WWP possibly a scam

[Big Phil]

http://www.gunssavelife.com/?p=10373

Supposedly in 2011 of the $105 million given only $5 million went to help wounded warriors. Same thing as Susan G Komen, lots of very well paid execs at a "non profit".

Might be true, might not. Here is the article:

Wounded Warriors Project earned our ire about a year ago when they made it clear they didn’t want to partner with gun owners to help them fundraise. Or Christians (read on).

More recently, they sued a tiny, all-volunteer “Help Indiana Veterans” group for calling them out on the tens of millions WWP spends on salaries and the paltry three or four pennies on the dollar they apparently spend on actual grants.

Word of Wounded Warriors Project and its shameful scam-like handling of monies is spreading, thanks in part to a report at the huge “Veterans Today” blogsite.


Wounded Warriors Project A Legal Scam
by Alex Graham
(Veterans Today) – As we are coming to find out, wounded Vets are big money. Considering I’m 146% disabled, I’m trying to figure out how to tap into this. The only thing I can see is to start my own 501(c)(3) and start cooking the books with a big $300 K a year salary for my work. Member and eagled-eyed scrutinizer Bruce spotted this heartbreaking article. Just when we thought it was safe to come out of the woods after the last news of the Big Six VSOs padding their bank accounts on the backs of all our disabled, along comes this article and investigation revealing nothing is sacred among thieves.

If you were thinking about donating to the Wounded Warrior Project, think twice. It would behoove you to get in your car and drive cross-country to deliver the funds to the charity you hope to help. More money would end up in their hands than entrusting it to the WWP for disbursement. The Beatles song Tax Man comes to mind- Here’s one for you, nineteen for me. Here’s what I received. It’s ugly.

I’m really sad to read this about the Wounded Warrior Project. I have definitely been a supporter up to now. The attached 2011 990 tax return is a real eye opener! For one, that’s a lot of BIG salaries they are paying at the first and apparently the second (outsourced) level for executive compensation! Obviously it’s not only corporations that can get greedy.



Initially they refused to even appear on Tom Gresham’s GunTalk radio show.

Then, after a backlash of angry gun owner backlash via social media and the web, Wounded Warriors reversed course and said they would appear.

The appearance on the radio show was a complete and utter trainwreck and was ended earlier than planned after their well-paid executive director Steve “Money Money Money” Nardizzi said gun owner partnership was unwelcome. Here’s our report immediately after the radio interview, which was heard by tens, if not hundreds of thousands of gun owners.

Nardizzi, for being so well-paid, utterly fumbled.

He tried to spin his way out of the mess but only managed to spin himself in deeper, offering all sorts of weak excuses why WWP couldn’t partner with gun-related sponsors. He cited sponsorships with cyclists and how WWP had cut back on those sponsorships because of some sort of inferior return on investment.

Gresham pressed Nardizzi, saying that WWP had even changed language on their website from firearms to the more incendiary word “weapon”.

Nardizzi offered every excuse imaginable, but in the end Gresham pinned him down as saying that while gun owners are absolutely welcome to send money to WWP, they could not use the logo.

Gresham said that sounds an awful lot like WWP not wanting to associate with gun owners. “We’ll take your money, but we don’t want to be seen with you,” Gresham said, paraphrasing him.

Nardizzi tried to deny this, but it was a lost cause to anyone with half a lick of common sense and intelligence.

“We’ll take your money and you can do fundraisers for us, but we won’t let you use our logo!” Tom says, mocking Nardizzi’s attempts to spin the truth.

Looking back, I think it was truly God’s work that led us to this discovery, as according to their IRS filings, in 2011 it would seem as though they only gave a little over $5 million in grants on nearly $150 million in income.

Speaking of God, it’s not just gun people that Wounded Warriors Project doesn’t want to be seen with – it’s Christians too. That’s right. They don’t want affiliations with Christian-based groups either.

Fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion? No problem (twice, in fact).

