Defending the mission of the Red Cross
Re “The Red Cross money pit,” Current, Sept. 25
The American Red Cross has provided 2.6 million nights of post-hurricane shelter and has distributed nearly 14 million meals. As for Richard M. Walden’s doubt that we will provide much more, we have already distributed $521 million in direct financial assistance to 530,000 families (that’s money in their pockets), and we expect to serve 400,000 more. In all, approximately $876 million of the $946.6 million pledged or given by generous people to this effort has been spent or committed.
The Red Cross is big -- as big as the hearts of millions of Americans who entrust to us their time, their money and their blood so that they can help their neighbors in emergencies. We hope that trust has not been damaged.
The devastation on the Gulf Coast will require the best we all have to give.
ROGER DICKSON
CEO, American Red Cross
Greater Los Angeles
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