The Red Cross

[Don Corleone]

My point is, everybody's first reaction is 'give money to the Red Cross'. My employer is going around telling everyone that they'll match donations, but only if you give to the Red Cross. How is making the local Red Cross president rich helping anybody in New Orleans? There are plenty of organizations that are doing a lot down in New Orleans, such as the Salvation Army that don't charge for their aid and do make certain that funds collected for a specific relief campaign go to that effort (two things the Red Cross has been nailed on more than once).

I mean, I wish there was someplace else I could donate blood. We only have Red Cross blood banks around here, and selling blood to hospitals (which I give them for free) is a huge cash cow for them.

[KukriKhan]

The woman who chaired the San Diego county Red Cross during the brushfires 2 years ago (who put the donations into a general slush fund, instead of spreading them as intended by the donors) was fired, and prosecuted. The new guy knows better, and now any donations made here get an automatic "ear-marking" question:

Do you want to direct your contribution to:
a) Katrina
b) tsunami
c) Kukri's beer fund :)
etc (they currently have a list of 10 suggested projects, I think; and donors can specify 'other' or 'general fund' if they prefer). I guess they've learnt their lesson here locally.

My experience with the national RC has all been positive.