[Kenton]

I used to donate to Wounded Warrior Project until I researched them on Charity Navigator. Here's what I discovered, among other things:

Bottom line is this:

Program Expenses (Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs and services it delivers) - 59.9%

Administrative Expenses - 6%

Fundraising expenses - 34% (All that TV advertising costs a lot of money, after all.)

The Executive Director, Steven Nardizzi, pays himself $473,015, pretty generous for the head of a charity.

So, less than 60% of what they take in goes for the veterans' programs, the top exec makes a lot more than most of the other charity directors, and they seem to claim they do a lot more for veterans than is actually the case.

I heartily suggest that anybody looking for a reputable veteran's charity go out on http://www.charitynavigator.org before you choose.

I personally donate to the Independence Fund and Fisher House Foundation, but check it out for yourselves before you donate to anybody.

[pgkdan]

Fundraising expenses - 34% (All that TV advertising costs a lot of money, after all.)

I agree that they spend a lot of money fund raising but if they didn't spend that money what do you think that would do to the overall fundraising? It would devastate it.