Charities to Avoid

Want to help veterans this holiday season? Be careful which organizations you donate to! I just read in the Dec. 13 Flint Journal that Eight veterans charities gave less than a third of the money raised to veterans! Refer to Where to Give As Veterans Get Shortchanged By Charities (by Fox News) before you donate.

Here is the American Institute of Philanthropy's report card for veteran and military charities. (This list was printed with the article in The Flint Journal on Dec. 13 but I have not found this convenient list online, not even on the American Institute of Philanthropy's web site!) The letter grades are based on the charities' fundraising cost and percentage of the money raised that was spent on charitable activities:

Air Force Aid Society = A+
American Ex-Prisoners of War Service Foundation = F
American Veterans Coalition = F
American Veterans Relief Foundation = F
AMVETS National Service Foundation = F
Armed Services YMCA oif the USA = A-
Army Emergency Relief Fund = A+
Blinded Veterans Association = D
Disabled American Veterans = D
Disabled Veterans Association = F
Fisher House Foundation = A+
Freedom Alliance = F
Help Hospitalized Veterans/Coalition to Salute America's Heroes = F
Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund = A+
Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation = F
National Military Family Association = A
National Veterans Service Fund = F
National Vietnam Veterans Committee = D
Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society = A+
NCOA National Defense Foundation = F
Paralyzed Veterans of America = F
Soldiers' Angels = D
United Spinal Association's Wounded Warrior Project = D
USO United Service Organization = C+
Veterans of Foreign Wars and Foundation = C-
Veterans of the Vietnam War & The Veterans Coalition = D
Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund = D
VietNow National Headquarters - F
World War II Veterans Committee = D

Shameful, eh? Especially during the holidays when everyone wants to help our soldiers!