I am from an area that had a similar flooding event several years ago and you need to consider the needs before making a trip. Very few people lost their clothes in this disaster. Most are now returning to their homes and they have clothes there but they will all need to be laundered. They need supplies for cleaning up, they need food and water while they are cleaning up and they need a place to stay until they can actually live in their homes again. The needs are cash so they can purchase what they really need instead of what someone else thinks they need and people to help them clean out their homes and start over.

Sometimes our generous impulses are not really what the victims need.

Thanks - will do

The reason my dad didn't like them was because during WWII they charged the soldiers for EVERYTHING!! Coffee, doughnuts, gum. The Salvation Army handed those things out free. In fact, when we had a tornado come through our town years ago and the came up to one of Dad's rental houses he told them to get off his property. When a neighboring town had a tornado a few years ago they came in and started telling the people how to do the lunches for the clean up crews -- only 1/2 sandwich per person, a small pinch of chips and an 8oz drink. The volunteers in that town sent them packing too. Nope, RC is just another big business that's only concerned about their bottom line in my opinion. That's not to say I'm right, just an opinion formed from what I've seen and heard.

I'm sorry to reply again to the negativity about the American Red Cross, but as with any negativity, one needs to investigate further.

So, instead of relying on alll the hours of training, manuals, and service I have and still perform for them, and my DH does in Emergency Relief, I checked out SNOPE. Type in: http://www.snopes.com/medical/emergent/redcross.asp
and you will find answers to your questions/statements far better than I or anyone on this board can explain to you.

I hope this helps with the negativity and answers anyones questions.

I checked with McQuilter and she said to hold off on sending clothing - there are wayyyyyyy lots of clothing items that are stored at this point - so - I will wait and see. Thank you for all the feedback!

The clothing and bedding can only be salvedged if they can be washed right away. There are all kinds of chemicals/bacteria in the flood water, and they will start molding right away. The problem is getting to a laundra mat to wash them, some are gone, the ones that are open are crowded, and not everyone has $100+ to get all of their clothes and linens washed. Many personal washers and dryers will no longer be operable. This was a big problem here during the floods. People's cash went to motels/meals while waiting out the floods.... some too, are coming back to no jobs....or not for a long time. There really is a need for everything from clothing/linens to cash, food, etc... Whatever is in your home, is what many lost in theirs. All plastics must be thrown away as they can not be properly sterilized....

There will be a need for all household goods but there isn't now. Right now food, water and shelter needs to be provided for people. If you aren't able to be in your home, getting stuff won't help. The other problem is that the transportation of stuff is expensive and often doesn't get to the people who really need it, it just gets to the first person who will take it. I don't understand why everyone wants to send stuff when cash is much more helpful to victims.

check with adra international

if the cash got to those who need it it would be okay but i refuse to give to a VOLUNTEER organization where management make more in one month than i do in a year.

if i can hand it to someone personally okay I no longer trust volunteer organizations--too many bad experiences in the past

I spoke with my Dad regarding the statement I made about the RC charging, he said after it was all over they did find out that the people that set up the coffe that you had to pay for used the Red Cross because it was easily recognized byn people in the disaster, but they were not REAL RC.
So that is what happen, as I said this happened in MN and I was living in SC and my parents did not find out until at a later time what had happened with the other people using the RC signs and emblems.. They did not go to the coffee because they were concerned about their family and possessions which they lost a lot of possesions in fact their home...no family was lost. So I owe the RC an apoilogy . I spoke with my Dad to find out if it was true what they had told me the day after the tornado. So that is what happened. But it did give a bad impression through no fault of the Red Cross. Just wanted to find out the truth from my Dad.