wounded warrior scandal new york times

CBS News' investigation into the Wounded Warrior Project's spending on veterans has sparked heated debate online. Find Wounded Warrior Project shirts, headwear and other WWP merchandise at WWPShop.org With time and support from donors, new meta-charities will arise to evaluate other areas of nonprofit activity. We all have the power to ensure that we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely. Mr. Giordano tried to refute the news media accounts, Mr. Kane said, and explained that the executives silence had been recommended by a public relations firm as a way to defuse criticism. Mr. Kane said he lambasted Mr. Giordano for hiding behind a wounded veteran on camera and said he would cancel his donations. All rights reserved. These houses are used to alleviate the out-of-pocket costs of families of veterans and wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment at medical facilities. But Mr. Melias ex-wife, Julie Melia, who worked at the charity at the time, said in an interview that her former husband felt like the organization was stolen from him.. Today, on a list of 27 founders that was created by the charitys current leadership and handed out to all new employees, Mr. Melias name appears well below the name of the charitys for-profit fund-raising consultant. Code of Silence: Vets Groups Mum on Scandal at Wounded Warrior Project Michael Loccisano/Getty Images Wounded Warrior Project is under fire for its spending unlike these In early January of 2016, both The New York Times and CBS Evening News ran stories exposing the unethical spending habits of WWP. Fred and Dianne Kane, the parents of two Iraq War veterans, have donated $325,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project since 2009 through their personal charity, Tee-off for a Cause. Besides devastating both donors and wounded veterans, this news could undercut public support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. In the wake of what organization insiders call "the 2016 event," WWP has cut significantly back on all-staff outings; moved away from pricey ticketed events in favor of addressing complex quality-of-life issues for veterans; made efforts to be more collaborative in the veterans' organization community; and even tweaked its advertising strategy to tell a more positive story about veterans, an effort WWP says is calculated not to bring in the most advertising dollars, but to do the most good for the community. Graphite 80/20 Poly/Cotton Left Chest/Sleeve Design Screenprint I'm optimistic that the organization's leadership will continue to improve the organization, which will help to serve the military men and women who have served us.". You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Anger and dismay greeted the announcement last week that the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans, had fired its top staff. After Complaints on Wounded Warrior Project, Pressure From Donors The development was confirmed by Abernathy MacGregor, a public relations firm hired to represent the veterans charity. Two top execs at the Wounded Warrior Project one of the largest war veterans support organizations in the nation were fired Thursday in a scandal over money spent on expensive corporate. Wounded Warrior Scandal Should Encourage More Philanthropy - Time While that percentage, which includes administrative expenses and marketing costs, is not as much as for some groups, it is far more than for many veterans charities, including the Semper Fi Fund, a wounded-veterans group that spent about 8 percent of donations on overhead. All rights reserved. ', Her reply, he said, was, We can see in the computer that you went to all of your appointments, but nobody knows where you are.. That's a pretty significant drop in a short period of time," he said. " The charity grew to offer more services in more locations, but in the process, former employees said, it became wasteful, spending millions on travel, food, drinks and team-building trips for staff members. They wanted me to say W.W.P. Wounded Warrior Project Spends Lavishly on Itself, Insiders Say 1244 William Chick, who was fired from the Wounded Warrior Project in 2012 after a dispute with his supervisor. In January, Charity Navigator, a group that oversees nonprofit organizations, placed Wounded Warrior Project on its watch list, Fox News reported, citing a separate CBS report. Show your support for Wounded Warrior Project with this tee! So we had to rebuild.". Market data provided by Factset. And it did not appear to prioritize collaboration with other veterans' organizations, taking criticism for relatively small grants it made to support other groups and for passing up opportunities to join forces for advocacy and shared knowledge. Kurnyta noted the organization had a near-perfect score in transparency: 97 out of 100. Wounded Warrior Project - Wikipedia Have they proved reliable in the past? The spokeswoman, Ayla Tezel, said that more than a third of the charitys employees are veterans, and that the organization is rated one of the top nonprofits to work for by The NonProfit Times. Wounded Warrior Project hit back at the initial report Wednesday evening, posting online a letter to CBS News demanding a retraction. The writer is head of investments and partnerships for the Forest Stewardship Council. Former workers recounted buying business-class seats and regularly jetting around the country for minor meetings, or staying in $500-per-night hotel