Americans opening homes, lives, to refugees

The American Red Cross is providing temporary shelters in 18 states for 142,000, and the Salvation Army has 32,000 people in its shelters. But the number needing homes is estimated to be near 500,000 or more.

Many offering refuge say they were motivated by televised images of the suffering survivors as well as anger at the sluggish official reaction.

“The government is ineffective, so it is empowering to have groups coalesce like this across the country,’’ said Lee Daniels, an Arizona technology director who helped create an Internet housing match forum. ‘‘It is something people can do other than throw money at the problem.’’

‘‘We just want to help,’’ said Dawn Phlieger of Kansas, who has posted housing offers on several sites. ‘‘These are fellow Americans. They’re hurting They need homes.’’ —Reuters