Beth Yancey Houghton, who said she volunteered as a nurse at the River Center, published a Facebook post accusing the Red Cross of taking over the facility and "refusing clothes, donations and various volunteer services UNLESS they are previously contracted." Houghton wrote that 60 boxes of donuts were "discarded," hot meals were "refused," and medical supplies were "trashed" because the delivery vendor was not contracted with the Red Cross.
Nancy Malone, a spokeswoman for the Red Cross, said the River Center is in fact a state-run shelter operated by the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. The Red Cross is only one of several agencies working with the facility to provide relief for those affected by the flooding in Southeast Louisiana, she said.
Catherine Heitman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Children and Family Services, denied the Red Cross or River Center workers had thrown away donated food, including the 60 boxes of donuts. She said the donuts were preserved in sealable bags and eaten by members of the shelter's mostly volunteer staff. Heitman guessed the boxes Houghton saw in the trash were empty.
Since the River Center first began accepting flood victims, members of the Louisiana Department of Health have paid daily visits, offering guidance about what donated food items the staff should keep or discard, Heitman added.
"If food donations don't come from a verified source, the health department may say: It's okay for workers and volunteers to consume it, but our guidance is not to share with shelter residents," Heitman said. "It's the same guidance they give schools. This is a population that's in our care."
As for the clothing, Heitman said the River Center does not have the manpower to sift through and sort mounds of donated clothes. Instead, they are directing people to churches and nonprofits that are currently accepting use clothing.
Dr. Parham Jaberi, Assistant State Health Officer at LDH, said a similar policy applies for donated medical supplies. Because the shelter's clinical team consists of federal, state and local entities -- namely the U.S. Public Health Services, LDH and Capital Area Human Services -- they already have a cache of medical supplies on hand.
Jaberi added that members of the center's medical staff had thrown away only donated supplies that had been opened or partly used.
The Red Cross is currently in the process of taking over the River Center from the state as evacuees from Celtic Studios and other nearby shelters move in. Malone said the Red Cross' policy is to accept large bulk donations of new items if they're suited to the nature of the disaster.
"We don't do smaller quantities or collections of new or used products, such as household goods or clothing, because we have partners who do that," she said. Still, she added: "We understand the power of donations. And I can guarantee we're not throwing away items."
What to give
Relief organizations in the state have posted the following information for those interested in donating items for the Louisiana flooding victims:
Red Cross: "With regard to donated items, the Red Cross does not have the capacity or infrastructure to process items such as food, clothing and medicines, and thus establishes partnerships with local entities to manage these generous donations," Malone said in a statement.
"It's important to remember that most relief agencies agree that financial donations are the quickest and best way to get help to the people who need it most," she said. "It takes time and money to sort, process, transport and then distribute donated items -- whereas financial donations can be accessed quickly and put to use right away. This allows families who have lost everything to make their own decisions about what they need most."
Capital Area United Way: United Way spokesperson Sarah C. Haneline said the agency is currently accepting both donated goods and money between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm. Those interested in donating supplies are encouraged to visit their website at www.cauw.org and click "Flood Relief."
Evacuees can also call 211 to learn about the closest location to find cleaning supplies, water, food or places to volunteer. Items they are in special need of include: bug spray, school supplies, empty boxes or containers, buckets, mops, cleaning supplies, adult diapers, laundry detergent and tarps.
Salvation Army: Spokeswoman Pattie Odom said the Salvation Army currently has a distribution center at the former Mervyn's store inside the Cortana Mall in Baton Rouge. The center is now accepting water, personal hygiene products, cleaning supplies, baby supplies, pet food, canned goods and other non-perishable food items.
Like the River Center, the Salvation Army is no longer taking used clothing. "We have already handed out 137,800 items of donated clothing, and we have mounds and mounds that we have yet to sort through," Odom said. "So we have more than enough clothes to last us for a long time."
Second Harvest Food Bank: Second Harvest Food Bank is accepting donations of nonperishable food items needed include canned vegetables, fruit, and meats (tuna and chicken), soups and stews, beans and chili, peanut butter, pasta, rice, breakfast cereal and shelf-stable milk. Donated cleaning supplies such as bleach, disinfectants, gloves, sponges, trash bags, and scrub brushes will help residents clean their flooded homes.
Food and cleaning supply donations can be delivered to any Rouses location, or Second Harvest Food Bank from 7:30 a.m. through 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 700 Edwards Avenue in the Elmwood Warehouse District or Second Harvest's Lafayette location at 215 E. Pinhook.
Online donations may be made securely online at www.no-hunger.org. Every dollar donated helps Second Harvest provide three meals to families in need.
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