We went Saturday to deliver sleeping bags, paper goods, and this is what we found... a free for all. Here is a message from a person that was evacuated.
Flag this message PLEASE DO NOT DONATE TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS!!!!Sunday, September 11, 2011 11:28 PM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Karen Shirk"View contact detailsTo: "Karen Shirk" To all who read this:
I live in Cedar Creek TX, just outside of Bastrop, where on Sept 4, 2011, the fires started and as of 9/11/11 burned 34,000 acres and destroyed about 1400 homes. My family and I were evacuated for 3 days for the second fire - the Cedar Creek/ Union Chapel fire. I went to help out at our church, Ascenion Catholic Church, in Bastrop and worked from Monday evening to Thursday evening. I would like to share a little of what occurred there.
I will be politically incorrect and tell everyone PLEASE do NOT donate ANYTHING to the Red Cross. They do not do what they say they will do. They brought blankets, etc to our shelter and then gave the church a bill for the goods. We told them to take it back and we purchased everything ourselves for the people. Then 4 days later, they show up at our church again, only to shoot a PR video of how much they are helping the shelters, when they had never been there except to shoot the video. We asked one of their representatives to help a man with his medications and he said,"We don't do that". But they have ads on TV saying they will help with medications. My friend backed him into a corner and basically asked, "So what DO you do?" He said they could give out some vouchers and/or gift cards to Wal-Mart "so people can buy shoes that fit, but only if they NEED that. We don't tell everyone about that." Duh, why wouldn't they need that, since their homes and possessions were lost in a fire? Why should we/they have to beg like dogs to get that benefit? We have talked to many other people who have worked with Red Cross in the past and they all say the same things: they will "help" you but then they give you a bill. I even talked to a retired Air Force major who knows of international stories like this and more. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I'm only sharing what we experienced first-hand.
At this time, there is no need for clothes or toiletries, but mainly monetary donations. They can be given to Ascension Catholic Church or the Bastrop Ministerial Alliance, sorry, I don't have that website handy. Please give to any other organization you wish, just not Red Cross. I've heard Salvation Army was a good organization, but I haven't seen them in Bastrop.
Flag this message PLEASE DO NOT DONATE TO THE AMERICAN RED CROSS!!!!Sunday, September 11, 2011 11:28 PM
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified"Karen Shirk"
I live in Cedar Creek TX, just outside of Bastrop, where on Sept 4, 2011, the fires started and as of 9/11/11 burned 34,000 acres and destroyed about 1400 homes. My family and I were evacuated for 3 days for the second fire - the Cedar Creek/ Union Chapel fire. I went to help out at our church, Ascenion Catholic Church, in Bastrop and worked from Monday evening to Thursday evening. I would like to share a little of what occurred there.
I will be politically incorrect and tell everyone PLEASE do NOT donate ANYTHING to the Red Cross. They do not do what they say they will do. They brought blankets, etc to our shelter and then gave the church a bill for the goods. We told them to take it back and we purchased everything ourselves for the people. Then 4 days later, they show up at our church again, only to shoot a PR video of how much they are helping the shelters, when they had never been there except to shoot the video. We asked one of their representatives to help a man with his medications and he said,"We don't do that". But they have ads on TV saying they will help with medications. My friend backed him into a corner and basically asked, "So what DO you do?" He said they could give out some vouchers and/or gift cards to Wal-Mart "so people can buy shoes that fit, but only if they NEED that. We don't tell everyone about that." Duh, why wouldn't they need that, since their homes and possessions were lost in a fire? Why should we/they have to beg like dogs to get that benefit? We have talked to many other people who have worked with Red Cross in the past and they all say the same things: they will "help" you but then they give you a bill. I even talked to a retired Air Force major who knows of international stories like this and more. Sorry if I offend anyone, but I'm only sharing what we experienced first-hand.
At this time, there is no need for clothes or toiletries, but mainly monetary donations. They can be given to Ascension Catholic Church or the Bastrop Ministerial Alliance, sorry, I don't have that website handy. Please give to any other organization you wish, just not Red Cross. I've heard Salvation Army was a good organization, but I haven't seen them in Bastrop.
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