Article from the Tampa Bay Times: America's 50 Worst Charities, ranked by money blown on soliciting costs: http://www.tampabay.com/americas-worst-charities/
A follow-up comment on the Tampa Bay Times article found at SmartAsset.com: The 50 Worst Charities in America- How to Keep from Being Scammed
http://www.smartasset.com/blog/news/the ... g-scammed/?
The list:This list was put together by the Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting based on federal tax filings for the last 10 years. Charities are broken up into five main categories: children, cancer, police/law enforcement, veterans, fire and other. These fifty charities account for more than $1.35 Billion in donations. Of that, $970 million went not to victims, but to the people who collected the money.
The percentages spent by these “charities” on direct aid to victims range from 0% to a high of only 11.10%. Most of the organizations spent between 0.10% and 8.6% of what they collected in direct cash aid. This is a far cry from what well meaning contributors intended for their contributions.
It’s important to remember that these numbers are just for the 50 worst offenders. Charity watchdog organizations say no more than 35 percent of donations should go to fundraising costs. Only two of the fifty listed met this criteria. However, they still spent only 0% and 1.10% on direct cash aid.
The worst of the worst paid more than 90% of what they collected to solicitors. Thirty-three of the fifty paid between 70% and 89% to solicitors. Overhead costs consumed large chunks of what was remaining. Only the very small amount left, may get to the people who actually need it!
1.Kids Wish Network
2.Cancer Fund of America
3.Children’s Wish Foundation International
4.American Breast Cancer Foundation
5.Firefighters Charitable Foundation
6.Breast Cancer Relief Foundation
7.International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO
8.National Veterans Service Fund
9.American Association of State Troopers
10.Children’s Cancer Fund of America
11.Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation
12.Youth Development Fund
13.Committee For Missing Children
14.Association for Firefighters and Paramedics
15.Project Cure (Bradenton, FL)
16.National Caregiving Foundation
17.Operation Lookout National Center for Missing Youth
18.United States Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
19.Vietnow National Headquarters
20.Police Protective Fund
21.National Cancer Coalition
22.Woman to Woman Breast Cancer Foundation
23.American Foundation For Disabled Children
24.The Veterans Fund
25.Heart Support of America
26.Veterans Assistance Foundation
27.Children’s Charity Fund
28.Wishing Well Foundation USA
29.Defeat Diabetes Foundation
30.Disabled Police Officers of America Inc.
31.National Police Defense Foundation
32.American Association of the Deaf & Blind
33.Reserve Police Officers Association
34.Optimal Medical Foundation
35.Disabled Police and Sheriffs Foundation
36.Disabled Police Officers Counseling Center
37.Children’s Leukemia Research Association
38.United Breast Cancer Foundation
39.Shiloh International Ministries
40.Circle of Friends For American Veterans
41.Find the Children
42.Survivors and Victims Empowered
43.Firefighters Assistance Fund
44.Caring for Our Children Foundation
45.National Narcotic Officers Associations Coalition
46.American Foundation for Children With AIDS
47.Our American Veterans
48.Roger Wyburn- Mason & Jack M Blount Foundation for Eradication of Rheumatoid Disease
49.Firefighters Burn Fund
50.Hope Cancer Fund