The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is the largest veteran's charity in the United States. 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. [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'. Charity Navigator's rating for WWP has fluctuated over the years: It dipped down to two stars in 2010 as the organization grew, then briefly rose to a full four stars in 2017, reflecting the delayed arrival of 2015 data. Wounded Warrior Project was founded in 2003 in Roanoke, Virginia by John Melia. [22], Warriors to Work[23] is a WWP veteran employment program that connects veterans with employers and resources for jobs. Cool Careers People also search for wounded warrior project clothing wounded warrior project volunteer wounded warrior project topeka kansas This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Jan. 27, 2016. Millette said he witnessed lavish spending on staff, with big catered parties. As WWP has worked to become more collaborative with other organizations, Linnington indicated it has also pulled back from the aggressively protective posture regarding brand and logo that drew criticism in the past. [42], In 2013, a new employee mistakenly declined to accept a donation from Liberty Baptist Church in Fort Pierce, Florida, and issued this inadvertent statement to the church leaders in an email, "We must decline the opportunity to be the beneficiary of your event due to our fundraising event criteria, which doesn't allow community events to be religious in nature. He also denied that the charity spends money on alcohol or engages in any other kind of excessive spending. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado. Sign up for our email newsletter and get the latest info on events, fundraisers and ways to make an impact. In September 2016, Forbes published a pre-emptive obituary to the organization: "The Gutting Of Wounded Warrior: How To Kill A Charity.". 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. Also, check back here often for updated information on current scams and fraud alerts. Absolutely, but the data and quotes cited by those attempting to defame WWP are false. 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. 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. We all have the power to ensure that we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely. 65,696. attendees of our Invincible Spirit Festivals since 2012. 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. "Donors would be unhappy that so much of their money wasn't being used given the plight of veterans," he said. Nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator says Wounded Warrior Project spends just 60 percent of its budget on veterans. 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. 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. "We have 55 peer support groups across the country that meet regularly," he said. As part of this judgment, Graham retracted his false statements and apologized to Wounded Warrior Project, acknowledging that his conduct was disrespectful and inappropriate. 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. 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. But Linnington said the organization is closely tracking engagement, and estimated that 30% of members were actively engaged in WWP community events or taking advantage of free programs. Senate. Timeline of Interesting facts from 1960 to 1970, Environmental Moments: A UNEP@50 timeline. 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. Legal Statement. 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. 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. "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.". LTG (ret) Michael Linnington serves as chief executive officer of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). We are independently audited every year, and copies of our financial documents since our inception are easily accessible for free on our website at. March 11, 2016. FALSE: Only 3.5% of WWPs income is being expended to directly help service members. To continue addressing these social needs and address the distrust caused by nonprofit scandals, we need to improve our nonprofit sector. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Wounded Warrior is what we might term a fundraising factory. WWP pays only its vendors, contractors, and legitimate employees, and does not send unsolicited checks in the mail. 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. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. So you can have these big parties," he told CBS News. "They were using the smallest percentage of wounded veterans to suck money out of hard-working Americans," he said. 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. Doing so is vital for our society today to address the various societal needs that our governments do not address, and thus helping our society flourish. Each of us can make a difference by becoming a more effective donor. In fiscal 2016, the organization's revenue exceeded $226 million; the closest runner-up was Disabled Veterans of America, with nearly $135 million. 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. Millette came home from Iraq in 2006 with a bronze star and a purple heart -- along with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. 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. About $3 million. But after recent tax forms reflected questionable spending by the veterans charity on staff expenditures, including $26 million on conferences and meetings at luxury hotels in 2014 alone, Fred Kane called for Nardizzi to be fired.The expenditure on conferences and travel was up from just $1.7 million in 2010, according to reports. But newly released numbers for fiscal 2018 show a bounce in the right direction, up 16% to $246 million. "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. organization. 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. 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. [33] In 2016 and 2017, however, subsequent investigations by a Jacksonville, FL television station and the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee found that WWP "'inaccurately' reported the money it spent on veterans programs by using 'inflated' numbers and 'misleading' advertisements. A few of the previous scams perpetrated against WWP are listed here. 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. He's come in on a Segway, he's come in on a horse.". Please [email protected]. "I was always grateful for that mission," Linnington said. WWP does not utilize crowdfunding sites to accept donations. 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. [24], Wounded Warrior Project helps families of veterans reconnect through events that support family bonding and transitional skills. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado, which CBS News reported cost about $3 million. When you are considering whether to give, let your heart be open to stories but also ask how representative those stories are of actual clients or results. They also help WWP track how the needs of veterans are changing with time. Market data provided by Factset. "Obviously, we're trying to regain trust with the warriors, first and foremost," Linnington told Military.com earlier this year. TRUTH: This is a fabricated number. In 2014, afederal court judgmentwas entered against Graham permanently enjoining him from making defamatory statements about WWP. Surveys conducted by an arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the fuel leak wreaked havoc on physical Copyright 2023 Military.com. (2015). In its commercials, Wounded Warrior Project appeals to the American public's generosity, and it works. So we had to rebuild.". "[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? [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. Kaine, in the recent interview, also questioned Nardizzis apparent public absence while his organization has been under scrutiny. Follow the links below to view the court documents. 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. At the end of 2015, there were 96,695 individuals in WWP's database; by the end of 2018, there were 155,302, with growth staying fairly consistent year-over-year. Wounded Warrior Project executives fired in spending scandal. "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.". WWP also provided home care to the most . We must also pressure nonprofits to be transparent about their activities and finances and measure the impact of their work. 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. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. or redistributed. The termination was part of the embattled organization's attempts to do some much-needed . Wounded Warrior Project is one of the largest veterans service organizations in the United States with office locations and partners across the country. No. [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. During the exchange, Porter went on to accuse the staffer of giving her COVID-19, refusing to let her . But, as it turned out, reports of the death of Wounded Warrior Project have been greatly exaggerated. "That report also made clear that the Wounded Warrior Project had made some positive steps to regain the public's trust. 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. Like Charity Navigator, Charity Watch is critical of WWP's fundraising efficiency, which it considers to be on the low end of acceptable. 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. Let's get it catered and have a big old party," he described. 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. Descriptions of our programs can be found. 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. Both ad campaigns depict a real part of the wounded veteran experience, and WWP staff acknowledge that donors respond more to portrayals of those with the greatest need. "WWP and those donor dollars trained me to speak and be a voice, and that's exactly what I'm doing," said Millette. Since then, however, the rate of investment has grown substantially. I don't know, and frankly, that's not what I'm worried about. Many of these postings stem from false accusations initially published by an Indiana individual, Dean Graham. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of any event or fundraiser claiming to benefit WWP, please [email protected]. 4899 Belfort Road Suite 300Jacksonville, FL 32256, Wounded Warrior Project is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization CFC #11425, https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/scam-information/fraud-faqs, woundedwarriorproject.org/mission/financials, our IRS Form 990 and audited financial statements, state or local consumer protection office, consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0121-charitable-solicitations-vet-military-families. But he acknowledged that was likely a function of WWP's phenomenally rapid growth and expansion. Most likely no. [52] However, for the fiscal year ended 30 September 2016, Charity Watch assigned WWP a C+ rating (up from a D originally) and Charity Navigator published its rating for WWP on 1 February 2017 as "four out of four stars" (up from three). These uniforms were made by Under Armor. Magazines, Digital 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. 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.". Borochoff also said, however, that despite the public scrutiny, Wounded Warrior Project has always had better business practices than many groups in the space, even some with a good reputation in the community. Kules denied there was excessive spending on conferences. Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is a Platinum sponsor of the 2022 Department of Defense Warrior Games taking place Aug. 19-28 in Orlando. Fisher House devotes 91 percent. "So when I saw what was going on in the media, I was, believe it or not, automatically attracted to try and help.". 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.. For veterans, the demands of the holidays can aggravate stress, and sometimes heighten feelings of alienation and loneliness. These agencies have the best available resources to investigate and prosecute these matters. Among the organizations receiving grants, eight are first-time recipients. WWP strives to provide our warriors with high-touch, comprehensive support in the areas of mental health, physical health, education and employment. Besides devastating both donors and wounded veterans, this news could undercut public support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. But after two years, he quit. We pay a competitive wage so that we can hire expert, licensed staff in those fields to run our programs. "Yeah. "Four years ago, I would have told you to keep your money in your pocket and take it somewhere else," he said. "We're looking for under 10 cents," she said. As both a national and local veteran charity, we serve veterans, caregivers and families of veterans who incurred a physical or mental injury or illness on or after September 11, 2001. On Thursday, text messages leaked showing that Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) had permanently banned a female staffer from her congressional office for failure to take a COVID-19 test. 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. A CBS News investigation into a charity for wounded veterans, the Wounded Warrior Project, looks into how the charity spends its donation money. The nonprofit sector provides social services that governments cant or wont, including providing food, shelter and free higher education to the poor. The organization also conducts copious surveys and focus groups among warriors, peer veterans' organizations and others in the military community. Dinners and alcohol, and just total accessm" one employee explained. WWP does not advertise for jobs or services of any kind via Craigslist. Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is an American charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following September 11, 2001. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. With Linnington at the helm, he said, WWP inspires confidence and appears to be working diligently to meet the real needs of its veterans population. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Board chairman Anthony Odierno was announced as temporarily taking control of the charity. "Their mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, but what the public doesn't see is how they spend their money," said Army Staff Sergeant Erick Millette. 