One again ProPublica is writing about the Red Cross. This time they are referencing the recent GAO report. See article here: American Red Cross Sunshine Act’ Would Open Charity to Outside Scrutiny

Federal legislation is being unveiled today that would force the American Red Cross to do something that it has repeatedly resisted: open its books and operations to outside scrutiny.

The proposed American Red Cross Sunshine Act comes in response to a government report, also being released today, that finds oversight of the charity lacking and recommends Congress find a way to fill the gap.

Though the Red Cross has a government-mandated role responding to disasters, “no regular, independent evaluations are conducted of the impact or effectiveness of the Red Cross’s disaster services,” the GAO report found. The inquiry cites reporting by ProPublica and NPR about the Red Cross’ failures during Superstorm Sandy and misleading statements by CEO Gail McGovern about how the group has spent hundreds of millions of donated dollars.

The GAO report is titled American Red Cross: Disaster Assistance Would Benefit from Oversight through Regular Federal Evaluation.  The Diva thought it provided an interesting account of the special characteristics of the Red Cross and it relationship with FEMA.

For those of you engaged in outreach to and cooperation with houses of worship with regard to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, see the Diva’s other blog: http://disastersandfaith.wordpress.com/

Article about a new book: Professor studies natural disasters. There are many interesting findings, but here is one:

“It was very clear to us that it was not individual characteristics of the children, so it wasn’t how resilient they were, or industrious, or intelligent,” she said. “It was structural disadvantages that made the most difference in how their lives played out after the disaster. So having social, economic and political resources made the most difference.”

1. From the WSJ: The Roots of the Migration Crisis.
   
2. From the Guardian: The turmoil of today’s world: leading writers respond to the refugee crisis

The refugee crisis, though long in the news, has suddenly captured the world’s attention. But what are the underlying causes, and what should individuals and governments do to help? Ali Smith, Mary Beard, Orhan Pamuk and Pankaj Mishra and others give their view

See:  Science and community resilience has growth with Canterbury quakes

Never one to be shy and retiring, fellow blogger Eric Holdman recently published this posting: “Emergency Management Dependencies; The feds have been too generous to us.”

Here are a couple of his observations:

I think perhaps we have lost our initiative to do things on our own. Although the federal grant funds in the form of homeland security grants has enabled us to do many wonderful things, we have become addicted to grants.

*** we’ve converted our state and local emergency management programs into federally funded organizations that can only do what the grant guidance allows. We have allowed the feds to assume what should be our responsibility as states, counties and cities to fund a basic public safety function — that being emergency management.

I am sure readers have a few thoughts and opinions on this topic.

The Diva would add that adhering to requirements of federal grants results in a change in thinking and vocabulary, both of which sometimes get in the way of dealing effectively with citizen groups and clients to be served.

According to an article in the Wash. Post, see: Get ready: Experts say a government shutdown is likely

This Congress is a disgrace, in my opinion. With all the important work that needs to be done, it is truly irresponsible to shut down the federal government.