Wounded Warrior Project - Charity, Scam, or Something Else?

originally posted by: FlyersFan

originally posted by: Jamie1
How do you define "scam?"

A pyramid scheme or a business that uses heart-string charity just as a window dressing to get money. That's what I'd define a scam as in this type of situation.

Well it's not a pyramid scheme. They're not paying investors ROI using new investor's money. Of course they're using "heart strings" to get money, and they are 100% using that money for some measurable good.

So how much is "good" is needed, or how much "good" must be lacking, for it to be a scam? What's the measurable criteria?

I've volunteered quite a bit of time with them. I specialize in 3D modeling and have done some work on custom prosthesis components. This is the problem when an organization gets too large and has to hire professional management. They have gone the same way as MADD.

I'm very disappointed to read this. I donate monthly to WWP - I think $35 or $45 per month. I'll have to take a serious look at this.

I understand the salaries issue. You need to pay people what they're worth in any industry if you expect to keep them. These people aren't making millions of dollars. They're being paid a decent executive salary. We don't know what their work and responsibilities entail or the hours they put in. I'm sure like many executive positions, it's not a 9-5 punch the clock ordeal. When I was in the corporate world, I worked very long hours and was in my office long after regular staff went home, often eating my dinner at my desk. So it's probably not fair to judge things in terms of salaries paid.

However, I am interested in seeing exactly how much goes to directly helping people. Advertising, education literature, etc are all certainly part of it, so I don't agree with one earlier assessment this should be discounted. These are tools in almost any industry. As for WWP sending vets to other charities, it seems those charities help with financial assistance. I don't think this is what WWP does. The appear to help in rehabilitation of various sorts.

The heavy-handedness of how they deal with "infringement" issues is also troubling. But again, these need to be scrutinized to see if the criticisms have their own motives. I'll keep reading and thanks for posting this.

I don`t think it`s any more of a scam than any other "charity" where most of the money goes to the people who are running the charity and the left over pennies actually go to the people who the charity helps.

a reply to: FlyersFan

Look at the founding of the WWP, what the creator took as a salary and his background.
Then...look at the current "owners", their salary and their backgrounds.

It started as a great thing. It has turned into just another business, except they are using vets as they sales pitch.

I, personally, will never put any money towards them.

There are SOOOO many other better groups..Wishes for Warriors, Fisher House and so on.

a reply to: FlyersFan


Ummm...I'm of the opinion that good ole uncle sam (purposeful lower case) should be taking full care of those it sends over to be blown up...all in the name of empire...

I don't think that some folks taking advantage of other peoples good will and making a living off of it is the right answer...

Instead we should all DEMAND that the government fund and take care of these soldiers...

A soldiers perspective...

YouSir

They seem more interested with photo-ops with the vets to get donations than actually helping in any real and solid way anymore. Volunteered at a "celebrity" golf outing with WW and Nicholas Sparks as a sponsor and once the photo-ops were done, the vets were left hanging and a little stunned at how quickly they were dropped to the side so the WW brass and the celebrities could party and hang out together.

a reply to: NavyDoc

I quit doing Tough Mudder because of their direct association with WWP.

a reply to: macman
We should put together a side by side comparison on the percentage of donation money that actually gets to the veterans for each veterans charity group. See which gives the veterans the best outcome for the donation money. Which groups have the best programs and best use of funds ... that kind of thing.

a reply to: FlyersFan

No it is not a scam. Charity Navigator is a reputable website which ranks all charities based on a variety of metrics. With that said smaller and more local always leads to higher efficiencies with money. Ovearall WWP does a good job with what it sets out to do.

Overall: 86.11%
Financial: 80.77%
Accountability and transparency: 96%

www.charitynavigator.org...

Red Cross is an 85%

All I know is I used to only see their commercials on FOX News. Now I see them on all kinds of different channels ALL the time. They must be spending a fortune on TV commercials.

a reply to: Stuship
Yes but the issue is that they are counting fund raising material that gets mailed out as 'educational material' and so they are counting that as money that has gone to helping. It's disingenuous. But it's also what all the charities seem to be doing. The actual percentage of money that they use to directly help the vets is more down in the 56% range. At least that's what the information so far shows.

a reply to: ZenTam

How much of those commercials do they pay for and how much is donated by the TV station, and that the TV station gets to write off as a donation? I don't know.

originally posted by: YouSir
a reply to: FlyersFan


Ummm...I'm of the opinion that good ole uncle sam (purposeful lower case) should be taking full care of those it sends over to be blown up...all in the name of empire...

