List of America's worst charities

[Angel Eyes]

courtesy of the Tampa Bay Times:

http://www.tampabay.com/americas-worst-charities/

At the risk of a drive-by posting: those who donate to charity might want to keep the list in mind.

I understand the Salvation Army spends a very small percentage of its budget on fundraising and other overhead.

[HankB]

On the topic of charities, every WWII veteran I ever talked to about it had good things to say about the Salvation Army, and a bitter loathing for the Red Cross.

[Hawkmoon]

IMHO the Red Cross is a sham. I donate blood to Red Cross bloodmobiles, but only because I don't think there's much they can do to misuse blood donations.

We had red Cross "donut dollies" when I was in Vietnam. During the day, they visited various units and spent an hour at each one playing stupid games and letting the guys ogle (semi)attractive females once in awhile, but even when I was in 4th Infantry Division base camp, where the donut dollies for our region ware based and lived, they were never seen socializing with mere enlisted men outside of their official unit visits. No, they hung out where the officers bunked, and they only slept with officers. They were there ostensibly to raise the morale of the troops, but it didn't work. Everyone I knew regarded them as snotty whores.

Check out the salary and perks of the CEO of the Red Cross. Disgusting and obscene.

[French G.]

Same here re the red cross.

WWII vet said the RC sold sandwiches and coffee, the SA gave them away.

We have a local blood service agency, skip the RC.

[Balog]

I've never met a veteran who had any interaction with the Red Cross and didn't come away with a vicious hatred of them.

[MillCreek]

Interesting how so many of the law enforcement/firefighting charities get low marks.

[charby]

Interesting how so many of the law enforcement/firefighting charities get low marks.

I think if the solicitor's fee was lower they would get higher marks.

[Hawkmoon]

Interesting how so many of the law enforcement/firefighting charities get low marks.

Different reason, IMHO.

At least in my neck of the woods, police and fire organizations hire professional fundraisers to do their soliciting. The methods used are pure sweatshop tactics. Cold calls, strong arm tactics, doing their best to pretend that you're talking to an actual cop rather than to a paid telephone solicitor, refusing to acknowledge who they really are and who they work for ... all are just part of the picture. It was so bad that at one time the legislature (in a rarte act of trying to do THE RIGHT THING passed a law requiring that paid solicitors must (a) acknowledge up fron that they are paid solicitors, and (b) state up front what percentage of their collections actually go to the agency they purport to represent.

The fundraisers took it to court and got the law struck down, so they are free to continue their wicked ways. Now, when they call, I just hang up on them. There's no reason to be polite, because if you try to get any information from them they become rude and abusive and then hang up ... so why should I wait to be hung up on?

Several years ago I did some digging. It's deeply hidden, but IIRC the average around here was that about 10% to 15% of what these clowns collect was actually making it to the organizations. That's ... pretty bad.

[Tallpine]

Different reason, IMHO.

At least in my neck of the woods, police and fire organizations hire professional fundraisers to do their soliciting. The methods used are pure sweatshop tactics. Cold calls, strong arm tactics, doing their best to pretend that you're talking to an actual cop rather than to a paid telephone solicitor, refusing to acknowledge who they really are and who they work for ... all are just part of the picture. It was so bad that at one time the legislature (in a rarte act of trying to do THE RIGHT THING passed a law requiring that paid solicitors must (a) acknowledge up fron that they are paid solicitors, and (b) state up front what percentage of their collections actually go to the agency they purport to represent.

The fundraisers took it to court and got the law struck down, so they are free to continue their wicked ways. Now, when they call, I just hang up on them. There's no reason to be polite, because if you try to get any information from them they become rude and abusive and then hang up ... so why should I wait to be hung up on?

Several years ago I did some digging. It's deeply hidden, but IIRC the average around here was that about 10% to 15% of what these clowns collect was actually making it to the organizations. That's ... pretty bad.

We send out one or two letters a year is all.

[vaskidmark]

We send out one or two letters a year is all.

The local rescue squad sells "insurance" twice a year.  Pay $49.00 (good for 12 months) and they will not bill you for any expenses your health insurance does not cover.   No health insurance = no bill.  Most folks who "buy" it do not end up users of the services of the squad.  They do not bill the VA or Medicare/Medicaid if the patient has paid the fee.  This is not tax deductable.

Fire department is prohibited from doing outside fundraising for anything that directly benefits the department or its members.  They do hold roadside collections for a charity they have "adopted" - ranges from Special Olympics to Shriners' Hospitals to Boys/Girls Clubs.  Off-duty guys in bunker pants hold a boot on the end of a pole and work the stopped cars at intersections.  One year the city tried to make them hire off-duty cops for "traffic control" - the publicity crapstorm shut down the city's attempt to grab $$.  (Well, that and the fact that some cops said they would not take the job if offered.)

On the other hand, the county police have a telephone campaign somewhere between 3 and 4 times a year.  Hired boilerroom that will not (can not?) even tell you where the money goes.  But not to worry, because the Chief can't tell you either.  The Sherriff runs a FOP charity drive once a year.  Some of the money goes to funding college expenses for kids of FOP members who died in the line of duty.  Some of the money goes to funding "educational" efforts to tell the public how wonderful the FOP is.  And some of the money goes to buy "stuff" the department cannot afford to give its employees using taxpayer budget funds.  Both of these claim to be tax deductable.

I've already put aside my $49 for when the mailing from the rescue squad comes around next month.  Pigs will be flying regularly-scheduled routes before the local law guys see the first penny from me.

stay safe.

[Tallpine]

Our VFD only gets about half our annual expenditures from the county, and the other half from donations.

In the past it was more like 90% from donations but with the new coal mine we are getting more county budget each year.

Our Administrative/Fundraising expenditures are about 0.5%, mostly postage.


At least now we are no longer running equipment that is older than most of our volunteers 

[Stetson]

I give something to the Cripple Creek/Victor VFD every year.  Last year a guy hiked from Victor, CO to Colorado Springs, CO in full gear as a fundraiser.  They keep all they can raise, for new or upgraded gear.

[230RN]

"I appreciate what you folks are doing, but I make all of my charitable donations through my Church.  Thank you for the opportunity, however.  Goodbye."