Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan

[Kaz1983]

Yes its been over a week - CNN are cutting back there coverage - for the uneffected things are going back to normal etc etc.... anyways if you can donate, here is the link to the:

Philippines Red Cross:

http://ushare.redcross.org.ph/

[bcc_1_2]

I've read quite a bit over the past couple of years regarding fraud and waste with the Red Cross. Are there any other donation options?

With all the requests (I have 2 different colleges that call twice a year now even... insane) I set aside a small portion of income and that's it (and most of that money goes towards local charity). With a disaster like this I would consider giving a little bit but I no longer give to the Red Cross.

I just feel a lot more comfortable avoiding the red cross and getting coats, shoes, and food to local kids each year.

[beulah]

I've read quite a bit over the past couple of years regarding fraud and waste with the Red Cross. Are. With a disaster like this I would consider giving a little bit but I no longer give to the Red Cross.

I just feel a lot more comfortable avoiding the red cross

I've volunteered my time with the red cross since the late 1980's.  You are an opinionated jackazz.  We have done a lot of good things so don't go badmouthing this organization.  One day you might need help.

[bcc_1_2]

I've volunteered my time with the red cross since the late 1980's.  You are an opinionated jackazz.  We have done a lot of good things so don't go badmouthing this organization.  One day you might need help.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/Nov/30/the-red-cross-fraud-after-superstorm-sandy/

http://henrymakow.com/2013/10/The-Red-Cross-Scam%20.html

http://helpaftersandy.org/blog/fraud-in-the-disaster-zone/

I won't even start posting employee related fraud as it seems to be very wide spread as well.

[beulah]

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/Nov/30/the-red-cross-fraud-after-superstorm-sandy/

http://henrymakow.com/2013/10/The-Red-Cross-Scam%20.html

http://helpaftersandy.org/blog/fraud-in-the-disaster-zone/

I won't even start posting employee related fraud as it seems to be very wide spread as well.

I don't think anybody cares about all the colleges calling hotshot bcc for donations your donation habits are not the issue.  Now you are too good for the Red Cross, so do what you want.  Don't badmouth helpful organizations.  There are bad apples in every bunch, you are the bad apple here but I wouldn't tell people not read because of your crap.

[bcc_1_2]

  Don't badmouth helpful organizations. 

Ah yes ignore the endless allegations of fraud. Sounds about like the Catholics that buried their heads for so many years about what was going on in their churches.

[beulah]

[quote author=bcc_1_2 link=topic=7677.msg112437#msg112437 date=1384792311
Ah yes ignore the endless allegations of fraud. Sounds about like the Catholics that buried their heads for so many years bout what was going on in their churches.
[/quote]talking about the cathelic churches is not the subject.  The red cross does a lot more good than anything else in the Philippines.  You know little and are loud and obnoxious.

[Bob_S]

I've read quite a bit over the past couple of years regarding fraud and waste with the Red Cross. Are there any other donation options?

While local boots-on-the-ground Red Cross volunteers are saints, I too was concerned about a bloated bureaucracy at the top that would siphon off much of the financial contributions our family wanted to make to Philippines relief.  So a quick Yahoo search for "Alternatives to the Red Cross" came up with this link:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/09/18/150040/-You-Choose-Alternatives-to-the-Red-Cross#
It's an old list, so I'll have to look into each one individually to see if they currently have a Philippine relief/support effort going on we can contribute to.

[Bob_S]

A quick follow up, it looks like Feed the Children, Habitat for Humanity, and Doctors without Borders all have active support for victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

[robert angel]

I've read quite a bit over the past couple of years regarding fraud and waste with the Red Cross. Are there any other donation options?


With all the requests (I have 2 different colleges that call twice a year now even... insane) I set aside a small portion of income and that's it (and most of that money goes towards local charity). With a disaster like this I would consider giving a little bit but I no longer give to the Red Cross.


I just feel a lot more comfortable avoiding the red cross and getting coats, shoes, and food to local kids each year.

 
Just my recommendation--and where we send our money, but the world food program http://www.wfp.org/about

 
and ABS CN http://globalnation.inquirer.net/90077/world-vision-abs-cbn-foundation-seek-relief-for-super-typhoon-victims are our choices. Doctors without borders is another good one

http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/

If this is really the case:
 
>>"With all the requests (I have 2 different colleges that call twice a year now even... insane)"<<

 
Poor thing--you must not get out much. Still, I'm sure your: "I would consider giving a little bit" would be welcome.

 
Yes, there are major, major organizations for disaster relief and for disease foundations, for stray animals and more, that are either obscenely top heavy on administrative costs and all but nothing goes to the needy, or they are out right frauds and fronts for organized crime. Be careful.

