The American Red Cross - 2015

[Lamplighter]

Have you seen this tv commercial for the Red Cross ?


[/sarcasm]So the Red Cross gave her a toothbrush !
The fire in question was 1983, and maybe the RC did help her family back then.
But my reaction to this "PR" is close to revulsion.

As a kid, I heard WWII vets say things like...
"During the war, the Red Cross made me pay for a cup of coffee and doughnut."
I thought those were trivial complaints, given all that the Red Cross does... like blood transfusions,
disaster relief, helping members of the military get home for family emergencies, etc.

But during my time in state government, I started seeing problems.
Finally, when the hurricane hit New Orleans, I saw that the Red Cross was missing-in-action,
and the significant "disaster relief organization" was the Salvation Army.

Since before then and after, the Red Cross has come under serious criticism.
Here are 2 links, one about the nation's blood supply and and one about the organization and $.

ProPublica - Lena Groeger - Feb. 2, 2012,
$10 Million Fine on Red Cross Highlights Its Troubled History of Blood Services

A few weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration hit the American Red Cross
with a nearly $10 million fine for safety violations, lax oversight and faulty testing of its blood services.
The fine is just the latest of more than a dozen the Red Cross has racked up in the last decade.
<snip>

At blood center, big salaries are back
Orlando Sentinel - August 2, 2014|Scott Maxwell, Taking Names

Four years ago, Florida's Blood Centers was in the midst of turmoil and controversy that ultimately cost the CEO her job.
There were conflicts of interest among board members. Donations were dropping.
The agency was laying off employees.
But the part that most angered many donors was the fact that the CEO of this local nonprofit
had a compensation package worth more than $600,000
— a hefty sum for a tax-exempt charity that depends on voluntary giving.
So the CEO left. New board members came in. And they vowed to clean things up.
<snip>

But mainly, I feel it this NPR and ProPublica article from October 2015 deserves reading
The Red Cross’ Secret Disaster

After Superstorm Sandy, Americans opened their wallets to the Red Cross.
They trusted the charity and believed it was up to the job. They were wrong.
<snip>

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

As a kid, I heard WWII vets say things like...
"During the war, the Red Cross made me pay for a cup of coffee and doughnut."

They're making up for that.

[Happy Monkey]

From that article:

In reality, the U.S. secretary of war asked the Red Cross to charge for the food because other Allied forces were being charged for the snacks, Greene said. This was causing some tension at a time when the Allied forces had to feel unified, so Secretary of War Henry Stimson made the call. The Red Cross objected, but it did no good, Greene added.

Never again in the history of the Red Cross has it charged for coffee and doughnuts. But, Greene added, the World War II issue still comes up occasionally.

[classicman]

"the U.S. secretary of war"
Who dat?

[Happy Monkey]

What the Secretary of Defense used to be called.

[Griff]

Somewhat ironic now that we're in the offensive war business.

[BigV]

oh, SNAP!

[classicman]

Who, not what. What was this specific person's name.

[Happy Monkey]

Henry Stimson

[xoxoxoBruce]

Never again in the history of the Red Cross has it charged for coffee and doughnuts. But, Greene added, the World War II issue still comes up occasionally.

August 1955, New England, Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Diane, a week apart. The Red Cross even charged exhausted rescue workers who had been saving people from the flood waters for two days.

Perhaps he meant soldiers... or lied.