You Probably Should Not Use the Red Cross to Help Texas
By Erick Erickson | August 31, 2017, 05:00am | @ewerickson
The Red Cross has, in the past number of years, increasingly looked like a giant ponzi scheme and there is more and more evidence it is failing to help people while helping itself. For example, as ProPublica has noted, the Red Cross will not reveal how much it spent to help people after Hurricane Sandy, calling it a “ trade secret.” But publicly there is not a great deal of evidence that it did much good.
In Louisiana and Mississippi after historic flooding, the Red Cross left local officials griping about its efforts. Internally at the Red Cross, employees are concerned about its leadership. The Senate is expressing concerns that Red Cross leadership might have misled Congress. And now in Texas, local officials are suggesting people give money elsewhere as the Red Cross has bollixed up its own relief plans.
The Red Cross claims it gives most of its money to help in relief efforts, but there is a growing body of evidence that the Red Cross does not such thing. It benefits from its branding and slick television advertisements. But nationally the Red Cross is raising eyebrows.
You really, really need to read this series of tweets from ProPublica about the Red Cross. [ twitter.com ] They raise serious, legitimate concerns and those concerns raise the question of why Fortune 500 companies are encouraging people to give to the Red Cross.
I recommend two organizations that give 100% of all donations raised to relief efforts. The first is the North American Mission Board, which was the first organization on the ground in New Orleans after Katrina beating even the Army and FEMA.
I also unreservedly recommend the Salvation Army, which stays in areas hit by disaster long after others leave.
In the past I have recommended Samaritan’s Purse, but given Franklin Graham’s politics of late, I am hesitant to recommend them. I say that not because I don’t think they do good, but because I think Franklin Graham’s apologetics for President Trump make some people uncomfortable with giving to his organization. I would rather recommend two groups that do not have leaders aggressively engaged in the politics of the day than spend my time having to defend Graham and Samaritan’s Purse in order to persuade people to open their wallets to help others.
I don’t have to defend NAMB or the Salvation Army to get people to donate.
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Send Relief and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) teams began responding before Hurricane Harvey made landfall, deploying hundreds of crisis buckets and sending other supplies that would be needed in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Now we have been asked to assist in the care of up to 60,000 displaced Texans in addition to preparing thousands of hot meals and performing mud-out, chainsaw and cleaning services to restore survivors’ homes.
SBDR teams will be on the ground for months to come. Will you join us in supporting our volunteers as they work tirelessly to care for strangers, neighbors, families and friends?
Any donation will equip our volunteers to operate units and provide hot showers, fresh laundry, homemade meals and a kind face to confide in. It’s only possible through your generosity.
Be part of Christ’s love in action, today. And please pray for those affected by Hurricane Harvey’s destruction. Thank you.
Send Hope. Send Help. Send Relief.
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Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) has provided help, healing and hope in the midst of disaster since 1967.
People like you have invested their time to become trained Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers to respond when disaster strikes. They are 70,000 strong from every state in the U.S. and Canada.
Through your prayers, support and giving, you help SBDR volunteers prepare millions of hot meals and reach tens of thousands of survivors with the love of Christ through compassionate service in times of severe need.
You can join them by contacting your state Baptist convention SBDR director at this link.
Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) provides more than an immediate response to crisis; SBDR volunteers remain long term to rebuild communities
Southern Baptists have had a great presence in every major disaster rebuilding effort in the United States for the past 10 years – New York, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Colorado, Michigan, South Carolina and Texas to name a few.
To give to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, you may:
Donate NowDonate through your Southern Baptist state convention.Call 866-407-NAMB (6262)Mail checks to:NAMB
P.O. Box 116543
Atlanta, GA 30368-6543
Designate checks for “Disaster Relief”
Facebook: SBC Disaster Relief
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