Wounded Warrior Project Accused of Wasting Donations on Itself

[RockaFowler]

http://gawker.com/wounded-warrior-project-accused-of-wasting-donations-on-1755611396

In 2014, CBS reports, the Wounded Warrior Project took in more than $300 million in donations. But while other, similar charities spend more than 90 percent of their budgets on veterans (i.e. Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust: 96 percent; Fisher House: 91 percent) WPP spends only 60 percent on vets.

In 2009, the charity hired a new CEO, Steven Nardizzi, who (apparently) loves to party. According to tax forms, the charity’s spending on conferences and meetings ballooned from $1.7 million in 2010 to $26 million in 2014—which, incidentally, is about the same amount of money that it spends on its biggest program, combat stress recovery.

In 2014, Nardizzi organized a four-day, $3 million conference at a luxury resort in Colorado Springs. “He rappelled down the side of a building at one of the all hands events. He’s come in on a Segway, he’s come in on a horse,” one former employee told CBS.

[liberal N proud]

1. Next time you see a country star on TV singing some sad tune, remember this

You can think about how sad it is for those employees who give all for those who gave so much.

So many charities are so corrupt, you have to really be careful who you donate to.

[nitpicker]

2. Link to Charity Navigator showing 59.9 percent program spending

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12842#.Vqn7bY-cHOw

[Human101948]

3. Interesting. Charity Navigator rates them very high...

About 85%. But this story confirms what I suspected after seeing their sappy commercials on TV so many times.

[nitpicker]

4. Charity Navigator rating a composite of financials and transparency

They gave it 4 stars for transparency/accountability but only 2 stars for financials.

[Human101948]

6. But for those of us who are not so sophisticated, 85 sounds like a good mark...

I was always happy to get a grade like that in high school.

[nitpicker]

5. Link to Military Times overview

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2016/01/27/report-wounded-warrior-project-overspends-on-its-staff-ex-employees-say/79412232/

[sorefeet]

7. I knew this was a scam

I hate that commercial and I hope that country music clown is very embarrassed and quits promoting this shit.
Did they ever investigate Sean Hannity and his Operation Freedom with Ted Nugent and a couple more American patriot chicken hawk thieves. Steal from the needy. Typical Republican tactics.

[alarimer]

8. The Washington Post article was nauseating

The CEO of the organization makes about $400K. Not so bad, I guess, but he claims to want to run it like a for-profit company. So I guess that accounts for the $500 a night hotel rooms. The Post also said that they spend about 40% of what they take in on charity. The rest is overhead. That is way too low, in my opinion.

I'm guessing there might be more to this scandal than simply spending too much on travel. We shall see.

In any case, all big charities seem to have this issue (see Susan J. Komen). Once they become the "goto" charity for a particular cause, the corruption begins.

[dembotoz]

9. You nail it. The charity becomes bigger than the cause