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. [22], Warriors to Work[23] is a WWP veteran employment program that connects veterans with employers and resources for jobs. Peter J. Johnson Jr on the firing of WWP's CEO and COO. On June 1, 2009, Florida Governor Charlie Crist and other officials toured WPP's headquarters and signed Florida . About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado, which CBS News reported cost about $3 million. In its commercials, Wounded Warrior Project appeals to the American public's generosity, and it works. Magazines, Digital Sign up for our email newsletter and get the latest info on events, fundraisers and ways to make an impact. 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. 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. [20], Wounded Warrior Project provides interactive programs, rehabilitation retreats, and free mental health counseling. Linnington oversees day-to-day operations and works with the leadership team to set and implement the organization's strategic vision. 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. by: Braden Ireland and Josh Faulkner. For example, Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust spends 96 percent of its budget on vets. John Melia, a Somalia-wounded Marine veteran initiated, the Wounded Warrior Project when he started giving backpacks full of items to returning Iraq war veterans in 2003. 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. "Donors don't want you to have a $2,500 bar tab. 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. Some of the top picks of these charity evaluators include the Against Malaria Foundation, which protects families in the developing world against deadly malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and GiveDirectly, which transfers money directly to some of the poorest people in the world. 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. 65,696. attendees of our Invincible Spirit Festivals since 2012. 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. 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. The organization will still take action in cases of suspected fraud, he said. 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. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. [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. Absolutely, but the data and quotes cited by those attempting to defame WWP are false. GuideStar, the largest source of nonprofit information, released astatementrefuting the false information circulating using GuideStars falsified data as reference regarding WWP. About $3 million. Cool Careers People also search for wounded warrior project clothing wounded warrior project volunteer wounded warrior project topeka kansas Our average age is 38 years old," Linnington said. WWP does not authorize use of its trade names, trademarks, service marks, logos, domain names, and other distinctive brand features without prior approval. In fiscal 2016, the organization's revenue exceeded $226 million; the closest runner-up was Disabled Veterans of America, with nearly $135 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. Name recognition that went beyond the military community, thanks in large part to tightly produced and memorable TV ads. 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. 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. "He rappelled down the side of a building at one of the all hands events. [44], In June 2015, The Daily Beast reported that the WWP sells its donor information to third parties. [2], As of August 22, 2021, WWP served 157,975, registered alumni and 40,520 registered family support members. Wounded Warrior is what we might term a fundraising factory. The kind of fundraising figures that most organizations in the space could only dream about. He brings 35 years of military experience and leadership to the organization. During WWP's nadir and through its turnaround, its roster of wounded warriors and "family support members" has only grown -- a fact that speaks as much to the persistent and growing need as it does to the organization's success in the space. "I was always grateful for that mission," Linnington said. With time and support from donors, new meta-charities will arise to evaluate other areas of nonprofit activity. 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. Every month in 2021, more than 1,277 warriors and family members registered with Wounded Warrior Project to receive our free programs and services. TRUTH: This is a fabricated number. 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. Why do the misdeeds of one nonprofit cause mistrust of all nonprofits? FALSE: That WWP reported $115,199,467 in overhead expenses on our 2012 IRS Form 990. The annual surveys of the wounded warriors the organization serves help direct its focus, Linnington says. 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. 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. [48] And spending on conferences and meetings had increased from just under $2 million in 2010 to $26 million in 2014. 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. Many point to the 2014 annual meeting at a luxury resort in Colorado Springs as typical of his style. 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. 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. 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. 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. He's come in on a Segway, he's come in on a horse.". [24], Wounded Warrior Project helps families of veterans reconnect through events that support family bonding and transitional skills. He noted, approvingly, that as of 2018, 64% of WWP spending goes to fund programs, up from about 54% in 2016. But he acknowledged that was likely a function of WWP's phenomenally rapid growth and expansion. organization. [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'. On Tuesday, CBS News ran a story about the Wounded Warrior Project, claiming to have interviewed over 40 former employees who stated that spending was out of control at the organization. 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. Unfortunately, yes. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. 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. Ideally, though, the ratio should be higher. 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. It wasn't just about lavish all-hands gatherings, although those quickly became a thing of the past. Two of those former employees were so fearful of retaliation they asked that their faces not to be shown on camera. [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. Former employees say spending has skyrocketed since Steven Nardizzi took over as CEO in 2009. 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. 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. In July, along with the publication of a new financial statement for fiscal 2018 showing revenues of $246 million, WWP received an updated score from the watchdog organization Charity Navigator, up to 86.45 out of 100 from 86.02 the previous year. Will we ever be 380 again? 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. Wounded Warrior Project was founded in 2003 in Roanoke, Virginia by John Melia. 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. [47], In March 2016, Wounded Warrior Project's board of directors dismissed the charity's top two executives, Steven Nardizzi and Al Giordano, after hiring the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett to perform an independent review of spending issues related to the company's funds. 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. In fact, they are one of the largest programs out there for wounded veterans. "I have zero regrets, and I would do it again," he said. "[35] Tim Mak also covered the suit for the Daily Beast. Recently, a social movement called Effective Altruism has been pushing the nonprofit sector to become more transparent and accountable. Aug 10, 2022 Wounded Warrior Project Says Signing of Honoring Our PACT Act Marks 'A Great Day for Veterans Across America' WWP was granted accreditation as of September 10, 2008, by the Veterans Affairs Secretary as a Veterans Service Organization (VSO) "recognized by the Secretary for the purpose of preparation, presentation, and prosecution of claims under laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Wounded Warrior Project Timeline by: Braden Ireland and Josh Faulkner 2010-In the 2009/2010 season a group of 6 football teams wore special designed uniforms in honor of wounded warrior. Millette, 41, who still lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where Wounded Warrior Project is headquartered, told Military.com he stands by all the claims he made about the organization -- $2,500 bar tabs and other prodigal spending at staff-only team-building events, a permissive "good old boys" atmosphere among leadership, and a tendency to push certain badly wounded veterans into the spotlight again and again for what appeared to be promotional purposes rather than for their benefit and well-being. 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. 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. To do this, we must give numbers priority over emotionally compelling stories. Lawmakers are pointing to a 2021 law that was meant to provide help and asking why it hasn't been fully put into effect by Changes are here, and they could mean thousands of dollars more, or less, in taxes for military families. In other words, the Wounded Warrior Project scandal will likely reduce trust in all nonprofitsincluding effective ones. 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. But, as it turned out, reports of the death of Wounded Warrior Project have been greatly exaggerated. Millette came home from Iraq in 2006 with a bronze star and a purple heart -- along with a traumatic brain injury and PTSD. / CBS News. 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?". 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. He also told CBS News that the charity did not spend money on alcohol or engages in any other kind of excessive spending. "[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? You have reached your limit of free articles. "WWP and those donor dollars trained me to speak and be a voice, and that's exactly what I'm doing," said Millette. According to the charity's tax forms, spending on conferences and meetings went from $1.7 million in 2010, to $26 million in 2014. Initially, he admired the charity's work, and participated in its programs. As the Wounded Warrior Project suffers fallout following the ousting of two top executive in the wake of a spending scandal, other charities that work with American veterans were left. 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. "I'm sorry, but I'll be damned if you're gonna take hard-working Americans' money and drink it and waste it.". "Their mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, but what the public doesn't see is how they spend their money," he said. 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. He merely notes that "a lot of what was reported was incorrect," and that, in particular, the reported costs of travel and amenities at all-hands events were far overblown. Instead, meta-charities receive funding from donors who appreciate the services these organizations provide, allowing meta-charities to stay objective. Kurnyta noted the organization had a near-perfect score in transparency: 97 out of 100. [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. Please emailfraudalert@woundedwarriorproject.org. WWP's support helps ensure that injured veterans and their families have access to . 