wounded warrior project scandal timeline

The best way to donate directly to WWP is through ourwebsite. "So when I saw what was going on in the media, I was, believe it or not, automatically attracted to try and help.". In other words, the Wounded Warrior Project scandal will likely reduce trust in all nonprofitsincluding effective ones. 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. "When the negative media event hit in January-February-March of 2016, public support dropped 50%," he said. 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 also pressed forward in its role as a legislative advocate, recently mounting a campaign to expand an adaptive housing benefit available to veterans -- legislation named after longtime WWP staff member Ryan Kules. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "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. One employee was quoted as calling it "extremely extravagant. Besides devastating both donors and wounded veterans, this news could undercut public support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. Sign up for our email newsletter and get the latest info on events, fundraisers and ways to make an impact. In fiscal 2016, the organization's revenue exceeded $226 million; the closest runner-up was Disabled Veterans of America, with nearly $135 million. Retired Army Lt. Gen. Michael S. Linnington, who took over the Wounded Warrior Project in July, said in an emailed statement that he is "pleased to see the Better Business Bureau's report. organization. / CBS News. Jan. 27, 2016. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital 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. Charity Navigator also assessed that Wounded Warriors total revenue for 2014 was well over $340 million. It operates as a nonprofit 501 organization. Millette is now best known as a whistleblower who went on the record to decry what he saw as WWP's lavish spending and interest in nurturing its public image, rather than providing meaningful support to its constituents. Reference: Berlinghoff, W. P., & Gouvea Fernando Q. While WWP's portrayal of veterans has never stripped them of their dignity, some ad campaigns in the early 2010s emphasized images of wounded warriors in the context of caregivers and included interviews with vets discussing daily struggles and needs that went unmet. [21] WWP's outpatient care and therapy sessions provide PTSD and TBI treatment through Emory Healthcare Veterans Program. "[35] Tim Mak also covered the suit for the Daily Beast. Despite the recent removal of many articles originating the false information, rumors and falsehoods continue to circulate and surface online. Market data provided by Factset. GuideStar, the largest source of nonprofit information, released astatementrefuting the false information circulating using GuideStars falsified data as reference regarding WWP. 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. [50], In February 2017, the Better Business Bureau released a report clearing Wounded Warrior Project of the "lavish spending" allegations, and "found the organizations spending to be consistent with its programs and mission. 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.. When we dislike one member of a group, our dislike spills over to other members of that group, even if theres no good reason to think badly of them. We must also pressure nonprofits to be transparent about their activities and finances and measure the impact of their work. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Through their veteran family support programs, Wounded Warrior Project also helps guide families through the sometimes confusing process of receiving VA benefits. 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. Dr. Gleb Tsipursky is the President of Intentional Insights, an education nonprofit, and a tenure-track professor at Ohio State University. No. The organization slashed all-hands training costs from $987,000 in 2016 to $110,000 in 2019 for a staff of nearly 700, according to numbers provided to Military.com, in direct response to public criticism. [25], The Government Affairs team advocates for legislation that helps veterans and their supporters. 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. WWP does not advertise for jobs or services of any kind via Craigslist. Army Staff Sergeant Erick Millette, who returned from Iraq in 2006 with a bronze star and a purple heart, told CBS News at the time he admired the charitys work and took a job with the group in 2014 but quit after two years. The veterans charity group fired CEO Steven Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano late last week, following a January. Wed also appreciate a heads-up! 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. "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.". Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. FALSE: Only 3.5% of WWPs income is being expended to directly help service members. Our salaries are consistent with industry standards and have often fallen at the lower end of compensation paid at comparable organizations. "Donors don't want you to have a $2,500 bar tab. There are several defamatory blog postings on the internet along with various email chains which claim WWP is a scam. Now, they're doing that follow-up, and they have the capacity to deal with the mental health issues," he said. " Also, check back here often for updated information on current scams and fraud alerts. "It was extremely extravagant. [8][9] Melia had been severely wounded in a helicopter crash while serving in Somalia in 1992. Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Trace Adkins and Jimmy Buffett. But newly released numbers for fiscal 2018 show a bounce in the right direction, up 16% to $246 million. In September 2005, The United Spinal Association granted $2.7 million to WWP to "develop into a stand-alone charity with its own identity and programs," with the intent to expand its services from providing immediate comfort items to providing longer-term support for returning wounded veterans via compensation, education, health care, insurance, housing, and employment. 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?". Nearly 200 athletes from U.S. military branches will. No. In September 2016, Forbes published a pre-emptive obituary to the organization: "The Gutting Of Wounded Warrior: How To Kill A Charity.". The organization will still take action in cases of suspected fraud, he said. Some of the information circulating states: The CEOs salary is set by our board of directors and is in line with other national charity CEO salaries. He also told CBS News that the charity did not spend money on alcohol or engages in any other kind of excessive spending. Our mission focus is on supporting our nation's wounded veterans and providing therapeutic and beneficial programs, including hunting and outdoor activities. 896. veterans & their guardians have participated in our Soaring Valor experiences. That's thanks in part to a soul-searchingly earnest restructuring effort helmed by CEO Mike Linnington, a retired three-star Army general who arrived at the organization in 2016 with a mandate to turn things around. 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. He brings 35 years of military experience and leadership to the organization. [32] After a court ruling, Graham retracted the allegations he leveled against Wounded Warrior Project and folded his direct-aid non-profit. 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. 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. "[41], In 2012, WWP spent US$114,817,090 on programs in support of wounded veterans, their families, and caregivers. 773,608. meals served to our nation's defenders across the country. Here are the charity's self-reported results: As of September, the Wounded Warrior Project said it was serving more than 56,000 wounded vets and nearly 8,000 family members. In September 2005, The United Spinal Association granted $2.7 million to WWP to "develop into a stand-alone charity with its own identity and programs," with the intent to expand its services from providing immediate comfort items to providing longer-term support for returning wounded veterans via compensation, education, health care, insurance, housing, and employment. According to data provided by Plenzler, a 2018 study on the organization's reputation within the veterans service organization community found that 83% of participants considered WWP a respected part of the military and veterans nonprofit space, up from just 13% in 2017. "WWP and those donor dollars trained me to speak and be a voice, and that's exactly what I'm doing," said Millette. [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. Notably, at its lowest point following the whistleblower reports and leadership churn, WWP's funding still dwarfed that of virtually every other organization in the space. 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. Cool Careers People also search for wounded warrior project clothing wounded warrior project volunteer wounded warrior project topeka kansas Plenzler said spending on that program so far has totaled $100 million, with another $165 million committed over the next five years. Since then, however, the rate of investment has grown substantially. "You're using our injuries, our darkest days, our hardships, to make money. Its Time to Close It, Military Families Stressed by Delay in Parental Leave Rules from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps, Practicing Mindfulness the Marine Corps Way Leads to Mental Resilience, After 89 Years, Coast Guard Academy Using Racist Episode to Teach a Better Future, 34 Years: Coast Guard Raises the Limit on How Long Senior Enlisted Can Serve, Mary Stewart, World War II SPAR Beloved by Coasties, Dead at 101, The Navy Confiscated a Camera During 'Top Gun: Maverick' Filming, Gerard Butler and Mike Colter Take on a Rebel Militia in 'Plane'. All rights reserved. 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. The group has also historically dinged WWP for having so much capital in reserve -- at one point, Borochoff said, it "socked away" almost one-third of what it brought in. Nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator says Wounded Warrior Project spends just 60 percent of its budget on veterans. Initially, he admired the charity's work, and participated in its programs. 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. [26][27][28][29][30], In 2020, Wounded Warrior Project's Legislative Director, Derek Fronabarger, worked with Jon Stewart from The Daily Show to advocate on Toxic Exposure related issues for service members and veterans. So you can have these big parties," he told CBS News. GuideStar states the author neglected to include WWP program expenses when presenting their financial facts online, and that overhead ratios are not a fair assessment of the overall impact WWP has on its mission of honoring and empowering wounded warriors. The charity came under fire after an earlier CBS News investigation in January revealed large amounts of spending on administration, meetings, and travel. The. "[Now], I would tell you to look at the organization, the changes they've made and make an educated decision. You can check out all of the registered and approved WWP community events at:woundedwarriorproject.org/give-backand click "find an event near you." [22], Warriors to Work[23] is a WWP veteran employment program that connects veterans with employers and resources for jobs. But Linnington maintains it's not just