Wishing Well Foundation in Metairie among worst nonprofits in nation, station reports

[The Straight Story]

Wishing Well Foundation in Metairie among worst nonprofits in nation, station reports

The Metairie-based Wishing Well Foundation USA has received a zero rating from a charity watchdog group for six years in a row, according to a report by WWL-TV.

According to the most recent IRS report the station could find for the group, in 2008, the charity only spent five cents out of every dollar helping terminally ill children, the stated missiion of the organization.

Of the $1.3 million raised that year, only $36,000 went toward granting wishes. Over $1 million went to telemarketing firms in Illinois, Missouri and New York. The charity's president, Elwin Lebeau, received $63,600.

Lebeau did not return the reporters' requests for information.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2011/03/wishing_well_foundation_in_met.html