Fundraiser at a church? Can’t have that.

It’s up to you to whom you give your hard-earned charitable contributions.

 

[Glockster69]

This is not news but it IS disturbing, at least to me. Makes no sense.

It’s up to you to whom you give your hard-earned charitable contributions.

Applies to more that just WWP. United Way is simply a clearinghouse for actual charities.

 

[Das Jared]

I have always held this group in contempt. This seals the deal.

sent from Jennifer Lawrence's bedroom

 

[benenglish]

United Way is simply a clearinghouse for actual charities.

Yes, but United Way overhead is relatively small. I don't have so much of a problem with them.

As for WWP, all the articles and radio shows in the world amount to nothing but opinionated hot air. Their 990, however, is revealing. Direct link here: http://asknod.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/wwp-900-fy-2012.pdf

Any CPAs in the house want to tell us what you think? I've seen enough of these to say that this one stinks on multiple levels but someone with the right initials behind their name will probably be taken more seriously than an old coot like me.

Suffice it to say that I won't be donating to them.

 

[TXDARKHORSE361]

I've been leery of them after talking with a buddy who is a combat wounded double amputee, red blooded, gun toting, America loving son of a gun. Basically says as a wounded warrior who has dealt with them directly to not trust them.

 

[wakal]

Covered in another thread. Overpaid "executives" who hate guns and say anything to anyone to get more money.

 

[deemus]

Yes, but United Way overhead is relatively small. I don't have so much of a problem with them.

As for WWP, all the articles and radio shows in the world amount to nothing but opinionated hot air. Their 990, however, is revealing. Direct link here: http://asknod.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/wwp-900-fy-2012.pdf

Any CPAs in the house want to tell us what you think? I've seen enough of these to say that this one stinks on multiple levels but someone with the right initials behind their name will probably be taken more seriously than an old coot like me.

Suffice it to say that I won't be donating to them.

Interesting items on that form:

FYI, Page 2 tells exactly what they did, and how much they spent doing it.


1. Almost $200 million taken in. appx 300% increase from the prior year. I would bet 2012 and 2013 show similar increases. That organization has really gained public support and recongnition that last two years.

2. Assets held increased by $65 mil. Pretty amazing growth from one year to the next.

3. Almost $2 mil in net investment income. $3.6 mil in royalties (think about the t-shirts and gear that have the WW brand on it. Pretty smart way to raise money.) $72 mil in securities (stocks and bonds) held seems odd, see page 11. But based on how fast they grew from '10 to '11, they likely got it so fast they didn't know what to do with it. edit - it appears many are donating their stocks to WWP. THis is a nice tax benefit where you get full FMV deduction, and the organization gets the stocks to sell or do with as they see fit. Donor has no capital gains tax on the gain, but gets the deduction.


4. they spent appx $132 mil on their services / projects. OP didn't read through the entire form. $5 mil was only grants given to other organizations that do things to help vets.

5. $21 mil for salaries and wages seems really high, but none of the officers made over $311K, and most were under $200K. Compare that to several million for Goodwill and Susan G Komen Foundation officers. Doesn't seem out of line for executive compensation. See pages 8 and 10. Just over $1 mil for officers total. If you look at companies that gross $200 mil, executive salaries will be far more than that.


Not sure what all the hoopla is all about. I don't see anything in that 990 that looks out of line. They spent over $100 mil on what they are supposed to. Could have been more, but based on the fast growth from one year to another, it looks like they were not prepared (from a budget standpoint) to handle that level of funds coming in. (a 300% increase from the prior year)

The grants are money that is given to other organizations. "Program services" are what they actually do for the vets. They spent $132 mil on that. Pretty big number if you ask me.

Their not partnering with gun companies seems odd. I have seen hunting shows with WWP guys there that were sponsored by gun / ammo mfrs. Not sure why they would do that, other than the large amount of returning vets who have committed suicide. That could be a factor?