about the bottom line for him. Let's get it catered and have a big old party," he described. It no longer invests, for example, in its TRACK college preparation program for wounded warriors, preferring to let Student Veterans of America own the space. We pay a competitive wage so that we can hire expert, licensed staff in those fields to run our programs. "Veterans, our lives, literally, depend on it.". [31], On May 27, 2014, Wounded Warrior Project filed a lawsuit against Dean Graham, a disabled veteran with PTSD, and his Help Indiana Vets, Inc. [49], In October 2016, Charity Navigator dropped Wounded Warrior Project from its "watch list", and later boosted the nonprofit's score to a four-star rating (out of four stars). [2], As of August 22, 2021, WWP served 157,975, registered alumni and 40,520 registered family support members. Another organization, Animal Charity Evaluators, gives recommendations on the most effective charities to prevent animal suffering. Millette also marvels at the way the organization has overhauled itself and rebuilt, even as many predicted that it would crumble under the pressure. To continue addressing these social needs and address the distrust caused by nonprofit scandals, we need to improve our nonprofit sector. "It's like walking through a minefield, donating to an efficient veterans charity," he said. To date, the WWP's . SVA leaders joined WWP at the White House in April for the latter organization's 12th annual warrior ride. One 2013 commercial, "Sacrifices," featured footage of a veteran with severe traumatic brain injury struggling to walk assisted and to enter a car, and of another vet with body-encompassing burn injuries reaching for his prosthetic ears to put them on. [40], The WWP did a study of its alumni and found that, "almost half of the respondents indicated accessing care through VA for MST-related conditions was 'very difficult'. Slightly more than half of the Kanes' donations directly benefitted veterans, according to CBS News. 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. At this time, WWP uses a 3rd party near the Houston and Charlotte areas for "face-to-face fundraising" outside of certain outside of certain businesses and high-traffic areas. 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. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. 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. It also alleged that WWP distributed what it deemed an insubstantial percentage of donations to actual wounded warriors, and that it overpaid its executive staff. If you suspect fraud, immediately contact yourstate or local consumer protection office. The organization has partnered with several other charities, including the American Red Cross, Resounding Joy, a music therapy group in C WWP does not utilize crowdfunding sites to accept donations. WWP was accused by several charity monitors in the 2010's for spending donations on other things outside of the charity programs. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado, which CBS News reported cost about $3 million. He's come in on a Segway, he's come in on a horse, one employee told CBS News. To see the impact WWP and our skilled staff are making in the lives of those we serve, please visit:woundedwarriorproject.org/mission/who-we-serve. 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.. Seeing them do that restores my faith in the organization.". The organization has awarded an average of $14.6 million in grants each year since 2015, for a total of more than $80.9 million to 158 organizations since 2012, WWP spokesman Joe Plenzler said. The nonprofit sector provides social services that governments cant or wont, including providing food, shelter and free higher education to the poor. Kules also told CBS News 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. Warriors who have been out of the military service longer, have higher overall loneliness scores. In 2018, the organization gave away $13.6 million in grants to other organizations. 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. Among those who say WWP has regained their trust is Erick Millette, a medically retired Army staff sergeant who worked for the organization as a full-time public speaker and representative in the organization's "Warriors Speak" program from 2013 to 2015. Millette said he witnessed lavish spending on staff, with big catered parties. Kane said he has cut charitable ties with the Wounded Warrior Project, embarking on a new charge to effect change at the organization. Wounded Warrior Project is one of the largest veterans service organizations in the United States with office locations and partners across the country. 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. Crucially, these evaluative organizations, called meta-charities, do not receive any funding from organizations they are evaluating. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado. In Uncategorized. Then, in late January 2016, a pair of damning high-profile news reports hit like a one-two punch, throwing the organization into turmoil. 