation to another disaster. Red Cross has done this before, and evidently, no improvement according to this report.

[bemildred]

1. Charity organizations and religious institutions make excellent rackets.

And that sort of thing is particularly pernicious because it delegitimizes the honest ones.

[Stuart G]

2. Sadly, you are correct.

Red Cross, according to this story, is so incompetent that it doesn't know how to deploy its workers. That is something that it should have a lot of expertise in. And as you said, it hurts the honest charities, that do know what they are doing. This is truly an ugly and significant story in my opinion. Also, among most people, the Red Cross has a sterling reputation of helping others and being there. I hope everyone reads this.

[adirondacker]

5. +1000. nt

[shrike]

3. Doesn't surprise me in the least

I've heard anecdotes about the Red Cross for years, from people who'd lost their homes to flooding, and even from folks who'd experienced Katrina. Anecdotal only, but not ONE of these people had anything good to say about the Red Cross. It's a shame, with as much power as this organization has, and with its long history, you'd think they'd have their act together by now.

[Chakaconcarne]

4. Red Cross was taken over by a Republican

CEO. I remember when it happened. . They were going to run it like a corporation. Many saw the end to what was once a good agency.