Comments on: The Red Cross Katrina Debit Card Fiasco: Fuzzy Math, Weak Controls, and They Could Care Less http://www.bizzyblog.com/2006/03/08/the-red-cross-katrina-debit-card-fiasco-fuzzy-math-weak-controls-and-they-could-care-less/ The Business End of the Blogosphere Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:26:59 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: TBlumer http://www.bizzyblog.com/2006/03/08/the-red-cross-katrina-debit-card-fiasco-fuzzy-math-weak-controls-and-they-could-care-less/#comment-6943 TBlumer Sun, 16 Apr 2006 00:57:34 +0000 http://www.bizzyblog.com/?p=1586#comment-6943 #1, If the FEMA program was separate from Red Cross, I apologize (though I believe it's true that Red Cross distributed FEMA cards too). Attempts to follow up with the CardForm writer about the difference between the smaller-denominated RC program and the apparently different $2,000 FEMA program did not lead to a response. Believe me, I know plenty about the banking system. The main point of the post is that YOUR representative was talking about relief cards distributed by YOUR folks, and didn't seem to care about accountability, which is a violation of the fundamental tenets of effective charity, not only for stewardship of donor funds but for true and effective compassion for disaster victims. It's up to YOU to design a responsible card program with controls in it. YOUR representative said in the CardForum.com piece that leads this post that, in essence, you are not interested in monitoring whether relief funds are spent responsibly. As long as that is the case, my wallet is shut to the Red Cross, and open to other, more responsible agencies. If you wish to repudiate what your representative said in another comment, be my guest. #1, If the FEMA program was separate from Red Cross, I apologize (though I believe it’s true that Red Cross distributed FEMA cards too). Attempts to follow up with the CardForm writer about the difference between the smaller-denominated RC program and the apparently different $2,000 FEMA program did not lead to a response. Believe me, I know plenty about the banking system.

The main point of the post is that YOUR representative was talking about relief cards distributed by YOUR folks, and didn’t seem to care about accountability, which is a violation of the fundamental tenets of effective charity, not only for stewardship of donor funds but for true and effective compassion for disaster victims.

It’s up to YOU to design a responsible card program with controls in it. YOUR representative said in the CardForum.com piece that leads this post that, in essence, you are not interested in monitoring whether relief funds are spent responsibly. As long as that is the case, my wallet is shut to the Red Cross, and open to other, more responsible agencies.

If you wish to repudiate what your representative said in another comment, be my guest.

]]> By: Bob Abernathy http://www.bizzyblog.com/2006/03/08/the-red-cross-katrina-debit-card-fiasco-fuzzy-math-weak-controls-and-they-could-care-less/#comment-6942 Bob Abernathy Sun, 16 Apr 2006 00:43:45 +0000 http://www.bizzyblog.com/?p=1586#comment-6942 The FEMA $2000 card program (Smoking Gun report) is NOT the Red Cross program. You are seriously mis- or uninformed. You also show a real lack of how the banking indistry works, how ATMS (which may be owned by one of a hundred thousands entities, each operated seperately) work, and you fail to undertand the BASIC MISSION of the Red Cross. Do some homework before bad-mouthing anyone. The FEMA $2000 card program (Smoking Gun report) is NOT the Red Cross program. You are seriously mis- or uninformed. You also show a real lack of how the banking indistry works, how ATMS (which may be owned by one of a hundred thousands entities, each operated seperately) work, and you fail to undertand the BASIC MISSION of the Red Cross. Do some homework before bad-mouthing anyone.

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