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Wounded Warriors? You Decide

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I am sure we all feel the same about our hard-working dollars when it comes to charity giving, and the concern that our donations will be shepherded properly. This particular charity has, for some reason, always caused me some concern. I can not explain this feeling, only that it always comes up when I see their advertisements–which are everywhere.  I suspect my Economic education might have something to do with this “feeling.” Might I suggest you go to this link, then you decide for yourself–I have already.

WOUNDED WARRIORS EXECS MAKE OUT LIKE BANDITS, ACTUAL WOUNDED WARRIORS? NOT SO MUCH…

 

Originally posted 2016-01-25 10:02:28.

9 thoughts on “Wounded Warriors? You Decide”

  1. Jim, it’s worth spending some time on Charity Navigator for any one interested in this “charity”. They get an 84.5% rating vs. 95.26% for Wounded Warrior Family Support (a different entity). WW CEO makes $473,000 vs. $109,000 for the CEO of Ww Family Support.

    Navy/Marine Relief Society ranks up at 91%. USO at 74%.

    I’ve given to WW but stopped due to almost weekly materials mailed to me, that’s after receiving at least 3 cheesy flags. Huge waste of admin. expense.

    I can’t speak to the accuracy of Republic Broadcasting…we can all make figures sing and dance, and I’m sure they are more than capable of doing the same.

    Everyone ought to look hard at all their charitable giving to ensure they get their money’s worth.

    Jim, I know you are fond of USO (hmmmmm, could it be that blond you met there in the 1960’s…?)

    Navy Puke Doug

    1. Doug, I figured you’d come up on the this one as we have talked several times about our charities, and I knew you go to Charity Navigator and check them out. I am surprised they got such a high rating (Hmm?), but if Republic Broadcasting got their figures from tax documents I “think” they’d be on safe grounds for fear of lawsuits. Like you, I was inundated with way too much mail/ads from them, which as you say merely takes $ from the warriors. Just the difference in CEO’s salaries is enough to cause a red flag to me.

      And about that Blonde USO gal, if I recall she was not from the USO, and was definitely a redhead. LOL Perhaps Gary or Hop will jump in on that note.

    1. DB, Seems awfully strange to me — if these figures are in deed accurate — that a charity can collect over $342 billion profit in one year and only over $804 thousand actually goes to the folks for which the charity is supposed to be supporting. My Lord, that is 0.24% of their revenue — less than 1 percent!

      1. Col. Jim – I have a small cleaning (service) business and I have given a percentage of my profits to Wounded Warriors because I felt it was a good cause. – who would you recommend a group to support since you don’t seem to like Wounded Warriors ?

        1. Bill, while I hasten to give a specific recommendation for a charity, based on what Doug stated below in his comment (he and I have spoken often about charities, and he researches them thoroughly), I would be inclined to lean towards “Wounded Warrior Family Support” vice Wounded Warrior (WW). I know that WW has support from some high ranking retirees, but that doesn’t matter to me; the dollars that actually go to those they support vice the CEO/Presidents’ salaries mean more to me. Having said that, I know from personal experience the support given to active duty personnel by the Navy/Marine Relief Society and the USO are above and beyond the call. I don’t know what Marines and sailors would do in ports of call without the USO; they are absolutely excellent in helping set up tours, functions, and events for the troops. Personally I give the USO a large donation every year. Hope this helps. You may want to go to the Charity Navigator and see what the data shows.

          1. Jim, just another thought on charitable giving. As I recall, you may be on the same page. I pretty much have switched to local contributions rather than national “causes”. Examples: the local food bank, the local free clinic, local Habitat Chapter, etc.. I refuse to give to the State Troopers via their national (professional) fund raiser. I’m fond of our local County Sheriff’s department, but I’m not fond of the professional organizations that send me stuff ostensibly on their behalf. I’ve heard that the local Sheriff gets only a few percent of what is raised in their name. It’s a minefield out there in the charitable giving field.

            If these “fund raisers” weren’t in this business, they’d be selling vacuums door to door or playing 3 card monte on the street corner.

            That’s just my 2 cents,

            Doug

          2. Yes Doug, you are absolutely correct; I am with you 100%. There are some great National charities out there, but the locals need help as well and their overhead is a lot smaller than these national guys that spend major portions of their revenue on mail outs that normally end up in my trash can. And they are never satisfied; make a nice donation one time and you get 50-11 requests for more. (If you don’t know what 50-11 is, it a LOT. I have a fellow retired Marine who has always used that term to mean a whole bunch.) And these calls from the police organizations is the biggest scam of them all. One of my monthly donations is to the local no-kill rescue center for animals; I have a very soft spot in my heart for animals; my bride says I do not have the same passion for humans — she’s right. I also donate annually to St. Jude Children’s Hospital for very personal reasons; our oldest grand child is alive today because of them. The last picture of Danny Thomas before he died is with our grand daughter sitting on his lap.

  3. They only provide help for post 9/11 Wounded Veterans, they don’t really help too many Veterans but those that they do help they go all out for.
    If not for ridiculous salaries they could help many more.

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