Reprehensible Wounded Warrior Project

[Lucille]

As reprehensible as the VA.

http://voxday.blogspot.com/2016/03/reprehensible.html

If you're ever wondering why I generally refuse to have anything to do with the so-called "non-profit" world, this scandal at the Wounded Warrior Project is a very good example of why:

Wounded Warrior Project aims to empower wounded veterans, but a recent exposé revealed that the charity spent nearly half of its funding empowering its executives instead. The board of directors responded by beginning to clean house, starting at the top.

Wounded Warrior Project has raised more than a billion dollars in donations since 2003, according to CBS News. Donors might expect their money would be used “to honor and empower Wounded Warriors,” as the nonprofit’s mission states. However, CBS revealed the charity spends between 40 to 50 percent of their money on overhead – while other veterans’ charities spend an average of 10 to 15 percent on the same expenses.

Wounded Warrior Project Chief Executive Officer Steven Nardizzi and Chief Operating Officer Al Giordano were both removed from the organization after accusations arose alleging that the charity’s donations were being misused.... Over $26 million was spent on employee conferences in 2014, compared to $1.7 million in 2010. The events were described as being lavish and boozy, such as one annual meeting held in a luxury hotel in Colorado Springs, where 500 staff members attended a four-day conference that came with a final price tag of $3 million.

The corporate world is predatory, and the mercenary class of executives are certainly in it for no one but themselves, but for sheer thievery, I think only the financial industry can even begin to compete with the non-profit world. At least the corporations have to deliver to their customers on some level, or they go out of business.

Not so the non-profit charities and foundations, which often seem to exist primarily to provide those who run them a very good living.

The fact that these con artists would rip off American military veterans, of all people, just makes them among the lowest of the very low.

Wounded Warrior Project execs fired
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wounded-...and-coo-fired/

[Anti Federalist]

I was going to post this, thanks!

[Dianne]

That really sucks. I stopped giving contributions two decades ago, when I discovered roughly 85% of United Way contributions were going to salaries and advertising. You can't trust any one, any more. We live in an age of trickle-down corruption.

[Brian4Liberty]

The inherent flaw of socialism. Whenever money is pooled together for a "good cause" in an ongoing and monolithic fashion, those in control or those who gain control will eventually just use it for themselves and their selfish desires. Government is the worse example, but big charities often do the same thing.

[Brian4Liberty]

Is this a new story?

From 2013:

Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that there were stories about WWP being a fraud?

Here's a couple. IIRC, Glenn Beck had brought this up.

http://www.exposeobama.com/#!/entry/...fraud,130751/1

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-.../3090003/posts

[Danke]

That really sucks. I stopped giving contributions two decades ago, when I discovered roughly 85% of United Way contributions were going to salaries and advertising. You can't trust any one, any more. We live in an age of trickle-down corruption.

The Salvation Army is a pretty good one.

[Anti Federalist]

That really sucks. I stopped giving contributions two decades ago, when I discovered roughly 85% of United Way contributions were going to salaries and advertising. You can't trust any one, any more. We live in an age of trickle-down corruption.

Do what I do: we donate to local food banks, thrift shops, that kind of thing.

They know me by name, and I can walk in, anytime, and check on the operations.

All government local, all charity local.

[donnay]

The Salvation Army is a pretty good one.

They are connected to the United Way.

[Anti Federalist]

The inherent flaw of socialism. Whenever money is pooled together for a "good cause" in an ongoing and monolithic fashion, those in control or those who gain control will eventually just use it for themselves and their selfish desires. Government is the worse example, but big charities often do the same thing.

+rep

“There are four ways in which you can spend money. You can spend your own money on yourself. When you do that, why then you really watch out what you’re doing, and you try to get the most for your money.

Then you can spend your own money on somebody else. For example, I buy a birthday present for someone. Well, then I’m not so careful about the content of the present, but I’m very careful about the cost.

Then, I can spend somebody else’s money on myself. And if I spend somebody else’s money on myself, then I’m sure going to have a good lunch!

Finally, I can spend somebody else’s money on somebody else. And if I spend somebody else’s money on somebody else, I’m not concerned about how much it is, and I’m not concerned about what I get.

And that’s government. And that’s close to 40% of our national income.”

Milton Friedman, 2004

[Son_of_Liberty90]

Here is a useful tool for those looking to determine how much of your funds go to the cause in a charity:

under "Program expenses"

http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...ary&orgid=7584

[pcosmar]

. We live in an age of trickle-down corruption.

not a trickle.

but it has long been known.. $#@! runs down hill.

[Jamesiv1]

The Salvation Army is a pretty good one.

I agree. I spent a week at the Salvation Army regional office in California training them on software they purchased - and they were the sweetest, nicest folks you could ever meet. They do multi-family housing for the handicapped at that location, and I was very, very impressed with the entire operation.

If I ever have money to give to charity, I'm giving it to Salvation Army.

p.s. Salvation Army doesn't have any million dollar CEO's, either. Big thumbs-UP.

[Jamesiv1]

They are connected to the United Way.

In what way?

They seem like polar opposites to me.

[Ronin Truth]

Why isn't the VA taking care of the damaged veterans? Silly question, nevermind.

The government has been ignoring and mistreating the battle veterans for all of USA history.

NO MORE WOUNDED WARRIORS! War is a racket!

[Pericles]

I agree. I spent a week at the Salvation Army regional office in California training them on software they purchased - and they were the sweetest, nicest folks you could ever meet. They do multi-family housing for the handicapped at that location, and I was very, very impressed with the entire operation.

