12/19/2014
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on December 17, 2014 at 2:59 PM, updated December 17, 2014 at 4:28 PM
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Of the 48 charities identified in the report, three are listed as being based in Pennsylvania. (File)
By Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on December 17, 2014 at 2:59 PM, updated December 17, 2014 at 4:28 PM
Charities based in Harrisburg, Lancaster and Port Trevorton have been identified as among the worst in America for spending more to raise money than to help the people they're supposed to be helping.
The report, which was created by the Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting, used federal tax filings from the latest 10 years to see how much cash charities spend to raise money and how much was spent on the people they're supposed to be helping.
Of the 48 charities listed in the report, three are listed as being based in Pennsylvania. Those charities are the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation in Harrisburg, The Veterans Fund in Port Trevorton, and Survivors and Victims Empowered of Lancaster.
The mission of the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation, which is ranked 10th, is to assist "children under age 18 and their families who are facing the hardships of a cancer diagnosis. "
According to the report, Children's Cancer Recovery has raised about $35 million through professional solicitors and paid those companies about 80 percent of what was collected over the past 10 years. The charity spent an average of $21,000 a year providing direct financial assistance to those in need, the report said.
Greg Anderson, founder of the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation, criticized the report and the analysis used to develop it. Anderson called the report "faulty" and "prejudicial."
Anderson said the analysis of charity donations and expenditures only take into account cash donations and direct cash aid. The report does not take into account in-kind, non-cash gifts, Anderson said, which play an important part in what the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation does.
"More than 80 percent of every dollar that we spend in 2014, will go directly to helping children and families who are going through cancer," Anderson said. "I'm pushing back so hard on this sort of negative reporting. It's faulty, it's misleading and malicious."
Anderson noted that his organization has helped more than 15,000 children and families in 2014. Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation has given $180,000 for pediatric cancer research this year, he said.
The Veterans Fund, which was said to have been shut down in 2012, was identified as the 26th worst charity in America. Over the past decade, The Veterans Fund raised $15.7 million and paid for-profit fundraising companies 82 cents of every dollar raised.
An additional $1 million went to pay salaries at the charity, according to the report.
Survivors and Victims Empowered, which was created to help prevent neglect and abuse, was ranked as the 41st worst charity in the country. Of the $8.6 million raised from 2001-2010, the report indicated that about 60 percent went to professional solicitors.
The Pennsylvania attorney general sued the charity twice, settling charges in 1993 and 1998 for misleading donors.
The top 10 worst charities according to the report are:
1. Kids Wish Network
2. Cancer Fund of America
3. Children's Wish Foundation International
4. Firefighters Charitable Foundation
5. International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO
6. Breast Cancer Relief Foundation
7. American Association of State Troopers
8. National Veterans Service Fun
9. Children's Cancer Fund of America
10. Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation
The report, which was created by the Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting, used federal tax filings from the latest 10 years to see how much cash charities spend to raise money and how much was spent on the people they're supposed to be helping.
Of the 48 charities listed in the report, three are listed as being based in Pennsylvania. Those charities are the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation in Harrisburg, The Veterans Fund in Port Trevorton, and Survivors and Victims Empowered of Lancaster.
The mission of the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation, which is ranked 10th, is to assist "children under age 18 and their families who are facing the hardships of a cancer diagnosis. "
According to the report, Children's Cancer Recovery has raised about $35 million through professional solicitors and paid those companies about 80 percent of what was collected over the past 10 years. The charity spent an average of $21,000 a year providing direct financial assistance to those in need, the report said.
Greg Anderson, founder of the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation, criticized the report and the analysis used to develop it. Anderson called the report "faulty" and "prejudicial."
Anderson said the analysis of charity donations and expenditures only take into account cash donations and direct cash aid. The report does not take into account in-kind, non-cash gifts, Anderson said, which play an important part in what the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation does.
"More than 80 percent of every dollar that we spend in 2014, will go directly to helping children and families who are going through cancer," Anderson said. "I'm pushing back so hard on this sort of negative reporting. It's faulty, it's misleading and malicious."
Anderson noted that his organization has helped more than 15,000 children and families in 2014. Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation has given $180,000 for pediatric cancer research this year, he said.
The Veterans Fund, which was said to have been shut down in 2012, was identified as the 26th worst charity in America. Over the past decade, The Veterans Fund raised $15.7 million and paid for-profit fundraising companies 82 cents of every dollar raised.
An additional $1 million went to pay salaries at the charity, according to the report.
Survivors and Victims Empowered, which was created to help prevent neglect and abuse, was ranked as the 41st worst charity in the country. Of the $8.6 million raised from 2001-2010, the report indicated that about 60 percent went to professional solicitors.
The Pennsylvania attorney general sued the charity twice, settling charges in 1993 and 1998 for misleading donors.
The top 10 worst charities according to the report are:
1. Kids Wish Network
2. Cancer Fund of America
3. Children's Wish Foundation International
4. Firefighters Charitable Foundation
5. International Union of Police Associations, AFL-CIO
6. Breast Cancer Relief Foundation
7. American Association of State Troopers
8. National Veterans Service Fun
9. Children's Cancer Fund of America
10. Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation
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