American Red Cross Technologically Bankrupt?
Though not completely destitute, since having lost my home and all possessions to Hurricane Katrina, being displaced and moving three times, I have been trying to reach the American Red Cross for financial assistance (primarily, I am interested in vouchers for personal hygiene kits, towels etc.)
The local Baton Rouge Red Cross chapter closes promptly at 4:30 (turns out, this is just an admin office, and not a place to receive help), hours before I get off work in my new position as 24 hour computer guy. My only other recourse is to call the 800 number, which has been busy for weeks on end. I have set my alarm for 2AM, 3AM, 4AM and tried then. All I can manage is the rotation of three different "We are too busy for your call" automated messages--when I get lucky enough to get something other than a busy signal. I have yet to even secure a position in the hold queue, which is widely reported to string you along for 3 hours then drop your call.
Is this what the people who donated money to the Red Cross expected for people in need? Since many of us along the Gulf Coast lost our homes, possessions and in many cases jobs, are we supposed to have all the time in the world to sit around hitting redial? Is there a reason why the Red Cross can't process registrations on-line? Can't PayPal, Ebay, IBM, Microsoft, Sun or some other company with the infrastructure already in place donate some resources to the Red Cross so they can process financial assistance applications for the approximately 500,000 people in need in an efficient and timely manner? It has been a month – isn't that enough time to put something into place?
Or, is it really possible that the organization that has sold itself to America as the “go to” source to help people in need, can only process applications by voice, on a terribly inefficient and overburdened 800 phone line? Though I haven't tried making a donation to them in the last few weeks, I bet the donation 800 number is working perfectly. I know it is sour grapes, but I am sick of seeing the Red Cross donation link on every website I visit, when it is impossible to get them on the phone to even register to see if I might qualify for assistance. Where is the "Register here for assistance" link?
To clarify, I would be grateful for assistance. I don't expect something for nothing. But, I think if the people making donations knew how their gifts were being treated, they might look for organizations with better infrastructure. Or put another way, is the Red Cross squandering the precious gift many have generously given by ineffectually administrating it?
The local Baton Rouge Red Cross chapter closes promptly at 4:30 (turns out, this is just an admin office, and not a place to receive help), hours before I get off work in my new position as 24 hour computer guy. My only other recourse is to call the 800 number, which has been busy for weeks on end. I have set my alarm for 2AM, 3AM, 4AM and tried then. All I can manage is the rotation of three different "We are too busy for your call" automated messages--when I get lucky enough to get something other than a busy signal. I have yet to even secure a position in the hold queue, which is widely reported to string you along for 3 hours then drop your call.
Is this what the people who donated money to the Red Cross expected for people in need? Since many of us along the Gulf Coast lost our homes, possessions and in many cases jobs, are we supposed to have all the time in the world to sit around hitting redial? Is there a reason why the Red Cross can't process registrations on-line? Can't PayPal, Ebay, IBM, Microsoft, Sun or some other company with the infrastructure already in place donate some resources to the Red Cross so they can process financial assistance applications for the approximately 500,000 people in need in an efficient and timely manner? It has been a month – isn't that enough time to put something into place?
Or, is it really possible that the organization that has sold itself to America as the “go to” source to help people in need, can only process applications by voice, on a terribly inefficient and overburdened 800 phone line? Though I haven't tried making a donation to them in the last few weeks, I bet the donation 800 number is working perfectly. I know it is sour grapes, but I am sick of seeing the Red Cross donation link on every website I visit, when it is impossible to get them on the phone to even register to see if I might qualify for assistance. Where is the "Register here for assistance" link?
To clarify, I would be grateful for assistance. I don't expect something for nothing. But, I think if the people making donations knew how their gifts were being treated, they might look for organizations with better infrastructure. Or put another way, is the Red Cross squandering the precious gift many have generously given by ineffectually administrating it?
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