ATTENTION HURRICANE KATRINA Displaced Persons: IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Red Cross is allegedly withholding approximately $41 Million that needs to be disbursed!

The People's Hurricane Relief Fund and Oversight Committee (PHRF) held a news conference the morning of Monday July 23, 2007 in front of their New Orleans office to protest the alleged withholding of funds from Hurricane Katrina victims by the American Red Cross.

PHRF charges the humanitarian aid organization is concealing money available through the Means to Recovery program, which is part of its third-phase recovery efforts for people who suffered losses in Katrina, Rita and Wilma. The first phase was emergency response, sheltering and feeding, while the second phase was financial assistance.

According to PHRF, the Means to Recovery program
is designed to allocate a maximum of $20,000 per family to cover occupational costs, housing, furnishing, personal living needs and health costs. This could cover anything from eyeglasses to a used vehicle to education costs.

Why is the Red Cross is trying its best to keep the program a secret and discourage the survivors who find out about it? It has been reported American Red Cross chapters in areas such as Jackson, Mississippi have lied to survivors, denied the existence of such a program and is attempting to penalize recipients who tell others about it. In other areas, people are routinely denied assistance based on the whims of case managers who arbitrarily decide if a person will get assistance or how much of their needs will be addressed.

To say the Red Cross is "hiding" the program isn't exactly true, however. A June 8 article in the Biloxi Sun Herald newspaper reported on the Means to Recovery program as well as Access to Care, which provides mental health care to storm victims:

"The thing we do best is normally right after a disaster occurs, providing food, water and basic supplies," said Pat Rimmer, senior public affairs associate for the Southeast Service Area Headquarters of the Red Cross. "But we decided we wanted to do something more long term for those affected by the 2005 hurricanes, mainly Katrina, Rita and Wilma."

The Sun Herald article noted that the aid isn't given to the individual or family but to the vendor from whom the needed items are purchased.

The Means to Recovery program was also the subject of an October 26, 2006 Newhouse News Service report describing it as providing "help for victims unable to have needs met in a traditional forum." The program, it said, "sets case managers to work with clients to develop a long-term recovery plan for families."

We believe and agree with agencies and organizations determined to provide real help to disaster survivors. The Red Cross's failure to widely publicize the program is "mean-spiritedness". This is a congressionally-chartered charity which has consistently treated hurricane survivors, especially black and latino people as second-class citizens.

An investigation led by Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) was conducted into the post-Katrina performance of the Red Cross. In May, President Bush signed into law legislation sponsored by Grassley and others revamping Red Cross governance. The new legislation includes the creation of the new position of ombudsman; the person who will work in this capacity will have access to all aspects of the organization's operations and is mandated by law to provide annual reports to Congress.


Gulf Watch: Red Cross under fire for allegedly withholding aid from Katrina victims


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