 
Last year's greatest natural disaster (all--earthquakes, weather, fires) in overall deaths for 2012 was also in the in the Philippines. Two thousand some some people--some still never found or accounted for, were lost. I know----my wife's family barangay was ground zero for it--typhoon Bopha/Pablo. The crops are just starting to come back a very little bit and homes are still being rebuilt. It was six months before they had electricity or running water again. Imagine that. I guess the mindset here is more about chasing skirts--I mentioned it briefly a few times here (not to ask for money) and as I recall, only Chris F and Whitey expressed awareness--concern. Hopefully this time will be different, especially with the media coverage.

[beulah]

More than 90% of red cross donations go toward aid.  Bcc must expect ever.ybody to serve him for free.
money.cnn.com/2013/05/24/pf/donations_charities/index.html

If bcc had asked about other charites with first disparaging the red cross, I would not have objected.

Rob, I know it must be terrible for bcc to receive all these phone calls from colleges.  The ones that enabled him to make money which implies he makes now through his self serving statements.

[thekfc]

Yes, a good amount (if not all) of the donations to the Red Cross donations as well as a few others are going towards the aid.

We donated through GMA network - the wife have family in the entertainment business.

Some of the wife's family are volunteering their time by collecting goods as well as unloading, re-packaging and reloading relief goods to go to the disaster areas.

I live 2 blocks from a Filipino church (INC), I frequent Filipino stores/restaurants (some have my info/tele #) but I haven't receive one call or a request for money.   

[robert angel]

If you're a Verizon cell phone customer, all calls from Verizon phones to the Philippines are free through Dec 7th. You have to call to activate the Verizon international calling feature--but that's free and won't create an add on fee after Dec. 7th comes and goes. Nonetheless, my wife will disconnect the Verizon international call feature then, just to be super safe, lest she accidently call using Verizon later on.
 
We had been using Startec, which has no monthly fee and is 21 cents a minute, USA land line or cell to Philippine cell phone. To family in Japan, we use Viber and where there's a computer in the Philippines, we Skype sometimes.

[Kaz1983]

I've read quite a bit over the past couple of years regarding fraud and waste with the Red Cross. Are there any other donation options?

With all the requests (I have 2 different colleges that call twice a year now even... insane) I set aside a small portion of income and that's it (and most of that money goes towards local charity). With a disaster like this I would consider giving a little bit but I no longer give to the Red Cross.

I just feel a lot more comfortable avoiding the red cross and getting coats, shoes, and food to local kids each year.

Well from everything I've read the Philippines Red Cross are good, i.e. most of the money goes to aid -as someone above said 90 percent sounds about right but I do understand your concern.

[Ray]

This has been really depressing watching the news coverage of the tragic typhoon damage in the Philippines. I know many people from the Tacloban area and Eastern Samar. The Filipinos are a tough people, especially the Waray of Samar and Northern Leyte, so I know they will survive and rebuild.
　
My church and other San Diego Catholic churches held a special collection at Sunday mass for the typhoon victims in the Philippines with proceeds to be delivered directly to local churches in the Philippines disaster area. I trust the church to wisely use the funds to directly help all of the storm victims more than I trust large aid organizations like the Red Cross and others.
　
As for the Philippine National Red Cross… Their director, Richard Gordon, I consider to be one of the most capable and honest politicians in the Philippines. I personally met him on a couple of occasions and had the opportunity to chat with him. He is probably the one Filipino who is fully competent and experienced to handle aid to victims of a major disaster like the current one. But just knowing the corruption level of some local officials, I personally would rather see my money go to the victims through the churches.
　
If you are looking for an alternative to the Red Cross to donate to the relief effort in the Philippines, you may want to contact your local Catholic Diocese or Catholic Relief Services (CRS).
　
But even if you can’t help financially, the people need and welcome your prayers.
　
Ray
　
　

[michaelb]

Interesting (maybe even use the word "touching") article on Yahoo news right now about a man from Canada who was unable to contact his fiancee nor anybody from her family. He went over there and looked for her, found her, seriously injured (but at least still alive, thankfully) in a hospital.  The user comments are running about 90% "Way to go, guy" and "Wish her a speedy recovery and the best for both of you".....only marred by a few "They're all just gold diggers and visa whores" comments by a couple of @$$holes.


Here's a link
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/man-from-canada-goes-on-journey-to-find-his-missing-fianc%C3%A9e-in-philippines-200733567.html

[piglett]

my wife said she wouldn't give the Philippine Gov. 1 dollar
she thinks they are all a bunch of bandits 
she said better you send bags of rice of something like that from Manila through the forwader