 

[ZX9RCAM]

I am digging this old thread up.
Are they indeed a scam???

 

[oldguy]

When I give I try to do it direct I've found though out my life give a dollar to charity and those who should benefit get perhaps 10% if their lucky.

 

[Das Jared]

Give to the Fisher House Foundation instead.

sent from Jennifer Lawrence's bedroom

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

Most charities post up how much is consumed by overhead. I'd tend to lean towards those with all volunteers and less than 5% overhead.

 

[wakal]

Groups I work with have had rather large checks to WWP returned because we were "gun" groups and guns are icky, mmkay...

And...yes.

Look at the salaries and "expenses" of their (mob) boss and his little 'executives.' Simply a profit based group pretending to do helpful things for good people. Same reason I don't donate to Red Cross.

 

[mitchntx]

Yes, but United Way overhead is relatively small. I don't have so much of a problem with them.

True and the consequences of that is little to no oversight of how the actual charity uses the funding.

 

[Mexican_Hippie]

United Way is pretty small overhead, but they also pool and "recontribute" to other charities. When they play middle man it's cuts down on the impact being made.

I'm not saying they bad just that it's better to give to another charity directly instead of going through them if your plan is to earmark it for someone they work with.

 

[texas skeeter]

WWP also had some run-ins with their views on gun ownership/carry not to long ago. It was an OOPS!! Did we say that? It wasn't pretty....

 

[Mike1234567]

I used to donate to things all the time. I quit when I discovered that most of these "non-profit" groups are "legal scams". There are a few exceptions such as Red Cross and United Way.

 

[majormadmax]

You sure you're not confusing WWP with Warrior Pointe?

Reed Pacheco Jr, CEO Of Warrior Pointe, Lies About Serving In Somalia During Battle Of Mogadishu, "Black Hawk Down" - Guardian Of Valor

I would be honestly shocked if WWP were to be a scam, it is too large and well-known. Heck, they even sell WWP items on base.

Now, how honest WWP is with their donations may be a topic of discussion; I was a Combined Federal Campaign officer for my wing back in the early 1990s and was shocked at what I learned about certain large charities. I recommend doing your homework and finding the charity you like and believe does the most with the money donated!

Cheers! M2

 

[Acera]

Not to get too far off subject, but United Way had/has its share of sins also. They are notorious for rewarding company officials that get 100% contribution commitments from their employees. Sometimes to the level of it having an effect on your employment if you don't give. Each manager is under such pressure to make sure each and every employee in their department signs up (even if it is only a $1 a month) to get that 100% mark. Don't like being forced to donate to a charity when I am working for a company. It is the principle of the thing. Hell when I worked for a non-profit we were expected to give back to the organization in the form of payroll deductions, unreported working hours, purchasing auction items for fundraisers, etc.

In the end it goes back to the ethics of those running the organization.

 

[TXDARKHORSE361]

You sure you're not confusing WWP with Warrior Pointe?

Reed Pacheco Jr, CEO Of Warrior Pointe, Lies About Serving In Somalia During Battle Of Mogadishu, "Black Hawk Down" - Guardian Of Valor

I would be honestly shocked if WWP were to be a scam, it is too large and well-known. Heck, they even sell WWP items on base.

Now, how honest WWP is with their donations may be a topic of discussion; I was a Combined Federal Campaign officer for my wing back in the early 1990s and was shocked at what I learned about certain large charities. I recommend doing your homework and finding the charity you like and believe does the most with the money donated!

Cheers! M2

Warrior Pointe is a solid team that had an embellisher in the president spot, who has since been given the boot. Stolen Valor still supports WP as a whole, I understand the bad taste left in your mouth but the actions of one shouldn't discredit the amazing things WP has accomplished and the lives saved. Not to mention WP is 100% volunteer from the president on down, nobody within the organization gets a paycheck or salary.

From the SV article

 

[karlac]

Give to the Fisher House Foundation instead.

This.