Staten Island, NY – SI Borough President: The Red Cross Is “An Absolute Disgrace”

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    A Red Cross trailer is parked in downtown Hoboken, New Jersey, USA, 01 November 2012. Superstorm Sandy has paralyzed much of the US East Coast, causing billions of US dollars in damages and killing at least 70 people.  EPA/PETER FOLEYStaten Island, NY – It took being called “an absolute disgrace” by Borough President James Molinaro for the American Red Cross to finally turn its attention to the ravaged borough of Staten Island.

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    At a press conference today on Staten Island (http://bit.ly/YtkHT6), Mr. Molinaro called out the Red Cross for its lack of response in the decimated borough in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. “You know, I went to a shelter Monday night after the storm. People were coming in with no socks, with no shoes. They were in desperate need. Their housing was destroyed. They were crying. Where was the Red Cross? Isn’t that their function? They collect millions of dollars. Whenever there’s a drive in Staten Island, we give openly and honestly. Where are they? Where are they?” Mr. Molinaro asked.

    “I was at the South Shore yesterday, people were buried in their homes. There the dogs are trying to find bodies. The people there, the neighbors who had no electricity, were making soup. Making soup. It’s very emotional because the lack of a response. The lack of a response. They’re supposed to be here….They should be on the front lines fighting, and helping the people,” he continued.

    The American Red Cross was expected to bring 10 trucks filled with supplies and personnel to Staten Island today according to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (http://bit.ly/VGtWME). A large mobile kitchen is expected to be set up today, and will begin distributing food tomorrow. Senator Chuck Schumer added that FEMA is “on its way today” to the devastated borough. “No place has suffered worse than Staten Island,” said Schumer.

    Staten Island resident Donna Solli who lost her home in Sandy told Senators Schumer and Gillibrand that without intervention, she feared she was going to perish. “We’re going to die,” a clearly anguished Ms. Solli said. “Where is the government?”


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    16 Comments
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    DovidTheK
    DovidTheK
    11 years ago

    It’s very difficult to be sympathetic to people who were told to evacuate and yet thumbed their nose at the authorities and stayed anyways.

    SherryTheNoahide
    SherryTheNoahide
    11 years ago

    I was expecting this to happen sooner or later…it’s going to be impossible to reach everyone right away! This is why it is more important than ever that neighbors ACT like neighbors & take care of one another!

    One of the worst tragedies of Sandy? The story about the young Mom w\the 2yr old & the 4yr old, who was TURNED AWAY by people during the hurricane. She LOST her kids to the waves of the water & now they still can’t find them!

    Folks….we cannot allow stories like this to continue! Even with as good of a job as Gov Christie, Gov Cuomo, the President, etc are doing…there are millions of people in dire need right now & they won’t be able to logistically get to everyone immediately!

    So we MUST stay connected as a people! We MUST not be forgetting one another during this time! And for those of Us who haven’t been affected by the storm…we MUST pray, donate, give funds, and do whatever we can, to help our fellow countrymen & women out!

    11 years ago

    Too bad for these Staten Islanders….The Red Cross has no oligation to immediately respond to everyone in harms way. They do their best on a nationwide basis with the resources they have. Molinaro was elected to be responsible for his constituents. He has failed them miserably and he now seeks to point the finger at a private charity for not doing what he is obviously incapable of doing. What a shvuntz to try to blame private charities for his failures.

    ProminantLawyer
    ProminantLawyer
    11 years ago

    #2 …if it were a sunami people would send money..and omaba, what exactly did he do execpt hug some woman. 4 years of nothing. bloomberg send in food and water. If this was harlem or sri lanka they would do something. It feels like Ben Gazee.

    11 years ago

    The red cross is an organization that kissed up to the germans during ww2, turning a blind eye to the suffering of jews, they toured teresienstadt knowing full well that its all a sham,

    sissel613
    sissel613
    11 years ago

    Why are you so surprised, Mr. Molinaro? We could have told you that a long time ago.

    aypeebee
    aypeebee
    11 years ago

    “Lawyer” at 5

    Has never been to Ben Gazee or he would surely have commented on the beautiful shopping malls and the outdoor cafes thjere
    We are not all as stupid as he thinks