I feel you… and I’m not trying to be smart, but all of us can do better then “at least I know from the bottom of my heart that I tried to help” by taking some time to research various companies BEFORE we decide to donate or actually going to the disaster site itself and helping.
I can’t remember her name but a lessor known female celeb and her friend PERSONALLY fly with medial supplies and food to 3rd world countries once in a while to help people because she said the people who need it the most never get it. She said the CEO’s and the like take the donation money to support their inflated salaries. I only found out that she did this because she posted it on her website/blog but for the life of me I can’t think of her name!! But she is the REAL DEAL because she does not incorporate a company just to help people, she just scrapes up cash between her and her friend and they fly to the countries themselves. Also, you got to ask yourself, why is it that other countries in 2010 are so ridden with poverty and they constantly need an influx of U.S fiat currency?? Could the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund be the cause??? I digress.
Anyhow, is it the same with athletics (well track), the upcoming athletes have a hard time getting any money all while people sit in plush offices claiming they love the sport and they do all they can to help athletes. Yea, sure… USTF dropped my friend/old roommate who is a 27 jumper with no history of any problems on or off the track. He now works 2 jobs, and because he is now married, if the money does not start rolling in, it’s only a matter of time before he quits the sport.