rooms. In a 19-page decision filed today (Jan. 12), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in Nebraska knocked down six alleged key errors in the Appeals Court Upholds Judgment For Wounded Warrior Project Read More It contributes millions to smaller veterans groups. See a recent article in the New York Times and a blog post from GuideStar CEO Jacob Herald. Although detailed defenses of Wounded Warrior Project have been mounted -- including a lengthy independent report from nonprofit expert Doug White, published in September 2016 -- Linnington spends little time trying to relitigate the past. A week after the top executives of the Wounded Warrior Project were fired amid accusations of lavish spending, an influential senator on a committee that oversees nonprofit organizations is. The group did lose points on its fundraising score, with roughly 22 cents spent to make a dollar, per the most recent available data. The board of Wounded Warrior Project, a well-known veteran-support charity, parted ways with its chief executive and another top official after a board-commissioned review found the nonprofit. Plenzler said spending on that program so far has totaled $100 million, with another $165 million committed over the next five years. "That report also made clear that the Wounded Warrior Project had made some positive steps to regain the public's trust. The organization began producing inspirational ads featuring wounded veterans fighting to recover. 1 witness for the wounded was Staff Sgt. Appeals Court Upholds Judgment For Wounded Warrior Project - The For fiscal year 2015, Wounded Warrior reported a 92.9 percent. "Wounded Warrior Project was there when I needed them most," says another ad, featuring veteran Chris Wolff, his hand on the wheel of his chair as if poised for action. These 10 Wounded Veteran Charities Have Big Impact Once a child came by the office to donate a piggy bank. He was medevaced out of Iraq, but only nine days after his near-fatal injury, the Walter Reed staff discharged him into outpatient status. The organization also conducts copious surveys and focus groups among warriors, peer veterans' organizations and others in the military community. Legal Statement. Still, if the Wounded Warrior Project were to collapse, it could have wide-ranging effects because it gives millions in grants to smaller veterans groups, like Team Rubicon and Team Red White and Blue. When wounded troops began returning from Iraq in 2003, Mr. Melia remembered how he had arrived in a stateside hospital with only his thin hospital gown, and began visiting military hospitals to distribute backpacks stuffed with socks, CD players, toothpaste and other items. To fill seats, they often invited the same veterans. On the ratings service Charity Navigator, the Wounded Warriors Project earns an overall score of 84.5 out of 100, good for three stars. "These are groups that just get together over a pizza and a soda, to talk about the issues that are affecting them and their families, and look for ways to support each other.". He has never spoken publicly about his disagreements with Mr. Nardizzi, and declined to be interviewed. Wounded Warrior Project's Top Execs Fired After Spending Scandal Wounded Warrior Project Denies Claims of Waste, Lavish Spending Wounded Warrior Project Accused of Wasting Donor Money. And it took all this bone and everything with it and, of course, my left eye it took with it.. Recently, however, they have been accused of being a scam and donating an insignificant portion of their funds to their declared cause. Many Americans gave their trust and donated their money to this nonprofitto the tune of more than $372 million in 2015. Wounded Warriors Project in Crisis After Claims of Improper - PRNEWS The Wounded Warrior Project, WWP, is a not-for-profit charity that aims to assist wounded veterans with their needs. One employee was quoted as calling it "extremely extravagant. Mr. Nardizzi took over the organization, based in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2009. Annually, the group receives more than $300 million in donations (Cerully, Smith, Wilks, & Giglio, 2015). As the group grew, it expanded its programs and brought on Mr. Nardizzi, a lawyer who had never served in the military, and his longtime friend, Mr. Giordano. Though many have criticized him for spending too much on fund-raising, and some charity watchdogs downgraded Wounded Warrior Projects rating for its overhead spending, Mr. Nardizzi argued that an organization could not serve its mission without upfront investment. Men's T-Shirts | WWP Shop Two great sources to check are: The Better Business Bureau's Give.org charity guide (you can also access it through bbb.org ). The eRumor's claim that the organization spends just 3.5% of its total income on grants for individuals and veteran organizations is . Walter Reed Army Medical Center neglect scandal - Wikipedia Its chief operating officer, Albion Giordano, earned just over $369,000. The Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation provides more than 98 percent toveterans. The kind of fundraising figures that most organizations in the space could only dream about. Donations to Wounded Warrior Project Slow After Spending Scandal. In 2012, after he had been working for the charity about a year, he had to have his right arm amputated because of lingering damage from Iraq. Copyright 2023 Military.com. While top executives kept a low profile, the organizations board pursued an independent