I think it's a fact of life. I assume you mean that the charities must pay local "independant forces" and "government workers" to get the materials safely to the areas it is most needed. I doubt you really need to worry too much about the people running the charity gaining too much from their efforts. Generally it is transparant enough that one can investigate and find out where the money is going. As far as the 75% figure, I expect that in most cases the end recipients will rarely receive anything over 50% value, even if the charity uses completely volunteer labor throughout the organization. Transportation, storage, maintenance, and distribution costs alone generally account for nearly half the cost of an item in particularily underdeveloped or tumultuous areas. Note that in many, if not most, cases timely delivery of a smaller quantity of goods is more important than late delivery of a larger quantity of goods. Last-minute transportation is always more expensive than a plan with 2 months lead time. Yes, it would be nice to get rid of corruption completely (whether local leaders or warlords who let the vehicles pass). I'm not saying you're making the wrong decision - I'm not donating to this particular cause at this time as well. But if I had money to donate, and knew that even only 5% would actually benefit the recipient I would consider it anyway, since it's 5% more than what they have now. Those who receive ill-gotten gains along the way will never find peace or happiness in it, so the extra money from my donation is only binding them further to their own gluttony. -Adam On 7/25/06, Gus S Calabrese wrote: > I would donate money to these efforts if I thought 75% ended up in > a refugees pocket and not funding a fat cat's new car. > > > On 2006-Jul 25, at 05:37hrs AM, Russell McMahon wrote: > > UNHCR E-alertI hope that this sort of thing belongs in OT on occasions > like this. > Advise me OFFLIST or tell James OFFLIST if you have any problems with > this. > > You too can help out in Lebanon if that's the way that you wish to > invest your capital. > > The disturbing thing is that UNHCR seems to be massing aid on the > Syria/Lebanon border but can't as yet deliver it. > Organisations like Oxfam are 'in there already" although it's not at > all obvious whether they are yet able to channel aid to their existing > people there. > > eg UNHCR say > "UNHCR is trucking some 40 trailers > loaded with over 500 tonnes of aid supplies from our regional > warehouse in Jordan to Syria. It's frustrating that we can't deliver > this aid, particularly when there are thousands of uprooted civilians > just a few hours away in Lebanon who desperately need it." > BUT > In addition to pre-positioning tonnes > of relief supplies, UNHCR has sent a 19-member emergency response team > comprising humanitarian specialists who will augment the agency's > staff in Syria and Lebanon. > > > > RM > > > > > > > > UNHCR Addresses seem valid even though a bit unusual. > Following along the chain leads to what appear to be UNHCR sites BUT > if giving money going via a Google search or similar may be a good > idea. You'd *hope* that top level Google hits would take you to > legitimate sites as any scammers should be rapidly found out with this > degree of exposure. > > UNHCR - see below > > ___________________ > > OXFAM et al > > Canada: CARE / Save the Children / Oxfam have joined forces as "The > Humanitarian Coalition". > They already have people "on the ground" in Lebanon. Donantions > welcomed: > > http://www.thehumanitariancoalition.ca/index.shtm > > ___________________________ > > UNHCR / Lebanon news. > Google will know of much more. > > http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/WO0607/S00430.htm > > From: UNHCR > To: newsletters@paradise.net.nz > Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2006 10:18 PM > Subject: Urgent Supplies Needed for fleeing Lebanese > > > "The plight of the displaced in Lebanon is growing more difficult by > the hour," said Antonio Guterres, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees > yesterday. UNHCR is positioning more than 500 tonnes of relief > supplies along the Syria-Lebanon border but urgently needs assurances > of safe passage to deliver the much-needed supplies to tens of > thousands of displaced people. > > Relief supplies sent so far to Syria include 20,000 mattresses, 20,000 > blankets; 5,000 family tents; 5,000 bales of plastic sheeting; 10,000 > jerry cans; 5,000 stoves and 5,000 cooking sets. A family tent costs > US$ 80. Twenty blankets cost US$ 100. To help, please go to > http://news.supportunhcr.org/cgi-bin2/DM/y/hYyn0G87Nh0FZs0p4w0ED > > > UNHCR has sent a 19-member Emergency Response Team of humanitarian > specialists to add to our current staff in Syria and Lebanon. Since > last week the team members have been flying in from UNHCR offices > worldwide. > > The High Commissioner spoke out as the U.N. yesterday launched its > appeal for the Lebanon crisis. UNHCR needs US$18.9 million to help > 150,000 displaced people in Lebanon and neighbouring countries for an > initial period of three months. That's US$126 for each person we help. > > We are particularly concerned about the most vulnerable people in > Lebanon, Syria and surrounding countries - the women, children and the > elderly. > > The UN refugee agency is on the ground helping the people it can > reach, including in the mountainous regions north of Beirut where > people are sheltering in schools. "At the schools, people are > traumatised and anxious," said UNHCR's top official in Lebanon, Arafat > Jamal. "The conditions are very precarious. There's a lot of > overcrowding, with people sleeping three families to a room and > tremendous pressure on the sanitation facilities." > > To read more about this emergency please click on > http://news.supportunhcr.org/cgi-bin2/DM/y/hYyn0G87Nh0FZs0BBNq0Er. > > To hear more from our High Commissioner, Ant=F3nio Guterres on the > Lebanon Crisis, click on > http://news.supportunhcr.org/cgi-bin2/DM/y/hYyn0G87Nh0FZs0BBNm0En > > Later this week we hope to bring you news on Arjun who working as part > of the Emergency Response Team. > > Yours sincerely, > > UNHCR-The UN refugee agency > > This E-Alert is a free subscription-based news service provided by the > UN Refugee Agency. It delivers up-to-date information on refugees > around the world, advises subscribers of emergencies, and suggests > ways to get involved. > Did you receive this message from a friend or colleague? > Stay informed, subscribe to UNHCR E-Alert. > www.unhcr.org > Send to a friend > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > > Gus S Calabrese > Denver, CO > 720 222 1309 303 908 7716 cell > Please include and do not limit yourself to "spam2006". I allow > everything with "spam2006" in the subject or text to pass my spam > filters. > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive > View/change your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- = http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist