Red Cross Katrina Affair to Remember, by Kirby Sommers
A few days ago the world learned of the abrupt firing of Mark Everson, the 53-year-old married father of two, and newly minted CEO of the American Red Cross (ARC). As news of his love tryst with a female subordinate shook the confidence of the Board of Directors, even more disturbing is the identity of Everson’s “other woman.”
Everson’s lover is also married, and is also a higher up at the Red Cross. You heard right: it’s Paige Roberts, 37, Executive Director of the Southeast Mississippi Chapter of the Red Cross. Paige is a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Pascagoula. Her husband, Gary Roberts is a Gautier City Judge and a lawyer in Pascagoula. They have two sons and live in Gautier, MS.
But, wait, the story gets even more scandalicious. Paige is pregnant and Mark Everson is the donor, no pun intended.
The American Red Cross has decided to undertake an extensive audit of all monies spent by Mark Everson. Reportedly, the higher-ups at the Red Cross are pretty upset. They’re combing through every cent spent by Everson to see if he misappropriated funds while pursuing less than noble causes with Mrs. Roberts.
Ahhhh…accountability at last.
There’s a good and bad side to every story. Even this one.
The bad is obvious. Katrina evacuees and those elusive Katrina donations were obviously not a priority for either of these two Red Cross bosses. It takes a lot of time and effort to lead a double life. Two mind-numbing self-righteous narcissists are not inclined to put the needs of those they are meant to serve first. Lust and lies prevailed.
If the Red Cross discovers that perhaps $10 or $20 million of Katrina donor dollars were misspent in trips and other romp related activities it will be bad; but good for Katrina advocates like myself. It will underscore the outcries of despair among evacuees across the country when news broke of the Red Cross’ secretive and meager $39 million Means to Recovery Program. It will show the world once again, much like those early horrific images of neglect, that the poor, whether black or white are expendable by the Red Cross and this administration.
That an audit wasn’t done before this to ensure all Katrina donor dollars were accounted for and put into the hands of those in need is deeply disturbing. To learn that it is being expeditiously demanded now in what is clearly a public relations ploy by the Red Cross to ensure donor dollars continue to stream in is disheartening.
Paige Roberts has not been fired. Come on now, a smooth talker from Washington, DC made her forget her obligations to her family, her job and to herself. Her marriage is in shambles and she’s expecting another man’s child. I’m far from being judgmental, quite the opposite; I’m pretty open to other people’s foibles. But when it comes at the expense of Katrina survivors, I draw the line. She, too, should get the boot.
Everson was supposed to be the Red Cross’ golden boy. He was brought into their fold to clean up the ugly tarnished image of the Red Cross in the wake of their horrific handling of the Katrina crisis. The job has not been done.
In the long run, this Katrina affair the world will remember may just keep survivors from disappearing into the recesses of a time forgotten. For the pain of Katrina is still here today and light is shining on us all once again.
2007 Copyright Kirby Sommers
THIS MAY NOT BE REPRINTED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE AUTHOR.
Kirby Sommers is a real estate broker in New York who has been helping survivors since August 31, 2005 by connecting them to homes, resources and information.
9 comments:
As a Katrina survivor who had to move fifty miles away, we lived 3 miles west of the Roberts', I concluded post-Katrina the Red Cross was cold, callous, indifferent et al and begrudged giving a cent to my distraught neighbors. I was wrong. Here is a married mother of two at age 35 being warm. I plan to include copies of the news storiers re this sordid affair in the return envelopes from the Red Cross appeals for more money!
As a former Director of a Disaster Relief group on the Gulf Coast, Pascagoula Moss Point,Ms. It was evident that Ms Roberts had immunity in her decisions from somewhere within the Red Cross. If you want to find corruption and misspent money audit the 100 homes in 100 days program. This program has stolen money and services from primarily older uneducated black families. Paige Roberts and her co hart Jim Yancey made rules as they went and even required some homeowners to pay them their small grants. The homes have not been completed however the money is unaccounted for.
Sharon, I'd love to speak with you. Send me an email at
k_sommers@katrinahomedrive.org
Thanks,
Kirby
I don't really think you should make such a negative opinion on someone you don't even know. Since you live in New York City, I doubt you've ever met her, and in case you were wondering, I've known her for a long time and she also taught my sister in high school, and she's a great person who works hard to help her community. I doubt you've helped anyone by writing your opinions on the internet as if anyone cared. Thanks for being cold-hearted.
Kirby, keep digging!
As an IRS employee who worked under Mr. Eberson, this story is a good example of what goes around comes around. During his tenure, Mr. Eberson created an internal IRS campaign demanding a "higher ethical standard" for all IRS employees. He even went so far as to launch a totally disastrous ethically-based audit program that wasted thousands of tax dollars. The witch hunt targeted over 800 IRS employees for in-depth personal tax audits. Obviously, his higher standard initiative was just another "do as I say - not as I do" enterprise.
Anonymous said:
Roberts arrived at the San Bernardino Red Cross Disaster Relief Center, Public Affairs Section, established for the California Wildfires on 29, October 2007. She was on some kind of "flying squad" of supervisors! Trust me to say there was little or no work for 80% of those brought in. The last thing needed was another supervisor There was a manager, 4 supervisors, and 14 other Public Affairs persons assigned. Roberts came in and did more socializing than anything else. She went on the mountain once and talked on the cell phone the entire drive up and back. When the car stopped she walked away and talked on her cell phone for long periods, holding up the car. She was in San Bernardino for about 3 or 4 days, and she flew out. She said she was leaving to go home. She had to be home because "Winston was having his first soccer game!"
The word was that she was "heavy" becasue the Red Cross Presidents's daughter spent the summer at her house.
What ever it cost the Red Cross to fly her from her home to San Bernadrdino, rent a car, hotel, and fly back is appalling.
Mrs. Robert's children should NOT be brought up by name. For the sake of their privacy as minors...and just common courtesy!!
Come on - let's be adults. It's bad enough that their children will probably stumble upon this blog years from now, but try to spare them some sense of decency. They should not be called out by name on the INTERNET (ie, a place of NO PRIVACY) as an excuse for poor job skills on the parent's part.
As per the January 15th comment that chided her for being on the phone the whole time, that is a huge component of her job. During a disaster, she generally is on the phone non stop with national media doing phone interview. As to the socialization she was seen doing, it is crucial for her to keep good relations with all of the major players to ensure the Red Cross is portrayed by all in a positive light.
Finally the reason she was only briefly their is because she is part of the advance team that goes into a disaster before the long term team can be activated.
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