investigation, conducted by outside lawyers who combed through financial filings and interviewed more than 50 current and former employees. Veterans organizations in the United States often reflect the era in which they were created: After World War I, they resembled fraternal orders. Perpetuating the myth that the worth of a nonprofit organization boils down to what it spends on overhead is simply indefensible. The easiest way to do this is to take the perspective of a savvy investor and research donation options to make sure you do the most good per dollar donated. And sometimes those employees are veterans.. On Tuesday, CBS News ran a story about the Wounded Warrior Project, claiming to have interviewed over 40 former employees who stated that spending was out of control at the organization. Your article zoned in on some disgruntled former employees rather than the roughly 500 staff members who work tirelessly to honor and empower our wounded. One current employee said her last-minute ticket cost $7,000. Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. Today, after major reforms, what has changed for Americas injured soldiers? It operates as a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization. He was impressed, he said, that so many of those nighttime arrival flights would be greeted by WWP staff members, and that he'd also see WWP teammates visiting veterans at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. In the wake of the charity's scandal, Wounded Warrior Project not only ousted its two top executive officers but also slimmed its executive staff by 50 percent overall. After Vietnam, many focused on advocacy in Washington. It also began to focus on programs like group bike rides and concert-ticket handouts that left many staff members wondering about how much they were helping veterans. And though critics argue that the standards used by watchdog organizations to assess nonprofits are overly subjective and sometimes unfairly punitive, staff with two accountability groups who spoke with Military.com were generally bullish about Wounded Warrior Project's practices and outlook. The ousted Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Wounded Warrior Project are finding relief in a new independent report on the allegations against the military charity . saved my life, he said. Mr. Odierno, who is the son of Gen. Raymond Odierno, a former chief of staff of the Army, became the groups interim chief executive Thursday evening and is conducting a nationwide search for a new leader. "Veterans, our lives, literally, depend on it.". wounded warrior project scandal timeline Wounded Warrior Project's Board Fires Top Two Executives As the backpack project grew, Mr. Melia hired a few employees, including Mr. Nardizzi, a lawyer who had never served in the military but was an executive for a small nonprofit, the United Spinal Association, which served disabled veterans. Independent report rips media and Wounded Warrior Project Board of "It's the best use of donor dollars to ensure we are providing programs and services to our warriors and families at the highest quality," he said. Did you mean: wounded warrior scandal Wounded Warrior Project's top execs fired amid . But, he says, he doesn't regret what he did; he still believes his assessment of WWP at the time was accurate and his intervention necessary. "It's like walking through a minefield, donating to an efficient veterans charity," he said. Show your support for Wounded Warrior Project with this tee! However, everything changed when CBS News started researching its own story about the Wounded Warrior Project, one with a . The Special Operations Warrior Foundation was founded in 1980, after the daring attempt to rescue 53 American hostages in Iran, which ended in the tragic loss of eight servicemen who left behind. The board refused to make the report public, but in a summary it found among other things that $26 million had been spent on conferences and events from Oct. 1, 2013 to Sept. 30, 2014. But what of the veterans in need? Veterans participate in a Soldier Ride on Jan. 8 in Marathon, Fla. Previous reporting from Tim Mak, then at the Daily Beast, had detailed similar claims, but the reports published in January pushed the issue to critical mass. The secret sauce was the brand, and the mission, said Dave Ward, a vice president who left in 2015. At least half a dozen former employees said they were let go after raising questions about ineffective programs or spending. Recent reports from The New York Times and CBS alleged that the nonprofit has been misspending its donations on lavish conferences and unnecessary business trips for employees.. It got under my skin, started eating at me, he said. It seemed to me like it was a big lie., Wounded Warrior Project Spends Lavishly on Itself, Insiders Say, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/28/us/wounded-warrior-project-spends-lavishly-on-itself-ex-employees-say.html, William Chick, who was fired from the Wounded Warrior Project in 2012 after a dispute with his supervisor. The Warriors to Work program, for instance, was intended to provide one-on-one counseling to develop rsums and interview skills, then place veterans in suitable jobs. But along with the money came charges of excess. "The report I issued on spending at the Wounded Warrior Project highlighted a number of concerns that needed to be addressed," he said in a statement. There were charges of spending too much on expenses (e.g., fund-raising, travel, and [] Skip to content Log In Millette, 41, who still lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where Wounded Warrior Project is headquartered, told Military.com he stands by all the claims he made about the organization -- $2,500 bar tabs and other prodigal spending at staff-only team-building events, a permissive "good old boys" atmosphere among leadership, and a tendency to push certain badly wounded veterans into the spotlight again and again for what appeared to be promotional purposes rather than for their benefit and well-being. Wounded Warrior Project executives fired in spending scandal. Staying at a lavish hotel at the beach here in Jacksonville, and requiring staff that lives in the area to stay at the hotel is not team building," he told CBS News. The statement also said apreliminary financial audit found that some policies, procedures and controls at WWP have not kept pace with the organizations rapid growth in recent years and are in need of strengthening.. The same push for numbers hit a program that brings wounded veterans together for social events. Such unjustified distrust of high-quality nonprofits could undermine our society. Since its inception in 2003 as a basement operation handing out backpacks to wounded veterans, the charity has evolved into a fund-raising giant, taking in more than $372 million in 2015 largely through small donations from people over 65. Her termination was so abrupt that her work phone and credit card were shut off while she was leading an event. New York Times Reporter Paid $51 Million for Ryan Seacrest's LA . Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. And This Was Called Care? Millette, the former WWP staff member who publicly blew the whistle on the organization, said his decision to speak out came at great personal cost. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Sometimes employees make poor choices that cant be overlooked, Ms. Tezel said. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. The Wounded Warrior Project is in hot water. Former Wounded Warrior Project CEO open to running charity again He merely notes that "a lot of what was reported was incorrect," and that, in particular, the reported costs of travel and amenities at all-hands events were far overblown. Donations plummeted. Mr. Melia could not be reached, but Julie Melia, his former wife, said, He feels he can help get it back in the good direction.. Its a mind-set that keeps the sector small and dooms efforts from the start. With the support of our community of donors . Why was that poor guy placed in front of a CBS News crew? Mr. Kane, who has raised more than $325,000 for the organization, asked in an email sent in February to dozens of high-level donors. Eighteen former employees many of them wounded veterans themselves said they had been fired for seemingly minor missteps or perceived insubordination. It was litigious, suing other veterans' organizations that featured a logo that evoked its own, a service member in silhouette carrying a wounded comrade on his back. Mr. Millette said the charity encouraged him to highlight its role in helping him recover from PTSD and traumatic brain injury. Instead, meta-charities receive funding from donors who appreciate the services these organizations provide, allowing meta-charities to stay objective. If the same warrior attends six different events, you could record that as six warriors served, said Renee Humphrey, who oversaw alumni outreach in Southern California for about four years. In 2015, Wounded Warrior Project seemed, in the world of veterans' support organizations, to have it all: a compelling mission. Linnington also said the organization supports the Elizabeth Dole Foundation in caregiver work, Veterans of Foreign Wars in assisting veterans with VA disability claims, and the National Military Family Association in caring for veterans' families, among many others. As someone who lives with post-traumatic stress, Millette said he is aware of the wealth of good Wounded Warrior Project could do with its resources in that space. It estimates that 80,000 veterans have used its services. That moment in February was part of the building pressure by donors, veterans and supporters of the organization that culminated Thursday night in the abrupt firing of Mr. Nardizzi and his second in command, Al Giordano, who together earned nearly $1 million per year. But I am concerned about our ability to meet our obligations in the future.. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. He said he felt guilty about what he saw as widespread waste. Do you have a location near me? A nger and dismay greeted the announcement last week that the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans, had fired its top staff. In the wake of scandal, Wounded Warrior Project outlines significant "Donors would be unhappy that so much of their money wasn't being used given the plight of veterans," he said. Re Helping Veterans Recover, Spending Lavishly on Itself (front page, Jan. 28): I was saddened to read of the wasteful spending at the Wounded Warrior Project. That meant many were airlifted back to this country with such severe injuries they needed the most sophisticated medical and rehabilitative care the country had to offer. They gave me a Xeroxed map of the hospital grounds and it was not very well photocopied, he explains on the video. They would just come up with numbers based on nothing, Mr. Lessard said.
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