Larry Lieberman, with the watchdog website CharityNavigator.com, suggests ways to find legitimate charities worthy of your time and money. USA TODAY
A thistle to a continuing lack of transparency by the American Red Cross as it responds to another disaster. The organization — which is a congressionally chartered instrumentality of the U.S. government — has a history of failing to accurately account for its spending or respond to requests for information.
The Red Cross’ vice president of disaster operations, Brad Kieserman, could not tell National Public Radio last week what portion of its donations go to Hurricane Harvey disaster relief. (Red Cross President and CEO Gail J. McGovern has repeatedly refused to speak to NPR in recent years.)
In a statement provided to the Register, the American Red Cross said it segregates donations for Harvey so it goes to the communities affected. "We work to keep our management, general and fundraising expenses low so that on average 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends goes to our programs and services," it said.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Ia., called on the Red Cross to spend donations given for Hurricane Harvey relief wisely and transparently. The senator has co-sponsored the American Red Cross Transparency Act to give the Government Accountability Office access to Red Cross records.
In a report released last year, Grassley found that the Red Cross had spent about 25 percent of donations intended for the 2010 Haiti earthquake relief on administration and other internal expenses. The investigation also found “substantial and fundamental concerns about [the Red Cross] as an organization,” including a lack of cooperation with GAO investigators; an inaccurate process to track spending; and an inability to determine how much each project in Haiti cost.
The work the Red Cross does is vitally important. It has sent more than 2,600 volunteers to Texas and Louisiana and helped shelter tens of thousands more. But it must be more forthcoming. As Grassley said last week: “The American people need the Red Cross to succeed. Part of that is delivering the transparency and financial accountability that donors expect.”
A rose to all those Red Cross volunteers — and everyone else — who have responded to the crisis caused by Harvey.
About 50 Iowa Red Cross volunteers have been deployed to respond to the disaster, and dozens more will go in coming weeks, said spokesman Mark Tauscheck. The volunteers run mobile kitchens, handle logistics, staff shelters and do other tasks. Volunteers will stay an average of two weeks in the region.
We’ll miss someone if we try to list others who have responded. But those deserving mention include the Iowa Army National Guard, which sent soldiers and helicopters from units in Johnston, Boone and Davenport. To help with pets and families in need, the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport also went to the area.
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2017/09/04/red-cross-donation-harvey-relief-grassley/626028001/
