You know, I've never much cared for the Red Cross, for a number of reasons - preferring the Salvation Army. But my personal story is, when my mother was pregnant with me, my father was called from the Navy Reserves to go to Korea. He was supposed to be at the Naval Base in San Diego, and my mother was to drive to meet him. Well, in 1951, driving Route 66 with noncell phones, my mother arrived after several days of driving. As my father had instructed, she went to the naval base, but was told my father wasn't there - and they didn't know where he was! She went to the Red Cross, and said she felt they treated her like a pariah - a preggy girlfriend trying to track down the father of her love child. No help from the Red Cross. Then, she went to the Salvation Army. She was welcomed, given food and drink while they went to work to figure out what happened. They were able to find that my father had been transferred at the last minute to the Treasure Island Naval base in San Francisco Bay. They gave her money to tide her over until my father's checks caught up with him. Since then, we always donate to the Salvation Army. As to the Red Cross call for money - giving money is an easy click - but I have stuff here! I have new or nearly new clothes. I have blankets that may have been used once or twice. I have Y2K stuff that I have never touched. I have extra camping gear. I have many travel-size or gift-size bottles of shampoo, soap, and other toiletries. I have two brand-new camping cookstoves. I can understand the Red Cross' reluctance to take "stuff" they then have to sort, pack, and ship thousands of miles, when those things are probably available closeby. But I have stuff HERE, and there are people HERE who will be HERE for months, and I will sort and deliver it. If the Red Cross doesn't want it, I'll find another way to make these donations. Next call - Salvation Army. Linda
Marshall Dudley <mdud...@king-cart.com> wrote: I went to a red cross meeting last night for those who will be coming to our area last night. I was rather surprised they were refusing to take clothes, food, toys and things, saying they had all they needed, and instead saying to give them money instead. They even said that if you already bought anything, to take it back to the store, and give them them money instead. Marshall Linda Ellis wrote: I have a question, beyond the standard "donate cash" issue, which is a given. We know several people who have lost everything in New Orleans, and who are now in our area temporarily. They are taking matters into their own hands in large measure, and local churches are helping to accumulate goods to send back. This seems like a great opportunity to clear out much of the "way too much" stuff we have, but I wanted to ask if I'm off-base on a couple of things. We're going through our clothes, and I can send new or almost new stuff. Most is of the T-shirt and casual pants variety, but I also have a fair amount of stuff that people may find useful getting back to a job. It's just sitting in my closet because it no longer fits my life or style, but it's nice stuff. Will that be useful to send back? I also have a frugal habit of saving clothes that have seen better days, or that I'm just tired of, but are still serviceable for those days of heavy cleaning, or big house projects like painting or something - but in my zeal for frugality, I have way more of this stuff than I need. I'm thinking of making a separate box and labeling it well, that these are clothes suitable for wear while cleaning up. I'm also thinking of sending along a box of rags. I'm guessing even those are in short supply - and desperately needed - and of course I have way more than I need. I'm also going to make up some boxes of winter clothes, because I'm guessing some of these people who are relocating to Chicago area shelters won't be going back anytime soon, and winter can be brutal here. Extra camping gear, grills, kitchen supplies, MREs and so on are a given... I'm guessing many on this list have more experience in disaster areas than I do, and I'd appreciate knowing if these items would be welcomed, or just tossed to the side as not useful at this time.... Paula P Smith <paul...@juno.com> wrote: Dear Silver List,Please donate to the Salvation Army or directly to other groups such as Baptist, Luthern or Menonite Disaster Relief. And don't forget this will be a LONG TERM effort - years and years. I am scheduled to go to Louisiana next week and Helen GA this week. I have been responding to disasters since Mt St Helen. The Red Cross does great things, but the Salvation Army stays till the job is done. The Red Cross literally is there as long as the cameras are there and then their efforts are VERY low key and their people are not as well trained. Also, in Georgia, the Red Cross turns around and calls the GA Baptist Disaster Relief and THEY do the responding and the Baptist are paying for it - 90% of the time. GA Baptist has the equipment and volunteers for preparing meals, debris clean-up, childcare and re-build. Just my 2-cents and I am actually on-scenePaula in N GA
