Tsunami Relief fund Could land in wrong hands - Assume only 25% of the money reaching affected??

[Incorrigible]

Getty Images is a licensing repository for images.

I should have thought before I leaped and posted the image that was somewhat modified.

[mewzilla]

...since there is nothing to buy there where the tsunami water has destroyed virtually everything.

Not everywhere, though, since the damage in some places goes only a few block in from the beaches. Encouraging the local economies is the best thing relief folks can do.

That said, I'm all for making sure that the money gets to where it's supposed to go. AFAIK, the UN, for instance, still is not permitting outside audits of any of its programs. To my mind, giving money to the UN is like pouring it down a rat hole.

[AndyJackson]

Mecessities need to be purchased like medicine, bottled water, etc. then shipped there

Even then supplies often end up under the control of corrupt officials who sell them.

[SunnySide]

I am a Christian and direct my efforts toward the SalvationArmy. They are an organiztion that has provided for poor and needy for decades, as a ministry

This is true. All a person has to do to research which charity they want to donate to is see what percentage of funds go to the actual needy and which percentage goes to the charity organizations administrations budget/salaries. If three fourths of funds go to the administration don't donate to them. The bulk of the Salvations donations actually goes to the needy and not their administration. The Salvation Army doesn't waste money on lavish landscaping, etc., for their buildings like some questionable other charities do.

[snowsislander]

Would this have anything to do with Bush bypassing the UN relief agency, and forming a group of four nations who give directly to the effected areas?

Interestingly, Governor Jeb Bush set up a separate fund for hurricane relief:

Florida Hurricane Relief Fund.

The Q&A has an interesting question/answer:

9. Would it be better to donate to Florida Hurricane Relief Fund rather than another relief organization? Donors should follow their hearts and give to the organizations of their choice. Every donation makes a tremendous difference. Many donors are giving to several organizations to assist in immediate and longer-term needs. The important message: Give. Together we can rise and rebuild.

[Snapple]

I agree the Red Cross should have made it clear that donors were giving to the Red Cross, not necessarity to the 9-11 victims.

This has been fixed. The http://www.amazon.com site specifieds that the money is going to the tsunami relief.

The Red Cross provides half the blood in the US.
That is a huge accomplishment. All charities have had their scandals from time to time. The American Red Cross did not steal the money. They just were going to use some of the 9-11 money for other emergencies.

I hope people will consider giving blood at their local blood bank. It will probably be affiliated with the Red Cross but near your local hospital.

It is good to give blood a few times a year if you can.
Drink a lot of water before you give so your veins will be full. You have to answer some questions to make sure your blood is safe. Still, you are doing a really good deed.

Red Cross does very important work.

[buffyt]

Punctuation coming right back at ya...

You said, "We dont know how the money will be spent yet. Thankfully we arent just giving them a blank check and are instead slowly ramping up the amounts as the devastation becomes more fully known...."

Don't is a contraction and requires an apostrophe. Aren't is also a contraction and is missing an apostrophe.

[SunnySide]

To my mind, giving money to the UN is like pouring it down a rat hole.


Totally agree. The U.N.ecessary rats will only divy up the donations between themselves. Business as usual.

[Admin Moderator]

Thanks for understanding.

[sukhoi-30mki]

Are you really from T.N??Agarwal & Sheila are not exactly Tamil names & it's spelt 'Aggarwal'.If you want to send money,sent it to any of the numerous private charities-infact over 65% of all donations in India & elsewhere are through private charities.

[ArmedNReady]

Thank you for your post. This does belong in "Breaking News" because you are reporting this from the area effected by the tsunami.

Your point underlines the need for monetary aid to be sent to responsible organizations to administer the aid. The UN and the International Red Cross ARE NOT responsible organizations. Responsible organizations are those who do relief work, day-in and day-out, without seeking personal gain, media attention and without badgering/insulting nations and their people into giving money. A few such responsible organizations are the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, Catholic Relief Services and many other faith-based organizations who do this type of work out of personal commitment rather than selfpromotion.

Thank you again and I wish the best for your fellow countrymen at this terrible time.

[blu]

Mike, I don't think the author speaks English as a native tongue. Mayhap we could ease up on the newbies?

[pepsionice]

If the UN gets the money...then it will filter through for weeks and months before it gets to the source...and it will drain at least a quarter of the sum out for office expense and airline travel for the managers of the fund. By going to the group of four...GW has really hindered the UN efforts to filter money. The EU will likely take the same route and avoid any UN action.

[FITZ]

This is why the leftist talking heads and the MSM whores are all demanding everyone send cash!

Yes --- cash is suspicious. Whenever a charity doesn't want clothes and blankets and food --- you have to wonder.

[Vinnie]

If you want to give to the American Red Cross and earmark it for the tsunami victims and you have an account at ....

Yeah, just like earmarking the funds for 9/11 victims worked.

I really hate to be so jaded but I don't trust the Red Cross anymore.

[gg188]

I posted this on a thread last night:

Anyone want to take a guess at what percentage of the hundreds of millions in aid goes to a) layers of Thai, Indonesian, Sri Lankan, etc., politicos and bureaucrats, from the national down to the local level, and b) United Nations-related agencies, where it's skimmed at every level of the U.N., top to bottom, and used to fund the U.N.'s obscene salaries, bureaucracy and operating costs.

Annan is now said to have cancelled his vacation and rushed to the scene. Too much money is at stake for the UN not to have the top guy there to supervise the haul.

In Sri Lanka, for example, one area of the country is controlled by "rebels", through whom all aid providers must go. And I am sure these "rebels" will pass through the supplies to the needy, selflessly and philanthropically. Right.

And the policital corruption in these third-world countries is beyond the comprehension of even the most cynical Westerners. You have never seen personal greed and selfishness until you see the struggles in third-world countries.

Basically, this event is going to provide political hacks, despots, and terror groups with an unprecedented opportunity to grab money from the developed world.

Finally, I also wonder how much of the aid will end up in the coffers of terror orgs?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"Shipping from here is costly..Give money to a trusted agency."

I understand that. I'd rather chip in for shipping than hand cash over to crooks. The cost will be split by a bunch of us through church, but thanks for the thought. :)

[sukhoi-30mki]

Being in India & having seen the aid effort close to first hand,I can say that the Charities do have a point in refusing food & blankets.There are a lot of blankets & clothes arriving in my place(Cochin in Kerala),which isn't really necessary given that most people have adequate materials with them.Tarpaulins,medicines & disinfectants are more essential & they are not arriving.That's the rationale for many charities(including one I trust) choose to refuse material donations.

I think the way for you would be to donate to only one charity or group of charities,whose accountability you trust & about which you have clear knowledge.

[COBOL2Java]

"Those are good questions, but I must say, to borrow phrases from the people who were supposed to be President and First Lady, it's none of your business, so go shove it, you scumbag!"

[xzins]

Thanks, Incor.