When my grandad was in the air force helping flood victims the RC had wagons out selling coffee and donuts. Salvation Army girls were staggering over mud and silt to bring them coffee and sandwiches for free. He hates the RC to this day.
My father told a similar story about being in the Army Air Corps in WW2; to his dying day, he never supported the Red Cross because of it.
Same thing in southern Illinois during floods in the 1950s. Ten cents for a cup of coffee from the kids helping sandbag the levees.
Sums it up for me.
Salvation Army? Yes
Red Cross? Not a chance...
Similar story with my dad, who was in the Pacific. He said Red Cross would give free donuts, coffee and pencil and paper to the officers, but enlisted men were turned away and told to go see the Sallies (Salvation Army), which he and the other enlisted did.
He loved the Sallies from hence-day forth, and left a large chunk of money to them when he passed. He had nothing but contempt for the Red Cross, and would get almost furious when he saw their ads on TV. He made sure all of us kids knew exactly what he thought of the Red Cross.