Query about the ARC

[eleanorjane]

I've seen a few Haiti-related posts that seem to imply that donating to the (American?) Red Cross is a bad idea compared with other charities and relief organisations, and I'm curious as to why that is. Not being from America, I haven't heard any particular reports against the ARC, and I'm wondering why they seem to be held in lower regard than I expected.

Anyone able to satisfy my curiosity?

[Cross-posted.]

Comments

[sara]

There have been, over the years, recurrent reports of financial shenanigans around the American Red Cross, ranging (in my experience) from big salaries for people at their national HQ to people I know who've gone through house fires being billed for services they were "given" by the Red Cross at the time of their losses.

I am suspicious enough that I direct my own charitable giving elsewhere.