If you have not yet read ProPublica's investigation report How the Red Cross Raised Half a Billion Dollars for Haiti and Built Six Homes or listened to the NPR All Things Considered companion piece In Search Of The Red Cross' $500 Million In Haiti Relief, you really need to do so.
Follow me below the fold for a brief opinion
That the not for profit organization, The American Red Cross, so utterly blew through 1/2 of a BILLION dollars in donor provided charity without providing the relief it was expected to provide, and communicated to Haitians and donors it would provide, but didn't, should (sadly) not surprise anyone.
In America especially, the not for profit label should indicate a need for concern.
There once was a time when charities did charitable work and charity workers worked effectively for free. That is no longer the case.
The debacle made by the American Red Cross in Haiti is and was totally predictable.
The philosophy we despise has come to dominate anything where money accumulates for the greater good. So called executives and administrators are in it first for their own enrichment and benefit.
Yes, it is sad to think such an historically great institution as the American Red Cross has been shown to also now have the prion disease (h/t Charles P. Pierce) which has consumed one of our 2 US political parties, but think about and add in the comments all of the organizations allegedly of a non-profit nature that are bilking their supporters and those they claim to benefit
- FIFA
- Health Insurance
- NCAA
- Hospitals
- Susan G. Komen for the Cure
- United Way of America
- What others?
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