Donations, did you know this?

[Kerry F]

Subject: Think before you Donate A good reminder with the holiday/giving season ahead. THINK BEFORE YOU DONATE SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE YOU MAKE CONTRIBUTIONS: As you open your pockets to do a good thing and make yourself feel good, please keep the following facts in mind: ---------------------------- The American Red Cross President and CEO Marsha J. Evans' salary for the year was $651,957 plus expenses MARCH OF DIMES It is called the March of Dimes because only a dime for every 1 dollar is given to the needy. The United Way President Brian Gallagher receives a $375,000 base salary along with numerous expense benefits. UNICEF CEO Caryl M. Stern receives $1,200,000 per year (100k per month) plus all expenses including a ROLLS ROYCE. Less than 5 cents of your donated dollar goes to the cause. GOODWILL CEO and owner Mark Curran profits $2.3 million a year. Goodwill is a very catchy name for his business. You donate to his business and then he sells the items for PROFIT. He pays nothing for his products and pays his workers minimum wage! Nice Guy. $0.00 goes to help anyone! Stop giving to this man. ---------------------------- Instead, give it to ANY OF THE FOLLOWING GO "GREEN" AND PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD: The Salvation Army Commissioner, Todd Bassett receives a small salary of only $13,000 per year (plus housing) for managing this $2 billion dollar organization. 96 percent of donated dollars go to the cause. The American Legion National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Disabled American Veterans National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Military Order of Purple Hearts National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! The Vietnam Veterans Association National Commander receives a $0.00 zero salary. Your donations go to help Veterans and their families and youth! Make a Wish: For children's last wishes. 100% goes to funding trips or special wishes for a dying child. St. Jude Research Hospital 100% goes towards funding and helping Children with Cancer who have no insurance and can not afford to pay. Ronald McDonald Houses All monies go to running the houses for parents who have critical Children in the hospital. 100% goes to housing, and feeding the families. Lions Club International 100% OF DONATIONS GO TO HELP THE BLIND, BUY HEARING AIDES, SUPPORT MEDICAL MISSIONS AROUND THE WORLD. THEIR LATEST UNDERTAKING IS MEASLES VACCINATIONS (ONLY $1.00 PER SHOT). -- Carol S. Kennedy** SVC & Membership Chairman (SHOOT FOR THE STARS) The American Legion, Department of Colorado ** Women are Angels and when someone breaks our wing, we simply continue to fly. . . . usually on a broomstick. We are flexible like t

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

Wow.  Now isn't that interesting.  My mom gave money to the Red Cross for some disaster and the money never went to help the people in need.  I'd never give anything to them. 

Great post, Kerry!!

[Marge Teilhaber (TILE hobber)]

And then again, trust but verify:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/business/charities.asp

[Kelli Combs (admin)]

I still think the "corrected info" posted in Marg's post about CEO salaries is still outrageous.  I still am appalled that a charity would let a CEO take 500,000 or even a million dollars for a salary?  Shocking.  That money has to come from somewhere.  Guess what, it comes from your donations.

CEO of Goodwill makes $725,000.  Really?

Red Cross CEO made 561,000 in 2011.

UNISEF CEO made 473,000.

United Way CEO made $717,000.

[Martha R]

I don't have a problem with CEOs making a lot of money because these are big organizations, but maybe some of those are a little over the top.  But I will definitely take a look at Salvation Army.  In fact, my husband was just talking about them. They have a wonderful program for drug addicts he was mentioning (he's in the drug rehab business, so he knows.)

[Rhonda Hall Breuwet, RDR CRR CLR]

You should look up info on Susan G. Komen. I will never give thm another penny.

[Kerry F]

You know, CEOs, most of them, unless they started their own company from the ground up, don't work all that hard or that many hours for the outrageously huge salaries they get.

I rent in a very large HOA complex, 2500 individual types of units.  Mostly owner occupied.  I just learned that the
property manager of this HOA makes a salary of $160,000 a year.  I think that's a bit high for basically a 9 to 5 job he does here.  This HOA is very good, well taken care of place, but I think that's an outrageous salary to pay their property manager.

[Judy]

I recently took depos on one of these charitable organizations, a wrongful termination suit.  Even with their own explanation, it was clear they set their "salespeople" up for inevitable failure.  Sad, but I too would never again donate to that organization.

But consult your tax person before you start donating.  With certain charities you'll get different tax breaks than with others.

[tami carlson]

When I read this, it sickened me.  I just sent Goodwill four more huge bags of kid clothes and toys last weekend.  It bothered me enough that I did a little research, including their site.  They claim to donate 83 percent.  They are a BBB-accredited charity. 

This piece was written by Carol S. Kennedy of the American Legion, Department of Colorado (Department of Colorado???).  She wouldn't exactly be unbiased.   A further search indicates that the American Legion has no BBB charitable accreditation because they have either not responded to inquiries or refused to be evaluated.

This just seems highly suspect to me and possibly damaging to some reputable organizations.   At any rate, It's a good wake-up call to start investigating these things for myself.

[Linda]

I volunteer for a Ronald McDonald House in St. Louis, MO, and it truly is a very awesome charity.  It breaks your heart when you see these families suffering w/a deathly ill child or major organ transplant.....or, very unfortunately, sometimes the children pass away.    The families only have to pay $5.00/night (at least in St. Louis), and if they can't afford $5.00, it's waived.   So, yes, donations to Ronald McDonald House charities go to an extremely worthy cause.   Also, at this time of year, there are so many donations for Christmas presents, and the families get to go pick out presents for their family members plus the children get to go and pick out presents for their families also......at NO cost to them.   :)

[Mary Jo Cochran]

I worked as a legal assistant in two very large law firms (one now out of business).  Every year the rep from United Way came to give a quick chat.  We HAD to make a donation.  It was automatically taken from our checks each pay period ( an example is $3.00 a pay period).