I’ve been watching the recent flooding in Louisiana and the response to those in need. Churches in my area have loaded up trucks and trailers and have coordinated with Louisiana churches to provide assistance. No requirement of church membership, proof of tithing, approval of lifestyle, racial quotas — none of that. It’s just, “You need some diapers for your baby? Here they are.”
That’s how charity is supposed to work. You learn about someone in need and then you find a way to meet that need. The founder of Salvation Army knew this and founded the organization on those principles. You can read his fascinating life story in this book.
“…Freely you have received. Freely give.” Matthew 10:8
So now I read an article about how the Red Cross has been operating in Louisiana, and it reeks of government interference with what most charitable-minded people would like to do. Here’s one example from Nancy Malone, an American Red Cross spokesperson regarding giving food/meals to displaced people:
“We are held accountable to state regulations. This food has to come from a certified kitchen.”
Volunteers were turned away if they hadn’t gone through Red Cross channels. In one case, a woman volunteered to come in and clean bathrooms and toilets but was turned away. Bureaucracy at its finest. In another instance, volunteers put up their own shelter but Red Cross took it over when they finally arrived in town. The goods handed out by Red Cross can only come from their approved suppliers.
Really?
In a crisis, whether a natural disaster that dislaces you from your home, war, or TEOTWAWKI, this is exactly how you will be treated by government so-called assistance. Red tape, bureaucrats, nonsensical rules that deny help because of more nonsensical rules. Nothing will come easy. The process will favor a few. Your needs will be met only on occasion and by pure coincidence.
Now, maybe you’re the type who likes to follow every rule even though it flies in the face of common sense. There are plenty of those sheep everywhere. I’m not cut from that cloth, though, and I would bet most preppers aren’t. We want to provide our own meals, our own shelter, our own water, and on and on. Hopefully, we have enough to share and when we do, or can, we want it to be on our own terms — not confiscated from us by officials who think they know better.
One of the results from large bureaucracies/government taking over charitable giving is that it removes that charitable instinct. Why should I donate or volunteer? FEMA will be along to help. The Red Cross will show up any day now. Without realizing it, we defer to faceless bureaucrats what we are naturally wired to do — help our fellow man.
The best way to do that is to actually get to know your fellow man — through social events,volunteer work, church, community organizations, etc. That way, when there’s a disaster in your area, you will know, first hand, where help is needed, who needs help, and who is coordinating local assistance. Then, you give. If you are handy with tools, you help with rebuilding. If you have a pickup truck, you help with hauling away debris. If all you have are 2 hands, you can help in so many ways. The Civil Air Patrol and CERT are two organizations that offer the type of training that comes in handy during emergency response situations.
I wish I could encourage you to join up with the Red Cross, and there are probably chapters around the country who are not quite as bound by rules and regulations as to be of limited help. One buddy of mine who has worked in emergency response for decades claims that local Red Cross groups can be effective and very helpful. However, I tend to shy away from donating to groups with massive overhead and huge salaries to their top people. That’s just me.
If you don’t want to stand in long lines for bottled water or sign a lengthy form of rules in order to have a roof over your head provided by a government-run shelter, then keep prepping. The alternative is relying on government, or government-like organizations, to decide what you need and what is best for you. That just doesn’t sit well with me.
The Red Cross, the United Way, and all of these big “charity” organizations live fat off donation money, and fork over as little as possible to those who need it. Their appearance at a disaster zone is just an advertisement for more donations.
This article, although accurate in its content, isn’t telling the worst of it. The Red Cross turned away donated food, water, and other essential items because they didn’t come through approved contractors, which tells you there are some contractors living off the donation money too.
You know how to help someone in need, and you’ll do a much better job yourself than the Red Cross will ever do, so don’t give them a dime. Be prepared to help your neighbor. The government and/or the charities won’t do squat, and we’ve seen this many times already.
Absolutely agree Jolly. The Red Cross is just another corrupt bureaucracy. Every service member I know hates them with a passion.
“”The Red Cross, the United Way, and all of these big “charity” organizations live fat off donation money, and fork over as little as possible to those who need it. Their appearance at a disaster zone is just an advertisement for more donations. “”
How true. After hurricane Charlie in Fl the Red Cross was handing out cups of water… Just water. No food, no medical supplies nothing…. for the poor people. The rich people in million dollar homes on the river got door to door service.
Corporations brought in food, water and medical supplies for us poor people. There were thousands left without homes including me.
“I wish I could encourage you to join up with the Red Cross,…”
Pass.
They should be called the Red Double Cross (Knights Templar creation, as far as I know).
Virtually ALL ‘charities’ are nothing more than jew scams.
Besides, the 4 scariest words in the English language (when coming from any corporate entity) are “We’re here to help”.
“We are held accountable to state regulations. This food has to come from a certified kitchen.”
In other words, business first, people second. How Fascist/Commie of you.