"Bush pledges Katrina Probe"

"President suggest Bureaucracy to blame for slow response"

"Congress investigates 'woeful' effort"

These headlines, from the Financial Times, illustrate why ECHO needs your support NOW!

On day one after Hurricane Katrina struck we immediately dispatched a quarter of a million emergency meals, four days before the "Red Cross" arrived.

FEMA (the Government Agency) turned up days late and then proceeded to handle the crisis with unbelievable incompetence, turning away rescue boats, food supplies and offers of airlifts, while people lay starving and dying on the streets.

Scenes like an old lady wrestled to the ground by police, to force her to evacuate from her home, even though no shelter was being provided, merely highlighted the gross mishandling of the situation.

Despite the immensity of the crisis a very foolish appeal was made by FEMA to "only support" Red Cross. As leader of a major relief agency who has provided and is providing food for hundreds of thousands of hurricane victims, I was shocked to say the least by this rediculous comment.

1. Red Cross is not a Government agency.

2. It is in my opinion an unwise steward of the finances donated to it. Despite all the pro Red Cross publicity, I feel it is immoral, that when the average donor is an old lady, sacrificing from her pension, yet directors like the CEO draw up to almost half a million dollar a year salaries.

3. In my opinion, the eight billion dollars donated annually to Red Cross could be used far more effectively by many of the other noble relief charities, driven by compassion.

In the words of the 'Brownton Standard', the newspaper of the nearby town, devastated Pascagula Missippi -

Katrinas's Lesson: Be Prepared

Despite all the warnings, Katrina caught the nation unprepared. Therefore, we must prepare now. What if there was an earthquake or terrorist attack. We know hurricanes will come.

From the recent earthquake in California to hurricanes from Florida to Louisiana to Texas, show us that it could be your city next time that needs ECHO's help.

Help us purchase (or if you are able donate) more 40 foot trailers so our "First Response Team" can continue to be there the moment a crisis occurs. We need your most generous donation NOW.

Help us mobilize the 24,000 tent "City of Refuge" to house up to 200,000 homeless people.