Posted on 05/04/2015 7:05:53 AM PDT by pabianice
What happens when a non-profit that was started to help veterans becomes the neighborhood bully?
For a charity supposedly devoted to helping veterans, the Wounded Warrior Project spends an enormous amount of time suing or threatening to sue small non-profits—spending resources on litigation that could otherwise be spent on the vets they profess to serve.
At issue is the Wounded Warrior Project’s brand: the charity has become particularly litigious over the use of the phrase ‘wounded warrior’ or logos that involve silhouetted soldiers. At least seven such charities have discussed their legal problems with The Daily Beast.
The Wounded Warrior Project has become, in the words of those they’ve targeted for legal action, a “bully,” more concerned about their image and increasing the size of the organization than actually providing services to wounded warriors.
“They do try to bully smaller organizations like ourselves... They get really territorial about fundraising,” said the president of one charity with the name “wounded warrior” in their title.
He asked to remain anonymous out of fear that the Wounded Warrior Project would launch legal action against his group if he spoke out. His group hasn’t been sued, but he said individuals from the WWP had pressured him to change their name. “They’re so huge. We don’t have the staying power if they come after us—you just can’t fight them.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Bkmrk.
But here's one thing that just doesn't sit right with me. The executive director of the Wounded Warrior Project, Steven Nardizzi, makes $375,000 a year.
Yep, I know that's not an uncommon figure among charities. But it still doesn't sit right with me.
I’ve never believed in them. They may do great things but there’s something about their fundraising that bothers me. I’d like to know much money actually gets to the vet.
I’ve also got a problem with being “guilted” into taking care of the former men and women of the military when it’s the government’s job. If they want to be a bully let them bully some congress members.
They don’t rate as high on Charity Navigator as similar charities do.
They’re the Clinton Foundation of veterans charities... give to Fisher House.
Wounded Warrior Project lost me when they refused to take donations from a Christian church fundraising effort.
“But here’s one thing that just doesn’t sit right with me. The executive director of the Wounded Warrior Project, Steven Nardizzi, makes $375,000 a year.”
Yeah, and the “never served” bothers me too
You make a good point. I can't believe these organizations can't find a retired general, or a retired top sergeant, to run things.
Such a person would have a deeper understanding of the problems vets face. And I'm guessing the right person would do it for a fair pay, and out of a sense of duty, and not for hundreds of thousands of dollars a year.
“Yep, I know that’s not an uncommon figure among charities. But it still doesn’t sit right with me.”
Me too, I say pick one;
an organization with a unique calling, who we should treat almost reverently,..
or, another litigious variation in the charity business with high salaries and overhead,,,
Very well said. One of those is the Little Sisters of the Poor. I support them, and I'm not even Catholic.
“I can’t believe these organizations can’t find a retired general, or a retired top sergeant, to run things.”
There’s likely a reason WW avoids want that,,,, harder to BS them,,
Are they going to sue the Marines?
http://www.woundedwarriorregiment.org/index.cfm/wwbnw/hopeandcarecp/
When my son came back in a medically induced coma from Afghanistan, and spent the next 14 months in the hospital, it was the following charities that came to us and helped out immensely. I recommend, and give myself, to them.
Semper Fi Fund
Charity Works
Fisher House
Even the Red Cross helped out the families.
>> Veterans I know consider this to be an opportunistic scam of a charity. <<
WWP’s constant “tear jerk” advertising made my very perceptive wife more than a bit suspicious from the beginning that all wasn’t quite right with the organization. She persuaded me that WWP just didn’t seem to be completely on the up-and-up.
But then the proverbial axe fell when I read somewhere (maybe on an FR thread) that WWP doesn’t really give any money directly to vets, but rather they give to OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, who give in turn to vets.
In other words, in addition to that huge salary for the CEO, a “double overhead” is charged before any funds actually reach the intended recipients.
Therefore even if WWP isn’t an outright scam, it would seem to be an exceptionally top-heavy, inefficient way to help vets.
Total revenue,, 234 million. Spent in vet related activity, 158 million. 76 million,,, trust them.
Run by a lawyer
Thank you for your son’s service.
How is he doing? Has he been able to start Voc Rehab?
One more reason I have a problem with them.
There are better charities to contribute to for sure.
WW has a worse pass through of funds than the Clinton scam.
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