In Uncategorized. Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a Platinum sponsor of the 2022 Department of Defense Warrior Games taking place Aug. 19-28 in Orlando. 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. Linnington made clear that he wants to see the organization continue its climb out of a fundraising valley but said he is more concerned about fulfilling the mission than making up numbers. While the organization keeps a rating of three out of four stars, the numerical score reflects marginal improvements in program expense growth, Magdalena Kurnyta, a Charity Navigator associate program analyst, told Military.com. 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. The WWP Backpacks program remains a central activity of WWP, evidenced by the more than 65,000 backpacks the organization has distributed since early 2018,[12] in support of transitioning U.S. military veterans. "It's like walking through a minefield, donating to an efficient veterans charity," he said. "I find it frustrating when you see these solicitations, and they ask you to help a needy veteran, and you look into the finance and see most of the money is actually being spent educating the public that injured veterans have needs, rather than meeting the needs.". [3] The organization has partnered with several other charities, including the American Red Cross, Resounding Joy, a music therapy group in California, and Operation Homefront. Already, more than $6.9 million in grants has been awarded for this fiscal year. "He rappelled down the side of a building at one of the all hands events. To continue addressing these social needs and address the distrust caused by nonprofit scandals, we need to improve our nonprofit sector. We have a long history of facilitating and sponsoring activities that involve firearms. "Obviously, we're trying to regain trust with the warriors, first and foremost," Linnington told Military.com earlier this year. One significant ongoing organizational investment has provided for a two-week intensive post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury outpatient program at four hospitals: Massachusetts General Hospital, Emory University Hospital, Rush University Medical Center and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. For veterans, the demands of the holidays can aggravate stress, and sometimes heighten feelings of alienation and loneliness. [46] That same month, CBS News disclosed that the WWP had grown to spend millions of dollars annually on team-building events. You lead from the frontgood or badyou dont hide, he said, If no one is going to talk about this right now and it has to be me, then it has to be me.. The two top executives of the Wounded Warrior Project among the largest veterans charities in the country were fired Thursday after an investigation into accusations of lavish spending on parties, hotel and travel, according to a statement released on behalf of the embattled organization. Under the Charity Watch rating system, Wounded Warrior Project has a modest C+, up from a C in 2015, said Daniel Borochoff, the accountability organization's president. 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. But while Millette, who spoke with Military.com earlier this year, said he still thinks the organization tends to lean too hard on showcasing veterans with dramatic visible wounds in its publicity materials and public events, he also said he has observed a remarkable overall turnaround in the organization. "Donors don't want you to have a $2,500 bar tab. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. These agencies have the best available resources to investigate and prosecute these matters. Seeing them do that restores my faith in the organization.". The annual surveys of the wounded warriors the organization serves help direct its focus, Linnington says. Wounded Warrior Project initially operated as a division of the United Spinal Association of New York, which adopted WWP as a program in November 2003, Wounded Warrior Project registered for incorporation on February 23, 2005. The. It's been more than two years since the Wounded Warrior Project was rocked by a scandal surrounding allegations of excessive salaries and lavish spending, but the Jacksonville-based charity . "That report also made clear that the Wounded Warrior Project had made some positive steps to regain the public's trust. Wounded Warrior Project declined CBS News' repeated interview requests for Nardizzi, but offered their Director of Alumni and a recipient of their services, Captain Ryan Kules. For Linnington, the mission when he arrived at Wounded Warrior Project was not about exoneration; it was about regaining the lost trust of the veterans the organization was founded to serve. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. He's come in on a Segway, he's come in on a horse.". For example, Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust spends 96 percent of its budget on vets. All rights reserved. In 2014 alone the group received more than $300 million in donations. Crucially, these evaluative organizations, called meta-charities, do not receive any funding from organizations they are evaluating. "[34], Wounded Warrior Project filed a lawsuit in October 2014 seeking damages and court costs against a Blandon, Pennsylvania, non-profit, Keystone Wounded Warriors, claiming confusing similarities between the Keystone and WWP logo; Hampton Roads, VA Channel 3 TV covered the Keystone story on April 30, 2015,[35] and Nonprofit Quarterly covered the story with a title asking, is WWP "a 'Neighborhood Bully' among Veterans Groups? The organization has yet to recover fully from a hemorrhage that saw fundraising drop from a peak of $373 million in 2015 to just $211 million in 2017. WWP has many Proud Supporter hosted events nationwide! Katie Porter's Wounded Warrior Scandal Manages to Get Worse. "[Now], I would tell you to look at the organization, the changes they've made and make an educated decision. Millette said