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. WWP pays only its vendors, contractors, and legitimate employees, and does not send unsolicited checks in the mail. A CBS News investigation into a charity for wounded veterans, the Wounded Warrior Project, looks into how the charity spends its donation money. WWP also put up strong numbers in financial health, with controlled spending on administrative expenses and a healthy reserve of capital, which speaks to the organization's ability to sustain itself over time. January 26, 2016 / 7:06 PM 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. For veterans, the demands of the holidays can aggravate stress, and sometimes heighten feelings of alienation and loneliness. "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.". Many of these postings stem from false accusations initially published by an Indiana individual, Dean Graham. Several bills have passed, including the Traumatic Injury Protection Program (TSGLI), the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, the Ryan Kules and Paul Benne Specially Adaptive Housing Improvement Act of 2019, the Veteran Families Financial Support Act (2020) and the PACT Act (2022). Millette came home from Iraq in 2006 with a bronze star and a purple heart -- along with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, The Wounded Warrior Project Scandal Should Encourage More Philanthropy. With health issues due to toxic exposure becoming an increasing concern for veterans, WWP has invested some $620,000 since fiscal 2017 toward research, partnering with Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, to study disease linkages, build awareness and create a "tiger team" of organizations to develop ways to help affected veterans and their families. [53] According to Charity Navigator, WWP allocates 75.1 percent of its revenue to program expenses and 24.7 percent to fundraising and administrative expenses. [18] as well as a search tool to access information about other VSOs. Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Trace Adkins and Jimmy. But after two years, he quit. The development was confirmed by Abernathy MacGregor, a public relations firm hired to represent the veterans charity. To best effectuate these changes and help restore trust in the organization among all of the constituencies WWP serves, the Board determined the organization would benefit from new leadership, and WWP CEO Steve Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano are no longer with the organization, the statementsaid. For example, Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust spends 96 percent of its budget on vets. Kurnyta noted the organization had a near-perfect score in transparency: 97 out of 100. WWP fundraising efforts do not include door-to-door solicitation or the promise of gift cards in return for donations. The Wounded Warrior Project is one of the biggest veterans organizations in the country. That's a pretty significant drop in a short period of time," he said. " So we had to rebuild.". 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. Several Effective Altruist organizations, including The Life You Can Save and GiveWell, provide information to donors about the impact of various charities addressing global poverty. Ideally, though, the ratio should be higher. WWP's legislative agenda is guided by the information in the organization's Annual Warrior Alumni Survey and encompasses issue areas spanning from veteran brain health and toxic exposure to women veteran issues. 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. TRUTH: This is a fabricated number. "[41] The WWP also testified that in addition to expanding access to MST care, the VA needed to improve care itself, because veterans report "inadequate screening, providers who were either insensitive or lacked needed expertise and facilities ill-equipped to appropriately care for MST survivors. 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. We all have the power to ensure that we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely. We take all reports of fraud and infringement against WWP seriously, and will update our supporters here if we receive several alerts concerning the same scam. "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.". 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. "I'm sorry, but I'll be damned if you're gonna take hard-working Americans' money and drink it and waste it.". Board chairman Anthony Odierno was announced as temporarily taking control of the charity. The Wounded Warrior Project is one of the most well-known non-profit charitable organizations focused on rebuilding the lives of wounded veterans. Two of those former employees were so fearful of retaliation they asked that their faces not to be shown on camera. The annual surveys of the wounded warriors the organization serves help direct its focus, Linnington says. 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. You can also report any incidents of consumer fraud or deception directly to the Federal Trade Commission atftc.gov/charityfraudor call (877) FTC-HELP. In its commercials, Wounded Warrior Project appeals to the American public's generosity, and it works. "We focus our advertising campaign on warriors that have succeeded. Death Toll Climbs, Flooding Persists In Dangerous California Storm Some Good News For Florida Manatees, Finally Severe Storms Could Produce Damaging Winds, Tornadoes In Southeast Rain, Snow Move. His report slammed the organization for not being transparent with donors about tens of millions that had been placed in reserve and not spent; and for "excessive" amounts of money spent on travel, fundraising and staff activities. Not send unsolicited checks in the United States with office locations and partners across the.! & amp ; their guardians have participated in its programs s defenders across the country annual Warrior.... That we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely you., big! Let 's get it catered and have often fallen at the White House in April for the latter 's... Leaders joined WWP at the White House in April for the Daily Beast Seck can reached. Donate directly to WWP is a scam to see the impact WWP and our skilled staff making... Postings stem from false accusations initially published by an Indiana individual, Dean Graham despite recent. End of compensation paid at comparable organizations years of military experience and leadership to the.. 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