I don't think that some folks taking advantage of other peoples good will and making a living off of it is the right answer...

Instead we should all DEMAND that the government fund and take care of these soldiers...

A soldiers perspective...

YouSir

Cannot disagree with one word here. Nope. Not one.

Edit: The only way this changes is if vets and their extended families and friends vote as a block. That has power. So instead of money going into studying the mating habits of a newt, it goes to real people with real needs.

S&F. Way to make mobilize ATS.

Has anyone mentioned that a certain alphabet has been known to run charity scams for black budget bucks?

SCAM!!!

originally posted by: DustbowlDebutante

originally posted by: Brotherman
Their is a need for something that's for sure, the VA isn't doing its job from what I'm hearing. I hear that the wwp is more efficient because it does not have the quagmire of government beuaracracy and red tape apparently this allows them to more directly bring aid to our troops. If looked at like this it is an example of our nations government failing its first line of defense, citizens should be angry about that if true IMO.

This is what is confusing me about the WWP. The first time I saw one of their commercials, I have to admit to being a bit angry. My first thought was that it is outrageous to ask private citizens for monetary donations for returning veterans. Not because I have a problem with vets (actually, I support them), but because, IMHO, the VA and the gov should be helping these people. Isn't that why I pay taxes and such??

Seems our government has plenty of money for whatever else they want (corporate bail-outs, foreign aid, wars, etc...), but they can't pay for rehab for a severely brain damaged soldier? Makes me throw up in my mouth a little bit.

I feel the same way. 3 of my brothers served and fortunately they came home in one piece. It just sickens me that the govt. takes care of their own selves and leave the ones they send to fight their wars to rot.

What I've come to so far -

- WWP promotes itself as kind of a homespun charity. It's really a megacharity and more like a corporation type thing.

- There are complaints on the internet about the salary of the board of directors. I have no problem with the salary. It's what I'd expect people at that level of management to have in order to keep a mega corporation going.

- There are complaints on the internet that WWP is anti-2nd amendment. But what I've found is that they do not 'brand' with weapons or alcohol because so many returning vets have suicide issues and alcohol issues. That makes sense to me. So I have no problem with WWP on this. (and I'm very pro gun rights)

- There are complaints that WWP doesn't help or that help falls short. There are others who say that WWP has been helpful for them and that they've had experiences that they couldn't get with the VA. I don't know if the complaints are a matter of just hearing from the 5% that had a negative experience and the 95% that had good experiences are quiet .. or if there are issues. I can't judge.

- There are complaints that WWP misrepresents how much donation money actually goes to the projects for the veterans. I'm agreeing with this. It looks like they claim in the 80% area, and that they say their fundraising information is 'educational' so they count it in with their 'it goes to help vets' figures. That's misleading. From what I can tell, it's more like 50% goes to the vets. This bugs me but it looks like it's a standard practice with the mega charities.

At this point I'm going to go with that Wounded Warrior isn't a scam but also it isn't as pure of a charity as it looks like. It's somewhere in the middle. It doesn't deserve some of the barbs it's getting, but it also should be more honest with it's figures (all charities should). It's kind of fudging the numbers on how many vets are being REALLY helped (they count directing people to their website as 'being helped' and I think that's disingenuous) and fudging the numbers (as all charities seem to do) by calling fundraising junk mail 'educational material'.

So it's not an all out scam, but it's not a pure and transparent charity either - IMHO.

Sounds like a concerted effort to destroy charity yet again.

Those salaries are in line in what government employees get running it's version of 'charity'.

The only difference between private charity is people give to it of their own free will.

And obviously that's bad. So some on the internet manufacture a 'villian.

Considering how the government treats veterans.

I say good for wounded warrior, and others like them.

The government sure doesn't have their backs.

People really think everything they read on the 'internet's is true ?

LOL wow.

originally posted by: FlyersFan
a reply to: ZenTam

How much of those commercials do they pay for and how much is donated by the TV station, and that the TV station gets to write off as a donation? I don't know.

I never thought about the TV stations donating and then writing it off, but that makes sense. All I know is I'm getting tired of seeing the commercials. At first I thought what a wonderful thing. Now I find it a bit much and kinda pushy. At least every other commercial break on any channel has their ads. I wasn't surprised when I saw this thread. I was starting to question the heavy presence of the commercials.