America's Worst Charities

[Keith Millea]

06.12.13 - 9:18 PM

America's Worst Charities

by Abby Zimet



Nothing quite like ripping off dying kids in the name of personal profit. The Tampa Bay Times,working for a year in collaboration with the California-based Center for Investigative Reporting, offers an explosive look at America's 50 worst "charities," which over the last ten years have raised over $1 billion but given mere pennies on each dollar - and sometimes nothing at all - to those it claims to help. Through accounting tricks, consulting fees and just plain lies, charities - many cancer and veteran-themed - instead make millions for their operators and corporate solicitors. Dante must have saved his tenth circle of hell for these people.





Dante in the First Circle

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2013/06/12-6

[Keith Millea]

The 50 worst, ranked by money blown on soliciting costs

Totals from the latest 10 years of available federal tax filings


[TABLE="class: dataTable"]
[TR]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]1[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Kids Wish Network[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$127.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$109.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]2[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Cancer Fund of America[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$98.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$80.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.9%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]3[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Children's Wish Foundation International[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$96.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$63.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]10.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]4[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]American Breast Cancer Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$80.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$59.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]5.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]5[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Firefighters Charitable Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$63.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$54.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]8.4%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]6[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Breast Cancer Relief Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$63.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$44.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.2%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]7[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$57.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$41.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]8[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]National Veterans Service Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$70.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$36.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]7.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]9[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]American Association of State Troopers[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$45.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$36.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]8.6%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]10[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Children's Cancer Fund of America[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$37.5 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$29.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]5.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]11[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$34.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$27.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.6%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]12[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Youth Development Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$29.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$24.5 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]13[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Committee For Missing Children[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$26.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$23.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]14[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Association for Firefighters and Paramedics[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$23.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$20.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]3.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]15[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Project Cure (Bradenton, FL)[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$51.5 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$20.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]16[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]National Caregiving Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$22.3 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$18.1 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]3.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]17[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Operation Lookout National Center for Missing Youth[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$19.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$16.1 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]18[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$23.1 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$15.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.6%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]19[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Vietnow National Headquarters[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$18.1 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$15.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.9%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]20[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Police Protective Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$34.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$14.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]21[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]National Cancer Coalition[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$41.5 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$14.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]22[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Woman To Woman Breast Cancer Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$14.5 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$13.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.4%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]23[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]American Foundation For Disabled Children[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$16.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$13.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]24[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]The Veterans Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$15.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$12.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]25[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Heart Support of America[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$33.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$11.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]3.4%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]26[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Veterans Assistance Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$12.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$11.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]10.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]27[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Children's Charity Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$14.3 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$10.5 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]28[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Wishing Well Foundation USA[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$12.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$9.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]4.6%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]29[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Defeat Diabetes Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$13.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$8.3 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]30[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Disabled Police Officers of America Inc.[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$10.3 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$8.1 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]31[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]National Police Defense Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$9.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$7.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]5.8%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]32[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]American Association of the Deaf & Blind[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$10.3 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$7.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]33[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Reserve Police Officers Association[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$8.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$7.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]34[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Optimal Medical Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$7.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$7.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]35[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Disabled Police and Sheriffs Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$9.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$7.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]36[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$8.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$6.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]37[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Children's Leukemia Research Association[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$9.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$6.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]11.1%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]38[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]United Breast Cancer Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$11.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$6.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]6.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]39[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Shiloh International Ministries[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$8.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$6.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]40[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Circle of Friends For American Veterans[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$7.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$5.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]6.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]41[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Find the Children[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$7.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$5.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]5.7%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]42[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Survivors and Victims Empowered[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$7.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$4.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]43[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Firefighters Assistance Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$5.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$4.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]3.2%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]44[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Caring for Our Children Foundation[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$4.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$4.1 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.6%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]45[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]National Narcotic Officers Associations Coalition[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$4.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$4.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]46[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]American Foundation for Children With Aids[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$5.2 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$3.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]47[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Our American Veterans[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$2.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$2.3 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]2.3%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]48[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Roger Wyburn-Mason & Jack M Blount Foundation For Eradication of Rheumatoid Disease[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$8.4 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$1.8 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.0%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: odd"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]49[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Firefighters Burn Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$2.0 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$1.7 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]1.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: even"]
[TD="class: charity-ranking sorting_1"]50[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-name"]Hope Cancer Fund[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-raised"]$1.9 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-blown"]$1.6 million[/TD]
[TD="class: charity-result"]0.5%[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]



