Yes indeed, bring us your poor and angry and there could be a silver lining, according to this story from Pressconnects of Greater Binghamton.
Remember that shooting rampage back in April when an angry refugee went on a killing spree in Rochester, NY. It is hard to remember isn’t it? That is because there has been virtual silence on the story for the last two months, until now. Seems big bucks are flowing into local charities, but the question is, are big bucks flowing back out to the needy?
Tragedy has spurred an unprecedented amount of giving.
Donations to local charities have now exceeded $250,000 for victims of the April 3 mass shooting at the American Civic Association in Binghamton. Thirteen people – 11 immigrants taking an English class, their teacher and a caseworker – were massacred. The shooter, Jiverly A. Wong, 41, also wounded four others before turning one of his two handguns on himself.
So far, the lion’s share of money – about $200,000 – has been donated to Catholic Charities of Broome County.
But, get this! Only 1/8th of the $200,000 has gone to help families of the victims.
So far, Catholic Charities has paid out about $25,000 of the amount donated. The money has gone to pay for food and local transportation costs for families of the victims.
It’s not just the Catholics who benefited, so too did the Broome County Council of Churches.
The Broome County Council of Churches has received about $50,000 in donations since the shooting, said the Rev. Joseph Sellepack, the council’s executive director.
So far, about $26,000 of that amount has gone toward transportation costs. Volunteers from the council drove family members of victims to and from JFK International Airport in Queens. Many of those family members live overseas.
If you are saying, well at least they spent half of their windfall on victims’ relatives, read this again more carefully. If “volunteers” drove family members of victims to and from the airport, then why was there an expense of $26,000 for “transportation costs.” Actually we have learned in the last two years of tracking refugee issues that true volunteers are rare in this refugee business—everyone wants to be paid!
Then this adds insult to injury. The taxpayer, you and me, are also footing the bill for the killing spree. Government agencies have kicked in a chunk of change as well. The do-gooders bring crazy people to the US and we foot the bill.
Many costs associated with the tragedy have been met with federal and state funds. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Victims of Crime has paid airfare for family members coming from China, Brazil, Vietnam and other countries.
The state Crime Victims Board is handling compensation claims for funeral and medical expenses, as well as compensation for lost wages and counseling services.
Read the whole article, there is lots more interesting information in it including reference to family members who came for the funeral and are staying on in the US.
Hey, Catholic Charities and other beneficiaries of tragedy, how about if you help the victims’ families directly with your windfall. You know, set up a scholarship for the kids or something instead of expanding your bureaucractic fiefdoms.