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. Speaking at the opening of the military chiefs' meeting in Brussels, NATO's deputy secretary general said alliance members 'Code Name Blue Wren' is the astounding story of DIA mole Ana Montes, told by a veteran investigative reporter. 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. Recently, however, they have been accused of being a scam and donating an insignificant portion of their funds to their declared cause. Be able to be able to provide the best quality services.". In July 2006, WWP's headquarters were moved to Jacksonville, Florida. The programs it did create for veterans often served more as showpieces for marketing than as efforts to address the actual needs of veterans. Our average age is 38 years old," Linnington said. Wounded warriors and staff members representing coalition forces and the Warrior Transition Battalion-Europe are staged at the starting line of a 25-mile ride from Hermeskeil to Trier, Germany . Peter J. Johnson Jr on the firing of WWP's CEO and COO. "The allegations were so bad I . But Linnington maintains it's not just about the bottom line for him. Despite the recent removal of many articles originating the false information, rumors and falsehoods continue to circulate and surface online. The Wounded Warrior Project is one of the most well-known non-profit charitable organizations focused on rebuilding the lives of wounded veterans. "[43] Shortly after the church received this letter, a WWP spokesperson apologized and said that it was a miscommunication. Wounded Warrior Project declined CBS News' interview requests for Nardizzi in January, but instead sent Director of Alumni and a recipient of their services, Captain Ryan Kules, who denied there was excessive spending on conferences. Then, in late January 2016, a pair of damning high-profile news reports hit like a one-two punch, throwing the organization into turmoil. We knew VVA had done pioneering work on Agent Orange, so we created a collaborative grant to pair them with TAPS to start gathering data on [toxic exposure] and to help ensure trans-generational knowledge transfer from the Vietnam-era generation of veterans to today's post-9/11 generation.". We regularly register religious-based events and accept donations from religious-based organizations. That's a pretty significant drop in a short period of time," he said. " In other words, the Wounded Warrior Project scandal will likely reduce trust in all nonprofitsincluding effective ones. Linnington said the organization is also making a point to be part of conversations involving the "Big Six" -- the congressionally chartered veterans service organizations including American Legion and VFW -- and to be present for regular convenings with the Defense Department and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Wounded Warrior Project | HISTORY Channel Jun 13, 2018 Serving Their Country, Serving Their Community How the Wounded Warrior Project helps veterans help themselves and then help. The annual surveys of the wounded warriors the organization serves help direct its focus, Linnington says. Through their veteran family support programs, Wounded Warrior Project also helps guide families through the sometimes confusing process of receiving VA benefits. [45], In January 2016, The New York Times reported that only 60 percent of the revenue of the Wounded Warrior Project is spent on programs to help veterans; the remaining 40 percent was overhead. Our warriors and their families deserve no less. [13][14][15] Several former employees alleged that they were fired because they raised concerns over the mismanagement. History of Math By: Donella Austin. "You're using our injuries, our darkest days, our hardships, to make money. Ideally, though, the ratio should be higher. "It's like walking through a minefield, donating to an efficient veterans charity," he said. 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. WWP also does not authorize proceeds from sales without a licensing agreement. "[51], According to a 2013 article in Nonprofit Quarterly, "Depending on the rater, the Wounded Warrior Project seems to have scored low (Charity Watch), high (BBB Wise Giving Alliance) or somewhere in the middle (Charity Navigator)". 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. 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. As commanding general of the Military District of Washington and commander of Joint Force Headquarters-National Capital Region, a position he held from 2011 to 2013, he said he welcomed many arriving C-17 Globemasters transporting wounded veterans back to the United States from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. 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. While Military.com was unable to review survey findings in full, Plenzler said the 2018 study also found participants overwhelmingly considered WWP to be effective in two areas on which organizational leaders have chosen to focus more sharply: advocacy for caregiver legislation (93%), and advocacy on legislation regarding veterans' medical conditions related to burn pit exposure on deployments (86%). First published on January 26, 2016 / 7:06 PM. Look at how they're focused on the real, important issues that have to do with veterans, and go from there.". 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The price tag? Committee on Veterans' Affairs, "Wounded Warrior Project Spends Lavishly on Itself, Insiders Say", "Wounded Warrior Project cleared of 'spending lavishly,' report finds - The Washington Post", "Sen. Grassley releases report on Wounded Warrior Project spending", "Wounded Warrior Project fires top 2 executives after accusations of lavish spending", "2013/2014 Directory: Veterans and Military Service Organizations", "List of Representative for Accredited Organization", "Gilbane doing $1.3 million renovation of Wounded Warrior Project HQ", "Iraq war veteran helps others recover from invisible wounds at Emory", "Veteran Employment Programs & Career Counseling", "Educational and Career Counseling (VA Chapter 36)", "Bill to improve VA adaptive housing grants passes House", "Impact of Wounded Warrior Project Advocacy Efforts Crosses $2.5 Billion", "Veterans: Frontline Concerns - Jon Stewart and Derek Fronabarger", "Motion for Entry of Consent Judgment and Permanent Injunction", "Senate releases report criticizing Wounded Warrior Project's past spending", "Small veterans' charity sued for "unfair competition" by Wounded Warrior Project", "Submission for the Record of Wounded Warrior Project", "Wounded Warrior Project denies money donation from a Fort Pierce Christian School", "Wounded Warrior Project accused of wasting donation money", "Wounded Warrior Board Ousts Top Two Executives", Wounded Warrior Project's Top Execs Fired After Spending Scandal,, "Charity watchdog drops Wounded Warrior Project from watch list", "Wounded Warrior Project cleared of 'spending lavishly,' report finds", "One Charity, Many Different Ratings: What's a Donor to Do? 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