A group on campus had the right idea when it organized a benefit concert to aid the people affected by the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington D.C. However, their good deed is overshadowed by the charity they chose to donate the proceeds to – the American Red Cross.

This charity needs no more donations and is being investigated for mishandling the ones already received. The benefit concert should give money to the disaster relief fund, but perhaps through a charity that will best utilize the money and ensure it gets to those who need it.

Tickets for the “Red Cross Benefit Concert” held on campus Tuesday were $5 with the proceeds earmarked for the victims of Sept. 11. This is a small donation to make for those who have undergone great suffering in the past two months. But the organizers of this concert should have done their homework before committing the money to the Red Cross.

Though the Red Cross is a helpful organization, it has proven itself unable to cope with the large amount of donations pouring into its offices. It has also proved itself misleading as to where it is spending the money. Amid scandal, the Red Cross president resigned last week and the organization has found itself under investigation due to its announcement that funds raised for the attacks were routed to other programs.

People give money to charities based on how the money will be spent. People were led to believe the money they were donating when calling in while watching the several celebrity-powered drives was going directly to the victims of the attacks.

The group raising money during Tuesday’s concert should rethink where the money they are collecting will truly go if sent to the Red Cross. If they wish to help the victims of Sept. 11, finding a charity that actually will do as it promises may be the best solution.