“The Red Cross has been my biggest disappointment,” said Tim Kellar, the administrator of Hancock County, Miss. “I held it in such high esteem until we were in the time of need. It was nonexistent.”
Even some volunteers are disgusted. “I will never, ever wear the Red Cross vest again,” said Betty Brunner, who started volunteering in 1969 when Hurricane Camille destroyed her house but quit last week over the organization’s response in Hancock County.
Two days after Hurricane Katrina struck, the Red Cross had only one shelter in the county, and it was far from some of the most populated coastal towns. It had no shelter in New Orleans.
Key quote:
But time and again in past disasters, the Red Cross has raised more money than it has needed for relief. It has also been less than clear in the past about where its money goes, and it has rarely shared its money with other organizations that tackle long-term needs of victims.