All Wrapped Up and No Where to Go

So we finished our effort at our physical facility this past Sunday. In 10 days we, the Henry county community, were able to serve over 16,000 displaced citizens from Hurricane Katrina. It was an amazing effort for whom all were involved can be very proud, everyone that is except the Red Cross. From the beginning to the end the Red Cross was poorly organized, ineffective and a disgrace to the entire idea of Disaister Relief. On the day before the Displaced Citizens arrived, Thursday, the Red Cross was scheduled to meet with us at the church to organize the facility and take a tour to understand their new Command Post. They never showed, never called. Friday morning we arrive at the church with over 60 evacuees waiting at our front door. When we asked how they knew how to get here, they said the Red Cross is sending everyone here.Two and a half days later the Red Cross finally shows up at our facility.
On Sunday afternoon they came in and told the ones who had been running the show for the past 3 days that all of their lists and data base would have to be thrown away. This means that all of the people who have been waiting for three days on Red Cross assistance would have to get back in line and reregister. We had been giving them shelter, food and supplying them with food and toiletries and now they were gonig to have to start all over. Through the week the Red Cross people were very rude not only to the victims but also to the non Red Cross Volunteers, of which there were a couple of hundred.
Thursday afternoon the Red Cross packed up, after much bad press, and announced only to the director of our facility, they were moving out and starting a new facility. This would make sense if our opperation was ineffecient, poorly organized or nearing completion, but it was not. When asked what about the hundreds of people who had registered and were waiting with their numbers to be called, the Red Cross told us they would have to come to their new center and reregister. They Left, Luckily Governer Perdue arrived that afternoon to some very angry volnuteers and Hurricane Victims. He got on the phone with the National Red Cross office and told them to get back and finish the job they left.
After all was moved out, we still had literally tons of supplies. We tried to give them to the Red Cross but they told us they were not taking them because they were not giving food, meals, clothing, Toiletries or toys out at their new "Super Centers". They were only giving out $2,000 checks. All of that food and supplies were distributed to local ministries and not the victims for which they were intended. All wrapped up and no where to go, gifts given in love and squandered by our beloved Red Cross.
Words cannot express my anger, sadness and absolute amazment at the lack of character shown by one of our most trusted organizations. I will never again support the Red Cross and I encourage you to do the same, find local agencies aiding in the relief and support them, dont waste your money on a buracrecy driven political junk pile.
Pax
Stephen