Database and web production: William Higgins | Times
Dave Stanton and Mike Davis | Smart Creative Media

$970.6 million
paid to solicitors

Worst 50's record

A more typical split *

• $970.6 million cash paid to solicitors
  
• $380.3 million cash to the charities
  
• $49.1 million to direct cash aid
  

* Watchdog groups say no more than 35 percent of donations should go to fundraising costs. There is no standard for how much should be be spent on direct cash aid.

The project

SEARCH OUR DATABASE of state regulatory actions

June
6

Hundreds of charities do little but turn donations into profit

Tampa Bay Times/CIR in print June 9
June
7

The fractured effort to regulate charities

Tampa Bay Times/CIR/CNN in print June 10
June
13

Charity networks as money machines

Tampa Bay Times/CIR/CNN in print June 16
About the project

Got a tip on a bad charity?

The Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting will continue to shine a light on bad charities. If you think you've been contacted by a suspect charity, share your story with us.
Resources for checking nonprofits

• A list of solicitors used by the worst 50
  
• A list of the worst 50, with addresses
  
• ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer
  
• Guidestar's research website
  
• GiveWell does in-depth research into a small number of worthy charities
  
• Charity Navigator's charity evaluation website
  
• CharityWatch's charity rating service
  
• The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving website
  

Download Data

• PDF: A printable list of the 50 worst
  
• CSV: Fundraising data for the 50 worst
  
• CSV: The solicitors they use
  

Last updated 05/26/2013 © 2013 All Rights Reserved

America's Worst Charities is the result of a yearlong collaboration between the Tampa Bay Times and the California-based Center for Investigative Reporting, the nation's largest and longest serving nonprofit newsroom dedicated to watchdog journalism. CNN joined the partnership in March.

[Magda Hassan]

As a former social worker I know this all too well. Many of the charities are just giant money sucks for the lawyers and adminstrators. While others are made up of decent and dedicated people trying their best to make a difference.

My advice for any one who wants to donate. Do not make a general donation to any organisation. It will just go on bloated administration and fancy cars and lawyers fees and into church coffers. Very unlikely to go where you want your dollar to do the most good. Donate for a specific thing, such as building a new well in such and such village, a new dialysis machine, new books for a disadvantaged school or funds to pay for the wages of two new nurses or teachers, a new bus to transport pensioners to their medical appointments or community activities etc.

[Magda Hassan]

Great article by the way Keith Thanks for posting it. So pleased they also listed things like the lawyers they use. This is what good journalism is.

[Tracy Riddle]

No matter how cynical I get, I can't keep up.

[David Guyatt]

06.12.13 - 9:18 PM]
Dante must have saved his tenth circle of hell for these people.





Dante in the First Circle

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2013/06/12-6

Someone been reading Dan Brown by any chance, Keith?

To be honest I have. The image is compelling, I think. It reminds me of Luke Skywalker walking into the dark forest. Ditto, Tolkein's Mirkwood - likewise many other too. But since the journey into the dark forest and hence down into Hell is the only sure pathway to Paradiso, I can only conclude that these people are a long way off that sort of contemplation...

For me, a more telling image of Dante's journey is the Gate of Hell (Canto III) by Dmitri Semakov:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4844[/ATTACH]
Abandon Hope all ye who enter here.

[Keith Millea]

Someone been reading Dan Brown by any chance, Keith?

I actually had to look up Dan Brown to see who he is....Ok,"The Da Vinci Code".lol

Yeah,that picture came with the article.Abbey getting all mystical on us.Ha!

No,this story just brought back the memory of me sending a $95 dollar check last year for a breast cancer charity.Then a week later the head of this charity announces that they will oppose planned parenthood.

No more charities for me......