Corporate donations for tsunami relief

My company has decided to make a $25,000 donation to the Red Cross and also match employee donations dollar-for-dollar.

As of late last week, we were able to raise over $800,000 to help out.


I just wish the U.S. government would raise its pledged $ amount. $350M just seems a little low, coming from us (and considering we spend $177Million per day in Iraq).

Interesting statistics.....

Both Australia and Germany have each pledged almost a billion dollars to the disaster relief effort.

Governmental donations on a per-capita basis:

Australia $10
Germany $4
United States $1.25

Of course, some humanitarian aid groups (I'm thinking of MSF in particular...) have actually stopped taking donations for tsunami relief, as they believe they have enough already...

To play devil's advocate, for a minute, I'd almost rather have groups like the Red Cross funding relief efforts than the US government. With bequested aid come many strings...

Also, donations to tsunami relief agencies have reached what may be unprecedented levels. I think it is important that we hold relief agencies accountable for this massive influx of funding. Although criticized, Doctors without Borders asked for a moratorium on tsunami relief donations, stating that donations have far exceeded their need. Instead, they are asking that donors give to their general fund, instead, which will allow them to operate in the many other -- and less publicized -- areas of the world where they provide services. When funds are allocated to a specific charitable program, the NGO must allocate those funds only for that purpose. That prevents them from transferring donations to other worthy programs (at least not without a ton of logistical/legal issues -- remember the Red Cross after 9/11).

So, by all means, let's keep on giving and supporting this effort! But, let's also keep in mind that throwing a lot of money at a problem may actually create as many issues as it solves.

While this has some truth to it, I would still prefer 'those' strings vs. the stings that are being formed with the $177 Million per day in Iraq. But, that's just me.

You'll get no argument from me there.

One of the big problems is a bunch of the money going over there to help out will probably wind up in somebody's pocket not reach those in need.

$350 Million probably doesn't count the troops and ships already there or going there to help out.

Wow... do we really spend ONE BILLION DOLLARS in Iraq everyday? ...Thats... insane.
I know America is trying to be generous and all but still... Theres a fine line between generosity and outright stupidity.

Highly, highly, highly, highly, highly, highly, highly, doubtful.

Gah. Lance is right. My apologies everyone. I heard that figure on the radio, but after searching the web, the best (most consistant) figure I could find was $177 Million every day -or- about $7M per hour.

I'm Jewish and was outraged when they denied doctors that were Jewish to come over and help with the hurt and ill. Very good time to be nit-picky?

Who helped out US when we got all those Hurricanes? Only Canada.





Now figure out how much is to pay the soldiers. Now remember that we pay them the same when they're here shooting target practice here @ home.

Agreed, bad time to be picky and refuse assistance of any kind.

Truly, that doesn't bother me. We in the U.S. are in a vastly better position to recover from a large-scale disaster. And, let's not forget, the size and scope of the tsunami is far greater than any hurricane that has hit the U.S.


Ugh. I know.. don't even get me started on this. My brother is shipping out this month and I'm less than pleased about many aspects of it.

Anyone know if Phil Knight is donating anything?

Siggy.

I couldn't agree more Paolo. It really pissed me off when the Red Cross took flak for wanting to use some of the massive influx of money after 9/11 to fund other relief efforts. Think of all the good that could have been done instead of giving the families such insane amounts of money. The director of the Red Cross ended up losing her job over it. Stupid stupid stupid.

hmmmm,

My company

That seems like it is to a general International Relief Fund - so if they(American Red Cross) have enough funds for the Tsunami relief - it could be used elsewhere.

I will always recall my father's dislike of the American Red Cross from his memories in WW2

The red cross took flak not because they wanted to fund other relief efforts but because the accepted money saying it was going one place and barely 1/3 rd of it did. The fact that their media personel and pr people publicly statted that 100% was going to the 911 victims when they knew it wasn't was a lie.

This time they are being questioned but most of you don't have a clue still. If you wish your donation to go to the tsunami relief you have to SPECIFY that at the time of donation otherwise it goes where they want it to.

Australia = 20 million people give or take

Germany = 81.4 million people give or take

America = 270 million people give or take


Nice to see you have a frown next to America for donating more money than Germany or Australia. That per-capita thing really comes in handy sometimes.

But then again all isn't said and done yet and Americans will have donated well over a billion dollars after all is said and done but people will still point to us and frown.