Calls for Wounded Warrior Project CEO to resign
Wounded Warrior Project CEO Steven Nardizzi is under the gun from a major contributor, Fred and Dianne Kane of Tee-off for a Cause, who call for the exec to resign from his position because he spent too much money on operating expenses and not enough on needy veterans, according to Fox News.
[A]fter recent tax forms reflected questionable spending by the veterans’ charity on staff expenditures, including $26 million on conferences and meetings at luxury hotels, Fred Kane called for CEO Steven Nardizzi to be fired.
“Hearing that there was this waste of money, donor dollars that should have been going to servicemen and women that were injured, and that it was spent on [Wounded Warrior Project staff] having a good time—it’s a real disappointment,” Dianne Kane told CBS News.
The Kanes also initiated an online petition calling for a public audit of the Wounded Warrior Project in addition to canceling the next golf tournament Tee-off for a Cause was to hold to benefit the Project.
Yeah, $26 million bucks for some parties seems a little too much. If these charges are true, He should resign, or he should be forced out. In fact Toby Keith and Bruce Willis should lead the charge. I don’t read the specifics on these charities because I’d have no time for anything else if I did, so I depend on other folks. A number of people that I know have had a hard on for WWP for years.
Category: Dumbass Bullshit
I stop at least 2 people a week with WWP stickers on their vehicles and give them the lowdown on the scam that is the WWP
Latest was yesterday evening in the parking lot of the grocery store
O-4E, is there a website out there that gives the lowdown on the group or can you pass us something about it?
I have been donating for a while, but I’m prepared to stop that.
And…can anybody pass what vet groups are good to donate to?
http://www.charitynavigator.org/
That’s one.
Thanks.
You can’t go wrong with the VFW and the American Legion!
I tried that a few times. People just look at me funny. Instead I tell my fellow veteran that the VA is always looking for more volunteers. At best, the veteran tells me that they are too busy to help.
Do they really do anything. It is my understanding that they are more of a clearing house that gets you in touch with other services that support Veterans. Not really doing anything but being a middle man. Is that really needed.
PS I saw their glass palace on the news this morning. Nice digs.
Yes, they do. They produce some killer commercials that prompt many people to write checks to them. I can guess that they help some Vets but to what extent, given their hugely successful PR, I don’t know.
Sadly, my VFW post bought 4 of their flags, and has the city post them at the 4 entrances to town when the flag is flown. Now that you mention it, I need to call. This to our Post Commander’s attention. We bought ’em, we ought to be able to take ’em down.
Charity Navigator gives them 3 (generous) stars with a 78.49% rating on financials.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12842#.Vtme5Ub0-kk
Fisher House is a MUCH better organization to give your money to. Their ratings are 100% on Accountability & Transparency and 95.98% on their Financials. Overall rating, 96.87 %.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=7585#.VtmfOUb0-kk
I’ve donated to them also. One of the local stations in DC does fundraisers for them every few months. Might have to switch my monthly donation to them.
I don’t donate to the wounded warrior ripoff, I have heard nothing but bad about them, problem is, they play those heart rendering commercials and people fall for it! STOP people..your local “mission” will do more that WWP! so will the American Legion and the VFW and salvation army…
Charity Navigator currently has WWP on their watch list. Plus, CBS did an expose on them that demnstrates that that 78.49% rating is, to be polite, not exactly deserved. About 60% of contributions is what they actually seem to spend on actual support to vets. The rest effectively goes to overhead, self-promotion, and fundraising expenses.
http://valorguardians.com/blog/?p=64110
The article by CBS linked in the article I wrote back in Feb contains links to the whole CBS series. Definitely IMO worth reading.
If you’re looking for “bang for the buck” (in terms of how much of your donation actually goes to help vets in need), there are FAR better charities out there helping vets in need than WWP.
Thanks, Hondo.
They certainly rake in a lot of cash, but they seem to keep between 30-40% of it for their own internal processes….
Were this turd to resign and someone with a better vision able to gain control they could truly benefit a large number of Wounded Warriors.
Here’s hoping it goes that way, instead of how it’s been going.
If the numbers CBS came up with when they had an expert back out overhead from WWP’s “veterans programs” figures are accurate, make that between 40 and 46 percent.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/charity-watchdogs-question-wounded-warriors-spending-on-vets/
It’s a hugh Scam… and as others above are saying I do all I can to warn people of the scam and steer clear of this Org….
