More likely you were basing your comment on our Red Cross in this hemisphere. They're a wonderful charity (I used to be a Red Cross 1st Aid instructor) but our Red Cross burns a lot of money in admin and CEO pay.
Hurricane relief
- Thread starter Janne
- Start date
More likely you were basing your comment on our Red Cross in this hemisphere. They're a wonderful charity (I used to be a Red Cross 1st Aid instructor) but our Red Cross burns a lot of money in admin and CEO pay.
There's a petition to send the USNS Comfort to Puerto Rico, whilst provides 1,000 hospital beds... probably need orders of magnitude more. Though the 1 million litres of clean water per day it can provide would be of more use.
https://www.change.org/p/defense-se...omfort-to-puerto-rico-to-aid-fellow-americans
https://www.change.org/p/defense-se...omfort-to-puerto-rico-to-aid-fellow-americans
That's a good comment and sums up my situation and feelings. Were I there in the quake or hurricane areas, my help would be immediate and hands on. No disrespect to you Janne, but I'm not a fan of forums being used as fundraisers, it creates an obligation to donate and guilt for not doing so. I'll drop coins in the Macmillan and local hospice money boxes because I have a connection to both of them, but I shouldn't feel bad about not contributing to the relief efforts.
One of my dogs is fairly ill, and it's not looking good for her. Do I shoot the dog and put the vets fees towards the relief? I can't. So, yes, charity does begin here because I'm seeing her deteriorate in front of my eyes and will make things as good as I can for my old friend.
Oldtimer, your opinion makes a great deal of sense now, it's well explained. But the crux of the situation is a personal involvement, like mine with Macmillan, and yours with your eldest son. These personal involvements bring understanding, and empathy for the service provided by the hard working people who run and organise the charities.
The Caribbean islands are more difficult to aid than most mainland areas. Lets remember that this storm swept several different islands: the US Virgin islands consists of 3 major islands, then there's the British Virgin Islands consisting of 4 major islands, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, etc. It's not like there's a single place to send relief; it's dozens of populated islands that are geographically scattered. Even so, I'm leaving out the devastation to the Florida Keys because once the road (bridges) were cleared, aid could easily (relatively) reach the entire chain.
I'm not sure this will come out correctly but I'll try.
I find the global reach of news depressing. I try to avoid it as much as possible. Unfortunately there is always a hurricane or earthquake or volcano (not to mention ethnic cleansing or civillians evacuating war). I understand we are all part of the same species and we should help eachother but the constant disaster relief is just demoralising (I can't think of the right word but it just leaves me completely drained).
I firmly believe governments and countries need to do more. As has been said if a fraction of the defence budgets were put aside for humanitarian relief so many of these catastrophes could be eased.
I am not well off but I do have some disposable income, that which I can give to charity I use it in three ways.
Not to get political but I give some time and money to try to change the government. I realise it's not likely to make a great difference but I truly believe that if we changed the apathy of those at the top, who can make the biggest contribution, we can fight more injustices here and abroad.
I donate money to several charities close to my heart for personal reasons.
I also give when I can to our local food banks, I realise that there are people in the world far worse off who probably need help more urgently, but I just can't bear the thought of children in my community going hungry.
I guess what I'm trying to say (or justify) is that when it comes to disaster relief I am completely exhausted mentally, physically, financially. I'm not apathetic to the need far from it but I just can't stretch myself that thin. I just have too many things to worry about here and now to have enough left over to be able to care about problems far away. I guess it's selfish but it's how I personally manage to keep going.
I find the global reach of news depressing. I try to avoid it as much as possible. Unfortunately there is always a hurricane or earthquake or volcano (not to mention ethnic cleansing or civillians evacuating war). I understand we are all part of the same species and we should help eachother but the constant disaster relief is just demoralising (I can't think of the right word but it just leaves me completely drained).
I firmly believe governments and countries need to do more. As has been said if a fraction of the defence budgets were put aside for humanitarian relief so many of these catastrophes could be eased.
I am not well off but I do have some disposable income, that which I can give to charity I use it in three ways.
Not to get political but I give some time and money to try to change the government. I realise it's not likely to make a great difference but I truly believe that if we changed the apathy of those at the top, who can make the biggest contribution, we can fight more injustices here and abroad.
I donate money to several charities close to my heart for personal reasons.
I also give when I can to our local food banks, I realise that there are people in the world far worse off who probably need help more urgently, but I just can't bear the thought of children in my community going hungry.
I guess what I'm trying to say (or justify) is that when it comes to disaster relief I am completely exhausted mentally, physically, financially. I'm not apathetic to the need far from it but I just can't stretch myself that thin. I just have too many things to worry about here and now to have enough left over to be able to care about problems far away. I guess it's selfish but it's how I personally manage to keep going.