Donations.

One of the things I am starting to see is that while Americans are still generous with their money they are being smarter about who they give it to.

I'm on a couple of 'back channel' forums and I am seeing a lot more of this as time passes.

The question is generally something like  "Hey, I got a spare hundred bucks. Where can I send it that would do the most good?"

Of course, the United Way isn't on the list. Neither is the Red Cross.

A couple of the Louisiana locals know the score and seem to be doing a pretty good job of directing the small amounts of money to where it will do the most good.

"There's this old black preacher that's been putting people up in the church as best he can. He's swamped. I'll bet he can use some money to buy food with."

My guess is that he's an Old School type preacher that can probably figure out a way to feed people for about a buck or so per person per day. He'll pinch a nickel so hard the buffalo will scream. It's probably the best bang for the buck so he gets the recommendation.

Or "There's some woman down the next town over that's taking in a cartload of stray pets. She seems to be having good luck reuniting them with the owners. I brought her 100 pounds of dog and cat food the other day. She's swamped. Here's her address... Hey, send it to me instead. I'll also bring her over one of my wife's casseroles, too. She could probably use it."

This is a change from the usual business of sending a few bucks to the Red Cross. It seems to get the money to where it gets it directly to where it is needed. The middlemen and 'administrative costs' are pretty much eliminated.

It's pretty much grass roots and from what I see going on in Louisiana it's pretty damned cost effective.

I have always preached keeping things as far down the chain as possible. If you look at the efforts there of the Cajun Navy you will see that costs there are at a minimum.

A lot of this comes out of the individuals pocket and a lot of it seems to come from direct donations. One of the costs the Cajun Navy has is probably gasoline simply because boats run on the stuff.

I'm venturing that the Cajun Navy would readily accept a couple of drums of gas as readily as they would accept cash money. Actually it would be somewhat more efficient because if you gave them cash then someone would have to go out and buy gas with it.

I would not be surprised to find that fuel dealers would be willing to donate gas, either. So that makes it easier and more efficient.

The bottom line is that Americans are just as generous as they always have been. They're just getting a little more careful and making sure their donations get to where they will do the most good.

And that is a very good thing.




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