About time.
WWP does have some (a few) good folks but they are drinking the Kool Aid.
I have met Steve. He struck me as a self-serving tool. No issue with his job performance as he does what they hired him to do: Rake in money so they can have a good job (chill) while doing jack shit and arguing the moral high ground.
Its all about the PTSD man….
I have a very good friend who was a regional manager for WWP. A couple of years ago he had quit working for them. When I asked him why, he said he did not like the direction the agency was going not did he like what was being done with the funds at the administration level.
At that point any donations that I was making to them ceased. My friend is a retired Navy Corpsman, who did several deployments with EOD units.
WWP started off as a good concept but like anything I believe the money got in the way of doing the right thing.
Nardizzi “took over” WWP back on 09, if I am remembering correctly, from the founder. Things started getting crazy after that.
CBS did a pretty good expose about WWP back in January which put the spotlight on them.
My DAV Chapter has had a number of disabled veterans come to us for help after being turned away by the WWE.
That’s WWP not WWE.
I am surprised.
They take anyone.
You do not even have to deploy.
The PTSD from basic training will get you in the door.
Next thing you know your on a paper towel!
….while your money is on a milk carton.
They have sold a crapload of t shirts and raised awareness…but what is awareness?
Find a better charity folks…Fischer House is my favorite, direct action for Vets and their families.
Mine too. I’m leaving part of my estate to the Foundation when I croak.
Awareness is a participation ribbon or hashtag that says you care without actually doing anything.
Thank the Gods for Jonn Lilyea. Every time this kind of stuff hits the news my email and PM thingy go ape shit.
As soon as I figure out how to do that auto forward thing I will let them all mail bomb his bunker.
Poor Jonn just sits there all day waiting to hear the “You got mail” chime. I must confess I am guilty of alerting the poor guy to things he has already posted.
But, no such thing as too much information is there.
Next to Mikey Weinstein the Jew that objects to mostly Christian expressions on military bases, WWP come in at a close second of Charities I despise.
Speaking of money and veteran/military charities, the only one that I have found that I am comfortable with is the Fisher House Foundation. As a VA Volunteer, I have seen first hand the great work they do with the families.
DAV’s Charitable Service Trust also seems a good choice. Per CBS, 96% of their budget actually goes towards helping vets in need.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wounded-warrior-project-accused-of-wasting-donation-money/
I’ve used WWP’s services and have nothing but good things to say about the Nashville office. I’ve watched the stories and read the articles and I’m sure at the executive level WWP is probably wasting money that could be better used directly for veterans. The director definitely comes across as a tool. In my personal experience I’ve dealt primarily with their physical health and wellness division. I have personally seen the positive effect that program has had on veterans. I’ve talked to vets that were contemplating suicide, but with the opportunities that the WWP provided them they were able to get their life on track and focus on the positive. I have a very close friend who would not be here today if not for the WWP. After sustaining injuries in Iraq and the subsequent surgeries, WWP encouraged me and provided the opportunity and training to participate in physical activities I never thought I’d be able to do.
Yes, they do good work. Still, it is disturbing with the level of compensation being handed out.
$453,000 David A. Coker, President Fisher House.
Nearly half a Mil a year just seems bit excessive to me.
I don’t have an issue with executive compensation when over 90% of donations go to the program. Managing Fisher House would be comparable to a medium size hotel chain, what do you think the compensation is for corporate lodging CEOs?
The problem with WWP is the amount of funds that do not go back to veteran causes due to wasteful spending on ads, travel, parties, etc.
Pull the IRS 990s for the real story behind any charity. They’re not too difficult to sort through.
Same here. Good executives are expensive – and worth every penny.
However, I have to question any charity that keeps more than about 15% of the “take” to fund internal operations. And I really question charities that spend money on “employee conferences” at pricey resorts – to the tune of around $3M – when only between 54 and 60 percent of the “take” is going towards actually helping those it purports to help.
I’ve also set a number of people straight on this scam. That they get away with it speaks to how generous American’s are when it comes to our Vets.
I thank you all for this information. I stopped my WWP donations last year, but wasn’t sure where to turn. It looks like Fisher House and DAV are good choices. Thanks again.