KATRINA ALERT!!!
KATRINA ALERT!!!
RED CROSS HIDES ASSISTANCE FUNDS
American Red Cross has an estimated $60 million in funds to help Katrina
victims recover. It’s called the “Means to Recovery” program. It is supposed
to
allocate a maximum of $20,000 per family to cover occupational costs,
housing, furnishing, personal living needs and health costs. This could cover
anything from eyeglasses to a used vehicle to education costs.
Haven’t heard of it? Neither have most Katrina-Rita victims who need the
assistance. The same agency that spends millions of advertising dollars
begging
for money won’t even do free public service announcements to alert struggling
hurricane survivor families that relief is available.
Red Cross is trying its best to keep the program a secret and to discourage
those survivors who do find out about it. ARC chapters in areas such as
Jackson MS have gone so far as to lie to survivors, denying the existence of
such
a program and attempting to penalize recipients who tell others about it. In
other areas people are routinely denied assistance based on the whims of case
managers who can arbitrarily decide if a person will get assistance or how
much of their need will be addressed.
In Baton Rouge last month several Katrina-Rita families were burned out of
an apartment complex when lightning struck. Red Cross offered them a hotel
stay for two nights and then booted them out, saying that there was no other
assistance available. These people had lost all of their possessions for the
second time in two years. A PHRF staff member used his personal funds to house
them for another night. Although “Means to Recovery” funds were available and
needed, Red Cross staffers refused to let these double victims know about
it.
Buried in the Red Cross website is a reference to the program that stresses
that “this is not an entitlement program.” In other words, survivors in need
don’t really have a right to the funds allocated to help them. However the
agency seems to feel very much ‘entitled’ to hold on to the funds for its own
purposes. There is mean-spiritedness in the way Red Cross and some other
agencies deal with Katrina survivors. The feeling is that folks should be
‘over
it’ by now, which is neither the reality nor a reasonable expectation for
those whose entire lives have been forever changed by a disaster.
Many Red Cross workers have not hidden their low opinion and hostile
disposition toward hurricane victims, especially those of color. It has
demonstrated
an incredible lack of compassion and a proprietary attitude toward the
actual funds it has been entrusted to distribute. Of course if you check their
national website, redcross.org, you will notice a ‘diversity problem’ with
their staff leadership. Seems like ARC has several levels of issues that limit
its value to people who are not White or wealthy.
The People’s Hurricane Relief Fund and Oversight Committee and its allies
are calling on the American Red Cross to:
1. Immediately and aggressively notify the public about the “Means to
Recovery” program
2. Disburse the funds to Katrina-Rita Survivors within 90 days
3. Account for all funds received for “Means to Recovery”
4. Account for all funds disbursed on a
dollars-to-demographics/neighborhoods basis
5. Begin to treat Black Survivors with dignity, compassion and respect
6. If none of the above are possible, then Red Cross must give the
money to an agency which can operate in a fair and competent fashion
WHAT YOU CAN DO
We are calling on people of good will across the nation to help force Red
Cross to do the right thing and do it NOW! Here are some things you can do:
1. Use all forms of communication to let people in your area know about
the American Red Cross “Means to Recovery” program; be sure to include the
phone numbers of the chapter in your area.
2. Alert all kinds of civic, political, faith, fraternal, professional
and other groups to the problem and have them join in a solidarity movement
to address this problem.
3. Hold press conferences and protest actions at the local offices of
Red Cross
4. Flood their offices with phone calls, faxes, letters and e-mails
demanding to know, what is available and why they are making it difficult for
survivors to receive these funds. Is the money earning interest somewhere?
Will
the interest go to survivors? What happens to the money if survivors don’t
use it? Contact American Red Cross National Headquarters, 2025 E Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20006 Phone: (202) 303-4498 or their Donation Hotlines:
1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767) / 1-800-257-7575 (Español). You can ask for
Mark
W. Everson, President and CEO or _Bonnie McElveen-Hunter, Chairman (sic) of
the American Red Cross_
(http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_314_2477,00.html)
5. Help the PHRF and its allies call for a federal, congressional or
criminal investigation into the practices of groups such as Red Cross and
United Way, who have received millions in the name of Katrina-Rita survivors,
but
show reluctance to disburse the funds, requiring those in need to run a
gauntlet to get even partial assistance.
6. Join us at the International Tribunal on Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
in New Orleans August 29 –September 2nd where the crimes against the people
of the Gulf Coast before, during and after the hurricanes will be discussed.
7. Help us petition the United Nations and the International Red Cross
to send teams to investigate the matter.
8. Join the PHRF in a call for a tangible system of accountability for
all public and private agencies or offices that are withholding resources
given for Katrina relief.
The People’s Hurricane Relief Fund is still researching this issue and will
have updates within the next 72 hours. If you have questions, complaints or
information, please contact us at (504) 301-0215 or e-mail to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) or visit our website at
peopleshurricane.org
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