Report Says Charities Would Be Lacking in a Big Disaster
Government agencies have often relied on major charities like the Red Cross to help them fully respond to a catastrophic disaster like a hurricane or earthquake. But a new report from the Government Accountability Office suggests those charities aren’t able to fully address the need for food, shelter and other services.

In an article in the New York Times, Stephanie Strom says the report comes “on the heels of news that the American Red Cross, the only relief organization with a legally mandated responsibility to help the government provide care in an emergency, is seeking $150 million in federal aid to cover the costs of assisting the victims of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike.”

The GAO report found that in a worst-case, large-scale disaster, “the projected need for mass care services would far exceed the capabilities of these voluntary organizations without government or other assistance.”

The report looked at four major charities: The Red Cross, the Salvation Army, the Southern Baptist Convention and Catholic Charities. It found that those organizations lack the financial and other resources needed to address a Katrina-like event.

“For instance, the Red Cross, which came in for extensive criticism after that storm, has reorganized its chapters and worked to develop partnerships with local groups,” Strom says. “Further, the report said, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army and the Southern Baptist Convention have worked together to develop a system to manage supplies, and local Salvation Army units have upgraded their communications systems.”

To read the full article, click here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/18/us/18disaster.html?_r=1&em=&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1221757704-Xg8vLb1Wkp0APcI0NXtJBA