It’s the season to be soft-hearted….and there are organizations that will be glad to take advantage of you.
The Missouri Chapter of the United States Navy Veterans is out of business. For every million dollars the organization was getting from Missourians, it was giving only $1,000 to Missouri veterans. The figures show up in IRS documents reviewed by Attorney General Chris Koster’s staff.
Koster has put out a list of the fifteen worst charities that have solicited Missourians this year. The best of the fifteen gives 11.33 cents of every dollar collected to the people it is supposedly soliciting money for. The worst remaining charity on Koster’s list is the Law Enforcement Education Program that purports to educate teenagers on the effects of alcohol. It has given only 2.2 cents to beneficiaries.
He says any charity that does not give at least 65 percent of the money it raises to a beneficiary should be ignored.
Koster’s office maintains a website called “check a charity” so Missourians can lean what charities are in the business only for themselves. http://ago.mo.gov/checkacharity/
　
Organization
Total Expenditures
Amount Used for Charitable Cause
1.
Missouri Chapter of the United States Navy Veterans Association
Washington, DC
Purpose: To provide assistance to disabled and needy war veterans and members of US Armed Forces.
$5,892,646
1.00%
2.
Law Enforcement Education Program (LEEP)
Troy, Michigan
Purpose: Educate teenagers on the effects of alcohol.
$1,853,144
2.22%
3.
Cancer Survivors’ Fund
Missouri City, Texas
Purpose: Provide counseling, scholarships and prosthetic appliances to cancer survivors.
$2,402,824
3.13%
4.
Wishing Well Foundation
Metairie, Louisiana
Purpose: Fulfill the fondest wish for any terminally ill child not expected to reach the age of 18.
$1,307,437
4.43%
5.
Firefighters Charitable Foundation
Farmingdale, New York
Purpose: To provide much needed financial assistance to individuals who have been affected by a fire or disaster.
$6,082,790
4.95%
6.
Children’s Charity Fund dba Child’s Wish Association of America
Sarasota, Florida
Purpose: Provide aid to disabled and terminally ill children.
$1,296,970
5.78%
7.
Multiple Sclerosis Fund, Inc.
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Purpose: Promotion of awareness of multiple sclerosis and funding research.
$182,645
7.90%
8.
Reserve Police Officers Association
Yonkers, New York
Purpose: Provide assistance to law enforcement by providing equipment assistance, education, and training for law enforcement officers.
$745,371
8.21%
9.
The Veteran’s Fund
Chesapeake, Virginia
Purpose: Develop and support programs that undergird veterans’ mental, physical, and emotional recovery.
$1,466,500
8.44%
10.
Foundation for American Veterans, Inc.
West Bloomfield, Michigan
Purpose: Promote social and recreational welfare for current and past U.S. Armed Forces members, dependents, widows, widowers, and others.
$5,141,472
8.98%
11.
United Breast Cancer Foundation
Huntington, New York
Purpose: To make a positive difference in the lives of those affected by breast cancer.
$2,428,818
9.13%
12.
Firefighters Support Services, Inc.
Wyandotte, Michigan
Purpose: To aid burn victims and provide tracking/locator equipment to firefighters.
$1,477,393
10.26%
13.
Big Hope, Inc.
Anderson, South Carolina
Purpose: To bring relief to orphans, sick children, and families in need.
$3,722,051
10.39%
14.
The Committee for Missing Children
Lawrenceville, Georgia
Purpose: To assist in the search and recovery of missing children and educate on safety and prevention.
$2,644,646
11.20%
15.
Disabled Police Officers of America
Niceville, Florida
Purpose: To provide educational programs for police officers.
$1,056,899
11.33%
　Koster & Priddy talk charity 6:29 mp3
