OT--Asking The Question I had feared to ask

[BroadwayVa]

With the threads on AARP and the Masked Singer I threw caution to the wind;
Is the Wounded Warrior Program a Legit Support for Our Seriously Wounded Vets?
I have read everything I can that is related to this fund and I'm still confused.

 

[j66kicker]

With the threads on AARP and the Masked Singer I threw caution to the wind;
Is the Wounded Warrior Program a Legit Support for Our Seriously Wounded Vets?
I have read everything I can that is related to this fund and I'm still confused.

Yes it definitely is. I was in the wheelchair van conversion business for several years and became familiar with all the disabled veterans advocate agencies and organizations. Wounded Warriors is one of the best.

 

[Bama fan]

According to Charity Navigator WWP spends 72 cents of each dollar on its mission. Other charities with Veterans care in their mission are rated higher. And of course some are rated lower. WWP is certainly legit.

 

[JonathanXIV]

However, Wounded Warriors had a scandal a little while ago about its spending practices.

 

[JordyG]

However, Wounded Warriors had a scandal a little while ago about its spending practices.

I hadn't heard that. What were the issues?

 

[j66kicker]

I hadn't heard that. What were the issues?

Hmmm... Apparently lavish spending on travel & meetings. Like $3 million for a 4-day meeting in Colorado, etc. Top execs fired.

Wounded Warrior Project's top execs fired amid lavish spending scandal

 

[JordyG]

Hmmm... Apparently lavish spending on travel & meetings. Like $3 million for a 4-day meeting in Colorado, etc. Top execs fired.

Wounded Warrior Project's top execs fired amid lavish spending scandal

I've always said that if I were ever to win a big lottery Wounded Warrriors and St. Jude would get 10 percent each. I didn't know there was such a huge misappropriation of funds. Maybe 10 percent to St. Judes and 10 percent to the USO? This was 2 years ago, about the time their commercials stopped being on TV. Maybe they've cleaned themselves up by now and I can keep my promise.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Charity Navigator is very well thought of to get a sense of the charity.

Wounded Warriors is not a scam or anything like that, but - particularly with organizations that help veterans, it is a good idea to look them up. Because folks tend to be generous for that cause, there are good charities but also some fly-by- night ones.

We just had a scam charity in Arizona, but it wasn't for veterans, I think it was for children. Another "heart string" type of appeal.

 

[BroadwayVa]

However, Wounded Warriors had a scandal a little while ago about its spending practices.

I read that WW scandal and later read where they were top loaded with highly paid executives/ management. Has that been corrected?

 

[BroadwayVa]

Hmmm... Apparently lavish spending on travel & meetings. Like $3 million for a 4-day meeting in Colorado, etc. Top execs fired.

Wounded Warrior Project's top execs fired amid lavish spending scandal

That's what I read. I was hoping some Vets who actually were helped or not helped by WW would comment. The ones who really know. I want to donate but don't want to pay for lavish, unwaranted life styles. Thanks @Kicker.

 

[mbr33ct]

I signed up for the DAV long ago, since I'm one also. The problem I have with all of these "charities", once you're on the "list" every other charity starts sending all kinds of crap through mail, VFW, the Wounded Warrior, Veterans of Foreign Wars...etc.

I love the "follow up" mail stating to the effect..."have you received such and such...we sent you". I should just send all of their mail back to them...saying please take me off your mailing list and....I never asked for this crap to begin with.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Wounded Warriors is trying to regain a decent reputation now that they have sacked their party hearty execs. IMO they still have a way to go.

Everyone should check Charity Navigator before donating to any charitable fund. Here's a link to military vet charitable organizations. IMO you can't go wrong donating to the Gary Sinese (LT Dan) Foundation. CN scores them 100%.

 

[oldude]

I looked into WW several years ago. While their mission is legitimate, I had several concerns. As some have already indicated, the organization spent lavishly on fundraising events and they had a higher than average overhead cost, owing to too many high salaried positions, mainly at their HQ in Jacksonville, FL.

The other issue to keep in mind is that WW only assists those veterans in need who were injured or otherwise need assistance after September 11, 2001. That leaves out Viet Nam vets as well as many others in need of assistance.

I do not know if they’ve cleaned up their act when it comes to overhead spending, but all legitimate charities are required to post their financials indicating overhead spending %, management salaries and so on. You should be able to find that information on line. Most good charities will have an overhead cost under 20%. I believe the United Way is in single digits, although they also suffered their own scandal a few years back.

 

[mbr33ct]

I looked into WW several years ago. While their mission is legitimate, I had several concerns. As some have already indicated, the organization spent lavishly on fundraising events and they had a higher than average overhead cost, owing to too many high salaried positions, mainly at their HQ in Jacksonville, FL.

The other issue to keep in mind is that WW only assists those veterans in need who were injured or otherwise need assistance after September 11, 2001. That leaves out Viet Nam vets as well as many others in need of assistance.

I do not know if they’ve cleaned up their act when it comes to overhead spending, but all legitimate charities are required to post their financials indicating overhead spending %, management salaries and so on. You should be able to find that information on line. Most good charities will have an overhead cost under 20%. I believe the United Way is in single digits, although they also suffered their own scandal a few years back.

I have always wondered, if these charities DO NOT send out all these mailings with little gifts, pens, return address labels..etc..etc. Wouldn't their overhead costs be much less?

 

[oldude]

I have always wondered, if these charities DO NOT send out all these mailings with little gifts, pens, return address labels..etc..etc. Wouldn't their overhead costs be much less?

I don’t believe the small gifts are a significant cost item for charities. It gets out of control when the people who run these organizations, along with their boards of directors, start to view themselves like Fortune 500 companies. They hire more people then needed, give themselves substantial pay raises, begin holding lavish events, travel 1st class all over the place and stay at the most expensive hotels. These type of spending habits are what got both the United Way and WW in trouble.

 

[Sky ball]

With the threads on AARP and the Masked Singer I threw caution to the wind;
Is the Wounded Warrior Program a Legit Support for Our Seriously Wounded Vets?
I have read everything I can that is related to this fund and I'm still confused.

Give to the Gary Sinise Foundation. They do the same type of stuff but over 90% goes to programs vs 70% for WW.
Most of these type of Charities have 4 start rating. WW only 3.
Sinese: Charity Navigator - Rating for Gary Sinise Foundation
WW: Charity Navigator - Rating for Wounded Warrior Project

 

[JordyG]

Wounded Warriors is trying to regain a decent reputation now that they have sacked their party hearty execs. IMO they still have a way to go.

Everyone should check Charity Navigator before donating to any charitable fund. Here's a link to military vet charitable organizations. IMO you can't go wrong donating to the Gary Sinese (LT Dan) Foundation. CN scores them 100%.

Give to the Gary Sinise Foundation. They do the same type of stuff but over 90% goes to programs vs 70% for WW.
Most of these type of Charities have 4 start rating. WW only 3.
Sinese: Charity Navigator - Rating for Gary Sinise Foundation
WW: Charity Navigator - Rating for Wounded Warrior Project

Thanks for the heads up guys. Anyone that takes advantage of our vets deserves to rot in a 7th level of hell beyond my imagining.