If I ever have money to give to charity, I'm giving it to Salvation Army.

p.s. Salvation Army doesn't have any million dollar CEO's, either. Big thumbs-UP.

That ^ right there

[MelissaWV]

RE: United Way

Sometimes local efforts are part of the "United Way" network. This helps the non-profit by getting them more funds, and more steadily, than just relying on individual donations. Additionally, United Way campaigns are sometimes kind enough to offer pretax donation methods directly out of paychecks (I do that). What you have to be careful to do is to earmark your donation to as specific a program as possible. My support goes to the local Senior Recreation Center/ElderCare, which is literally a few miles away. Hell, I have a key to the place, so I'd say I have a pretty good handle on what goes on there I would never donate to the United Way in an at large/general way.

AF has the right of it as far as donating when you are feeling directly and spontaneously generous. I would add that the most important part of that transaction is asking "What can I do/What do you need?" to make sure your gift is the right sort.

[donnay]

In what way?

They seem like polar opposites to me.

Some examples:

https://www.salvationarmycarolinas.o...ers/united-way
http://uwde.org/ourpartners.php
http://www.unitedwaysuncoast.org/partner-agencies/
http://www.uwotc.org/our-work/our-tr...unity-partners
http://www.unitedwaysatx.org/partner-agencies/

[Anti Federalist]

In what way?

They seem like polar opposites to me.

United Way helps fund Salvation Army branches all across the country.

In many cases, that funding comes with strings attached, or, in the case of Boston area SA, the funding gets decreased so that UW can focus on more "updated" methods of charity, a great deal of which is lobbying government for increased social spending, rent controls, gun controls and other "lefty" causes.

Salvation Army cuts ties with United Way

http://www.boston.com/business/artic...th_united_way/

Funding down, it will go it alone

A simmering battle between two leading nonprofit organizations erupted publicly yesterday when the Salvation Army of Massachusetts abruptly severed ties with United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, ending a 70-year relationship.

[Jamesiv1]

Some examples:

https://www.salvationarmycarolinas.o...ers/united-way
http://uwde.org/ourpartners.php
http://www.unitedwaysuncoast.org/partner-agencies/
http://www.uwotc.org/our-work/our-tr...unity-partners
http://www.unitedwaysatx.org/partner-agencies/

thanks.

I can't say with certainty that United Way is totally evil, but they seem the most evil of the big charities - due to the scandals and what not.

Plus, my last employer practically forced everyone at gunpoint to do the auto-deduction for United Way. That pissed me off after I read about a few of their scandals.

All I know about the Salvation Army is the week I spent with them in California. Based on that, they are my hands-down favorite.

Oh yeah... plus the red kettle volunteers, plus the thrift stores. All good.

[donnay]

thanks.

I can't say with certainty that United Way is totally evil, but they seem the most evil of the big charities - due to the scandals and what not.

Plus, my last employer practically forced everyone at gunpoint to do the auto-deduction for United Way. That pissed me off after I read about a few of their scandals.

All I know about the Salvation Army is the week I spent with them in California. Based on that, they are my hands-down favorite.

Oh yeah... plus the red kettle volunteers, plus the thrift stores. All good.

You're welcome.

United way does a lot of work for UNICEF which is part of the United Nations.

http://www.unitedwayla.org/getinform...s/Page183.aspx

The 200 Largest U.S. Charities
United Way
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/14/...ay_CH0253.html

[MelissaWV]

Red Cross is another massive problem. Anytime there's a crisis, they swoop in with celebrities and sob stories... and much of the money never gets to anyone related to the original media-friendly crisis.

[Jamesiv1]

You're welcome.

United way does a lot of work for UNICEF which is part of the United Nations.

http://www.unitedwayla.org/getinform...s/Page183.aspx

The 200 Largest U.S. Charities
United Way
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/14/...ay_CH0253.html

United Way is owned by the Rothschilds, and provides food and beverage to the Bohemian Grove {cough} business meetings.

United Way Scandals and What Not

There's pretty solid evidence they killed Elvis and JFK, too.

[MelissaWV]

I guess a great rule of thumb is that if a charity/non-profit can afford to run a bunch of commercials, they've probably already gotten too big to be efficient. It means they're already employing people to negotiate those aforementioned celebrity endorsements, and other people to come up with the ads, and so on.

[RDM]

You can trust the Salvation Army. Believe me when I say those contributions meet the needy. I know first hand as a child, they gave me a Christmas due to my father out of work due to a lockout.

[smokemonsc]

You can trust the Salvation Army. Believe me when I say those contributions meet the needy. I know first hand as a child, they gave me a Christmas due to my father out of work due to a lockout.

Streetwise in Chicago is another really good one. Very libertarian message - you donate directly to the homeless person who is acting as a vendor selling the Streetwise newspaper.

That organization gives the homeless a dignified job (selling newspapers) and helps them to earn their way back to sustaining themselves.

[NorthCarolinaLiberty]

Never help anybody.

[Anti Federalist]

Everyone should donate to Danke's home for wayward women.

[RDM]

Everyone should donate to Danke's home for wayward women.

Is it true that 80% of proceeds go toward the purchase of condoms?

[enhanced_deficit]

Wow, not long ago had seen their TV ads that created a very different image.

The stats they were citing was also bound to make America anti-war I thought at the time.

[Danke]

Is it true that 80% of proceeds go toward the purchase of condoms?

No that is a vicious rumor. A lot of the funds will go towards instruction and education.