Be Cautious in Giving Money for Katrina Relief

B

butch50

New member
With the recent catastrophe from Katrina, we should all recognize the sad but certain fact that the con and scam artists will start emerging from the debris. Be very careful that you do not donate money to various organizations until it is identified that they are legitimate. Some of these “humanitarian“ organizations will be nothing more than con artists. Some are legitimate to an extent, but spend more money on high administrative salaries and non-essential spending than they do on the people who need help and support. Be careful where you send your support. If you aren't sure about an organization, then donate through an organization that you are sure of.

I hate to say it, but it will happen, if you are careful it will not happen to you.
 
Got a very strange email plea today, from an obviously offshore email addy. It ended with something like, "Concerned about who we are? Then donate to [RedCross Site Inserted]".

I'm fairly certain they'd have been satisfied with the "donations" that weren't "concerned". Animals abound.
Rich
 
Red Cross ? During 9/11 many gave to the RC specifically for 9/11 victims and families only to find that much of the money went into their general fund.
 
mete-
My understanding is that they have changed that policy and allow you now to specifically earmark funds (much due to the unrelenting pressure of FOX and Bill O'Reilly).

If anyone can confirm or dispute this, I'd appreciate it much.
Rich
 
Regarding the Red Cross's use of funds, if you are donating through the Red Cross website, as Rich says, you can specify what effort they will direct the funds to:
See: https://give.redcross.org/?hurricanemasthead

And according to the CharityNavigator link that I posted above, they have 35,000 employees and still get 91.1% of their donation funds directed at external programs (as opposed to say adminstration and fundraising). Their overall rating in CharityNavigator is 60.36 out of 70.

I happened to donate to the Red Cross through Amazon.com's one click donation, when you click on that link that greets you when you enter Amazon, it will designate your money for the Hurricane 2005 program as well.
 
The three best relief organizations are Mennonite Hurricane Relief, Catholic Social Services and Salvation Army. IMHO the Red Cross United Way and other high profile organizations may skim too much off the top.
 
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