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. 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. WWP has always supported the Constitution of the United States of America, including the First and Second Amendments. Last year, the WWP's people placed 2,555 wounded warriors and their caregivers in jobs generating $87 million in annual income for their families. 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 . Wounded Warrior Project executives fired in spending scandal. "That report also made clear that the Wounded Warrior Project had made some positive steps to regain the public's trust. 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.". "[17] The Veterans Administration's online List of Representatives for Accredited Organizations includes contact information for WWP's accredited service officers. 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. Timeline of Interesting facts from 1960 to 1970, Environmental Moments: A UNEP@50 timeline. In Uncategorized. A current ad campaign, "I am Living Proof," featured in a number of bold bus-stop ads near WWP's Washington, D.C., headquarters, shows wounded vets standing in a posture of confidence. "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.". 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 warriors that joined Wounded Warrior Project, you know, in 2003 are today 15 years older than they were when they joined. His salary can be found on our 990, available on our financials page. Reference: Berlinghoff, W. P., & Gouvea Fernando Q. We all have the power to ensure that we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely. WWP continued to support injured service members by providing them with free WWP Backpacks filled with comfort items. That's a pretty significant drop in a short period of time," he said. " GuideStar has also requested a retraction printed and the removal of the untruthful material. Kules denied there was excessive spending on conferences. That's about the. Since then, however, the rate of investment has grown substantially. Recently, however, they have been accused of being a scam and donating an insignificant portion of their funds to their declared cause. That's about the same amount the group spends on combat stress recovery -- its top program. [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. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital We pay a competitive wage so that we can hire expert, licensed staff in those fields to run our programs. 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. 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. LTG (ret) Michael Linnington serves as chief executive officer of Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). Seeing them do that restores my faith in the organization.". You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! [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. 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. About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado. 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. March 11, 2016. 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. Descriptions of our programs can be found. The Wounded Warrior Project is one of the most well-known non-profit charitable organizations focused on rebuilding the lives of wounded veterans. Religion and Technology Should Unite for the Greater Good, The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. 896. veterans & their guardians have participated in our Soaring Valor experiences. Another organization, Animal Charity Evaluators, gives recommendations on the most effective charities to prevent animal suffering. They also help WWP track how the needs of veterans are changing with time. [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. Kaine, in the recent interview, also questioned Nardizzis apparent public absence while his organization has been under scrutiny. 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. In 2014, afederal court judgmentwas entered against Graham permanently enjoining him from making defamatory statements about WWP. "The allegations were so bad I . Staying at a lavish hotel at the beach here in Jacksonville, and requiring staff that lives in the area to stay at the hotel is not team building," he told CBS News. "We've changed that too, honestly," he said. "When the negative media event hit in January-February-March of 2016, public support dropped 50%," he said. What caught our attention is how the Wounded Warrior Project spends donations compared to other long-respected charities. All rights reserved. So we've tried to paint service as a good thing and, I think if you look at the exceptional nature of the young people that are joining the military today, we're seeing a shift now in a higher propensity to serve, I think, over the last year or two.". For more on veteran and military family charitable solicitations, visit:consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0121-charitable-solicitations-vet-military-families. FALSE: Only 3.5% of WWPs income is being expended to directly help service members. "Going to a nice fancy restaurant is not team building. Dinners and alcohol, and just total accessm" one employee explained. The organization also conducts copious surveys and focus groups among warriors, peer veterans' organizations and others in the military community. "And secondly, with the American people who support our warriors.". COLA WARS CONTINUE: COKE AND PEPSI IN 2010, University of North Carolina Charlotte Timeline. The WWP headquarters underwent a major $1.3 million renovation according to the Jacksonville Business Journal. 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%). [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. This event occured agen in 2011. 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. 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