he witnessed lavish spending on staff. "The allegations were so bad I . Charity Navigator also assessed that Wounded Warriors total revenue for 2014 was well over $340 million. He took a job as a public speaker with Wounded Warrior Project in 2013. In fiscal 2016, the organization's revenue exceeded $226 million; the closest runner-up was Disabled Veterans of America, with nearly $135 million. Religion and Technology Should Unite for the Greater Good, The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. Within months, Wounded Warrior Project's two top executives -- CEO Steve Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano -- had been fired, and the organization itself was the subject of a congressional inquiry. FALSE: Only 3.5% of WWPs income is being expended to directly help service members. As of August 2018, that rating had dropped back down to 3 stars. The Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation provides more than 98 percent toveterans. In 2016, the organization was rocked by allegations of lavish spending that resulted in the firing of two top executives- CEO Steven Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano. SVA leaders joined WWP at the White House in April for the latter organization's 12th annual warrior ride. 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. Each of us can make a difference by becoming a more effective donor. During the exchange, Porter went on to accuse the staffer of giving her COVID-19, refusing to let her . Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, The Wounded Warrior Project Scandal Should Encourage More Philanthropy. Wounded Warrior Project CEO Steven Nardizzi According to the charity's tax forms, spending on conferences and meetings went from $1.7 million in 2010, to $26 million in 2014. Plenzler said spending on that program so far has totaled $100 million, with another $165 million committed over the next five years. "He rappelled down the side of a building at one of the all hands events. When the Wounded Warrior Project was hit in January with multiple accusations in the news media of lavish spending on travel, conferences and public relations, and a toxic . "So the needs of our population when that average was 27 years old is different than it is at 38, and it will be different when it's 48.". He continued, saying that for a charitable organization that's serving veterans, the spending on resorts and alcohol is "what the military calls fraud waste and abuse.". We all have the power to ensure that we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely. In fact, they are one of the largest programs out there for wounded veterans. So you can have these big parties," he told CBS News. Absolutely, but the data and quotes cited by those attempting to defame WWP are false. The percentage of respondents who stated that WWP was effective at collaborating with other military and veteran nonprofits jumped from 63% to 85% from 2017 to 2018. Timeline of Interesting facts from 1960 to 1970, Environmental Moments: A UNEP@50 timeline. All rights reserved. After media reports charged massive overspending and waste by the Wounded Warrior Project, the organization's board of directors fired its CEO and chief operation officer Thursday. "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. 2527; 113th Congress), Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, "Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax: Wounded Warrior Project", "Charity Navigator Rating for Wounded Warrior Project", United States Congress. [2], As of August 22, 2021, WWP served 157,975, registered alumni and 40,520 registered family support members. The organization will still take action in cases of suspected fraud, he said. We must also pressure nonprofits to be transparent about their activities and finances and measure the impact of their work. "If you look at our 990 [annual IRS financial filing], we went from $380 million a year to $200 million. The Wounded Warrior Project began in 2003 as a basement nonprofit organization run by Mr. Melia, who was wounded in a helicopter crash off Somalia. The Wounded Warrior Project raised more than $1.1 million by renting out donor names and addresses over the last two years for which records are available. Reporting potential fraudulent activity to WWP is integral to protecting the integrity of our organization, and empowers us to continue helping service members and their families. Market data provided by Factset. COLA WARS CONTINUE: COKE AND PEPSI IN 2010, University of North Carolina Charlotte Timeline. Market data provided by Factset. "TAPS believed these cancers were due to [toxic exposure]. But after two years, he quit. "Like I said, it's to make sure we are aligned and can build as a team. He noted approvingly that the organization has hired more mental health professionals to do follow-up with wounded warriors, and invested dynamically in meeting the needs of female veterans. TRUTH: This is a fabricated number. Wounded Warrior Project executives fired in spending scandal. But newly released numbers for fiscal 2018 show a bounce in the right direction, up 16% to $246 million. WWP may engage in these practices and, if so, individuals soliciting on behalf of WWP will do the following: wear a lanyard/badge/unique fundraiser photo ID, accept donations via a secure iPad and/or phone call using a credit card (cash donations are not accepted), and they will not go door-to-door. Slightly more than half of the Kanes' donations directly benefitted veterans, according to CBS News. 2010-In the 2009/2010 season a group of 6 football teams wore special designed uniforms in honor of wounded warrior. [6] In January 2017 The Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance renewed its accreditation of WWP, for the next two years, as meeting the 20 standards for charity accountability. "You're using our injuries, our darkest days, our hardships, to make money. LTG (ret) Michael Linnington serves as chief executive officer of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). The WWP headquarters underwent a major $1.3 million renovation according to the Jacksonville Business Journal. GuideStar has also requested a retraction printed and the removal of the untruthful material. That's about the same amount the group spends on combat stress recovery -- its top program. "The warriors that joined Wounded Warrior Project, you know, in 2003 are today 15 years older than they were when they joined. "I was always grateful for that mission," Linnington said. It operates as a nonprofit 501 organization. Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, an outspoken accountability advocate who oversaw a Senate probe into WWP released in 2017, struck a hopeful note in a statement to Military.com. "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. Our free services in mental health, career counseling, long-term rehabilitative care, and policy advocacy improve the lives of millions of warriors and their families. In September 2016, Forbes published a pre-emptive obituary to the organization: "The Gutting Of Wounded Warrior: How To Kill A Charity.". The best way to donate directly to WWP is through ourwebsite. The bill would extend a VA program of counseling and care and services for veterans for military sexual trauma that occurred during active duty or active duty for training to veterans who experienced such trauma during inactive duty training, WWP filed a lawsuit in October 2014 seeking damages and court costs against a Blandon, Pennsylvania non-profit Keystone Wounded Warriors claiming confusing similarities between Keystone's and WWP's logos. [39] The bill would alter current law, which allows access to such counseling only to active duty members of the military, so that members of the Reserves and National Guard would be eligible. Last week, a major donor to the Wounded Warrior Project veterans charity called for the nonprofits CEO to resign in light of allegations of lavish spending on staff meetings, CBS News reported. [36][37], After a reporter for the Tacoma, Washington News Tribune informed disabled veteran Airman Alex Graham, a blogger at the conspiracy website Veterans Today, of a pending lawsuit against him by the WWP, he removed his articles critical of their policies, later retracting his criticisms and issuing a public apology. The termination was part of the embattled organization's attempts to do some much-needed . But Linnington maintains it's not just about the bottom line for him. In its commercials, Wounded Warrior Project appeals to the American public's generosity, and it works. Through career counseling, including resume building, interview preparation, and salary negotiation assistance, veterans can find work that best fits their skill sets and allows them to smoothly transition into civilian life. If you have been a victim of this fraudulent solicitation, we urge you to contactyour state consumer protection agency they have the best available resources to investigate and prosecute these matters. The truth is that WWP directly operates over 20 programs and services to support service members and their families and the vast majority of our program expenditures constitute those internally-operated programs. Linnington, who retired from the Army in 2015 and served as the first permanent director of the Pentagon's Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency before taking the helm at Wounded Warrior Project, said he made the move over to the organization because of the positive impression it had made on him while he was still on active duty. Kules denied there was excessive spending on conferences. Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Trace Adkins and Jimmy Buffett. The organization also conducts copious surveys and focus groups among warriors, peer veterans' organizations and others in the military community. Kules added the charity did not spend $3 million on the Colorado conference, but he was not there and was unable to say what it did cost. JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Sept. 16, 2022 / PRNewswire / -- Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) announced today the elections of Kristen Robinson Darcy, chief operating officer (COO) and head of services and operations of Fidelity Charitable , and Jeff Dolven, president and CEO of Skookum Contract Services, to its board of directors. Donors don't want you to fly every staff member once a year to some five-star resort and whoop it up and call it team building," said Millette. 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. Anger and dismay greeted the announcement last week that the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans, had fired its top staff. The kind of fundraising figures that most organizations in the space could only dream about. WWP Founder John Melia cited a strong local veteran community, access to Jacksonville International Airport, and support from the local business community, specifically the PGA Tour, as the reason for the move. TRUTH: Compensation for executive staff at WWP is set following IRS rules, and based on comparison data derived from industry-wide surveys and the IRS 990s of other similar size and scope nonprofits. If you believe an organization or website may not be operating for its claimed charitable purpose, contact your state attorney general or the Better Business Bureau atbbb.org. Citing whistleblowers, stories by CBS and The New York Times detailed allegations of waste and abuse, lavish all-hands conferences and unbridled spending on ticketed outings that did little lasting good for the veterans they purported to help. Besides devastating both donors and wounded veterans, this news could undercut public support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. The organization was reportedly out of favor with some senior officials in the Pentagon, due to the public image it perpetuated of veterans as typically coming home from combat grievously wounded and with long-term needs. The Wounded Warrior Project is working to rebuild trust with its donors and veterans. WWP does not authorize use of its trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos, domain names, and other distinctive brand features without prior approval. TRUTH: This is only the amount of funds WWP grants to other organizations, suggesting those grants represent the totality of our programs, which is untrue. "We're looking for under 10 cents," she said. The numbers have been fabricated in an effort to defame WWP. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. In 2014, after 10 years of rapid growth, the Wounded Warrior Project flew its roughly 500 employees to Colorado Springs for an "all hands" meeting at the . 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 timeits a real disappointment, Dianne Kane told CBS News. According to the charity's tax forms obtained by CBS News, spending on conferences and meetings went from $1.7 million in 2010, to $26 million in 2014, which is the same amount the group spends on combat stress recovery. The bill would extend a VA program of counseling, care and services for military sexual trauma that occurred during active duty or active duty for training to veterans who experienced such trauma during inactive duty training. From the inception of WWP's grant program in 2012 to the end of 2015, it awarded in total about $36.5 million worth of grants. What I'm worried about is, how can we be the most effective in meeting the needs of our warriors in whatever resources we have?". "[43] Shortly after the church received this letter, a WWP spokesperson apologized and said that it was a miscommunication. Let's get it catered and have a big old party," he described. In other words, the Wounded Warrior Project scandal will likely reduce trust in all nonprofitsincluding effective ones. 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. Wounded Warrior is what we might term a fundraising factory. But people close to the organization also say that, as WWP expanded from a tiny organization distributing free backpacks to wounded veterans in the early 2000s to become one of the most well resourced and influential veterans organizations within a decade, it generated more than its share of ill will. Nearly 200 athletes from U.S. military branches will. Our mission focus is on supporting our nation's wounded veterans and providing therapeutic and beneficial programs, including hunting and outdoor activities. In July 2006, WWP's headquarters were moved to Jacksonville, Florida. Two former employees, who were so fearful of retaliation they asked that CBS News not show their faces on camera, said spending has skyrocketed since Steven Nardizzi took over as CEO in 2009, pointing to the 2014 annual meeting at a luxury resort in Colorado Springs. [7] Melia assembled backpacks distributed to injured veterans at the former Bethesda Naval Hospital (now the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Former employees say spending has skyrocketed since Steven Nardizzi took over as CEO in 2009. As of August 22, 2021, WWP served 157,975, registered alumni and 40,520 registered family support members. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Wounded Warrior Project's CEO, Steven Nardizzi, and COO, Al Giordano, were fired by the charity's board amid criticisms about how it spent more than $800 million in donations over the last four years. WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its ongoing investments in best-in-class partner organizations, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) announced community partnership grants to 32 veteran and military service organizations. Kurnyta said the watchdog group published a "low-concern" advisory for WWP in 2016 as staffing scandals made headlines, but never stopped rating the organization. It's really about the resilience, the exceptionalism of our warriors.". "Let's get a Mexican mariachi band in there, let's get maracas made with [the] WWP logo, put them on every staff member's desk. 773,608. meals served to our nation's defenders across the country. "Before, you'd have a retreat and, after that, it was nothing. Where is this guy? We value the contributions we receive from fundraisers and donors, including the firearm and sporting industry and organizations. 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. 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. Then, in late January 2016, a pair of damning high-profile news reports hit like a one-two punch, throwing the organization into turmoil. One employee was quoted as calling it "extremely extravagant. You have reached your limit of free articles. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado. [54], United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans with counseling and treatment for sexual trauma that occurred during inactive duty training (H.R. [5], WWP allocates 71 percent of its revenue to programs and services for wounded veterans and their families, and the remaining balance pays to support those programs.[6]. "They were using the smallest percentage of wounded veterans to suck money out of hard-working Americans," he said. WASHINGTON -- Last year, CBS News met Erick Millette, one of dozens of former employees who shared concerns about Wounded Warrior Project's spending and programs for veterans. 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. He changes his habits and routine around Jacksonville, Florida, he said, to avoid running into former organization co-workers. Our mission focus is on supporting our nation's wounded veterans and providing therapeutic and beneficial programs, including hunting and outdoor activities. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Senate. ", In March 2014, WWP testified before Congress that they strongly supported the bill "To amend title 38, United States Code, to provide veterans with counseling and treatment for sexual trauma that occurred during inactive duty training".
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