While reading my fellow Atlanta blogger, So Far, So Left, I found an Atlanta Journal Constitution article about charities.
Each year, Georgia’s Secretary of State, Cathy Cox compiles a list of charities operating in Georgia that spend the smallest percentage of their funds on actual charitable endeavors.
Among the worst offenders are those charities that purport to help policemen, firefighters and veterans. The Georgia State Lodge Fraternal Order of Police, for instance “raised $2.47 million but only 13.5 percent of that — $335,385 — went to charity programs.”
Others on the list include the Southeastern Paralyzed Veterans Association, the National Association of Police Athletic Leagues, the Vietnam Veterans Foundation of Georgia and the Professional Fire Fighters of Georgia. When those folks call, hang up.
What caught my eye, however, was information about one particular religious charity. According to Georgia’s Secretary of State, that charity raised over $725,000.
Presumably, the charity raised that money by touting its prior good deeds and offering the prospect of future charitable work. The problem is that the charity spent more than $666,000 on fundraising. Thus, more than 90% of the money raised was spend trying to raise more money while less than 10% was spent on good deeds.
What is the name of that religious charity? Some things you could not even make up. Promise Keepers.
Isn't it sad when reality looks like a line from a Carl Hiaassen novel. Knowing which charities perform so poorly in diustributing their collections towards actual work is very helpful.
Ron
Posted by: Ron Traweek at February 20, 2004 08:43 AM