What would YOU do for $360?

[Mississippi Storm Magnet]

Free Money makes people crazy.

So, from my post below "You people from Mobile County, Alabama", you know the story. In short,

My house on coast destroyed
Living with parents in George Co, MS
Go to Red Cross to get money.
Only issuing 700 tickets for checks per day.
Go yesterday at 6:30 AM. Already out. Lots of Bama folks
National Guardsman tells me to come back earlier the next day like 2 AM

So, I set my alarm for 1 AM this morning. I return. National Guardsman tells me they sold out at 10 PM. There were already 560 people in line at 9 PM. No new tickets until 3 AM Friday.

Also, I saw some people with Alabama tags that had 65xxxxx, which I happen to know that is in Huntsville.

I look at the Guardsman and say, "I quit. This is not worth it. I am here with only the shirt on my back, having to beg for dollars with people not from here. I lived here for 18 years. This is disgraceful" Walked away.

I will NOT lose any more sleep over this. And I have tried the phone number for 4 straight hours to get a busy signal.

Anyhow, just ranting. Thanks for listening. I can live without $360

[artist]

have you registered with FEMA?

[Mississippi Storm Magnet]

Yes. Already got help from them. Just ticks me off about the Red Cross deal.

[artist]

I can imagine - saw another forum with people complaining about not being able to get help from them either yet they seem to have plenty of lines open for donations. Good luck to you mississippi!

[Lindaloo]

All I can tell you storm magnet is to go to the Red Cross in Jackson County.

[secretforecaster]

MSM all I can say is that I am really sorry that this is happening to you. There are very similar stories here in Houston. I guess at least in MS they are giving out tickets and not making people wait outside for 10-20 hours in the heat for the place to later run out of cards (now cash).

I will pray that you get some relief soon.

[Ixolib]

In its own right, it's not an easy experience. My wife went to the center in Biloxi (at the United Artist Thearte) on the 27th and was in line from 8:30am until 2:30pm. But at the end of the day, all was said and done. On the other hand, I can't imagine what it would have been like if folks were coming in from other areas to double or triple the wait.

I STILL can find fault, however, with the Red Cross. I mean, they are "giving" away money, and even if the wait is 6 hours, that still works out to about $60 per hour for one person, or in our case where she got payment for both of us, $120 per hour.

Not a bad day's work, especially since the funds were used to replace our ruined washer and dryer... State Farm wouldn't even talk to us about that issue!!

Thank goodness for the Red Cross and Salvation Army. They have been - and continue to be - a great resource in this recovery.

[Alacane]

Also, I saw some people with Alabama tags that had 65xxxxx, which I happen to know that is in Huntsville.

Actually, 65 is Washington County Alabama. Huntsville is in Madison County.

[beachbum_al]

I don't know if this will help but here is what I found on their site.

http://katrina.redcross.org/gethelp.html