The Official Online Store of Wounded Warrior Project He started by handing out backpacks of comfort items to wounded troops. "Yeah. 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. By 2009, the group had grown to about 50 employees and $21 million in revenue. But Linnington maintains it's not just about the bottom line for him. It was like he had been kidnapped, said one employee who did not want to speak publicly because she feared being fired. PDF Unethical Behavior in the Wounded Warrior Project Anyone can read what you share. 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. After Complaints on Wounded Warrior Project, Pressure From Donors Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. Wounded Warrior Project's top execs fired amid lavish spending scandal Mr. Giordano tried to refute the news media accounts, Mr. Kane said, and explained that the executives silence had been recommended by a public relations firm as a way to defuse criticism. 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. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Its a fund-raising machine that is a grant-maker for a number of other veterans organizations, said Phillip Carter, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security, which also gets funding from the organization. CBS News and The New York Times found the. Once the allegations were brought to our attention, we moved quickly, said the chairman of the board, Anthony Odierno, a retired Army captain who was wounded in Iraq and was helped by the Wounded Warrior Project during its early years. Legal Statement. The programs it did create for veterans often served more as showpieces for marketing than as efforts to address the actual needs of veterans. Find Wounded Warrior Project shirts, headwear and other WWP merchandise at WWPShop.org About 500 staff members attended the four-day conference in Colorado, which CBS News reported cost about $3 million. "When the negative media event hit in January-February-March of 2016, public support dropped 50%," he said. When Mr. Nardizzi took over, in the depths of the 2009 economic downturn, most charities had dialed back their fund-raising efforts, figuring that the nation was in no position to give. "We have met with DoD a couple times, when I first came on board, to talk about how we can help inspire young people to serve," he said. " In 2012, after he had been working for the charity about a year, he had to have his right arm amputated because of lingering damage from Iraq. 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. The New York Times' recent investigation into the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has sent rumbles throughout through the philanthropy community. They gave me a Xeroxed map of the hospital grounds and it was not very well photocopied, he explains on the video. Mr. Kane said he lambasted Mr. Giordano for hiding behind a wounded veteran on camera and said he would cancel his donations. In the wake of scandal, Wounded Warrior Project outlines significant In an interview at the organizations four-story headquarters in a palm-lined office park in Jacksonville, Fla., Mr. Nardizzi, 45, said spending on fund-raising and other expenses not directly related to veterans programs has enabled the Wounded Warrior Project to grow faster and serve more people. Dan Shannon of the Army, a father of three, who had served in Iraq, and, on Nov. 13, 2004, took a direct hit from an AK-47. 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. You had the same few guys who loved going to free events.. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. With time and support from donors, new meta-charities will arise to evaluate other areas of nonprofit activity. 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. In 2007, the scandalous treatment of wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center shocked the nation. Tracy Keil worries that will leave her. Its chief operating officer, Albion Giordano, earned just over $369,000. And it has become a brand name, its logo emblazoned on sneakers, paper towel packs and television commercials that run dozens of times. Board members called a few former employees this week to thank them for coming forward. Parade participants representing The Wounded Warriors Project carry the American flag for the Veteran's Day, November 11, 2012 in New York. "We have 55 peer support groups across the country that meet regularly," he said. Trace Adkins has been an advocate for Wounded Warrior, an organization that advocates for veterans. Retro Report has a staff of 13 journalists and 10 contributors led by Kyra Darnton, a former 60 Minutes producer. The kind of fundraising figures that most organizations in the space could only dream about. 1 witness for the wounded was Staff Sgt. A week after the top executives of the Wounded Warrior Project were fired amid accusations of lavish spending, an influential senator on a committee that oversees nonprofit organizations is. His marriage fell apart as the result of the pressure, he said; he received personal threats. John Melia founded the Wounded Warrior Project in 2003 but left in 2009. Two great sources to check are: The Better Business Bureau's Give.org charity guide (you can also access it through bbb.org ). Other former employees said they had signed such forms, and could not speak. See a recent article in the New York Times and a blog post from GuideStar CEO Jacob Herald. It is perfectly reasonable to hold Wounded Warrior or any other organization nonprofit, for-profit or governmental accountable for lavish spending or gaming its own metrics. He said you better do this or you are going to look disloyal to the organization, Mr. Chick said. Both bills passed in amended forms that did not significantly affect the charity, Mr. Nardizzi said. There were charges of spending too much on expenses (e.g., fund-raising, travel, and [] Skip to content Log In Wounded Warrior Project officials are firing half of their executives, closing nine offices and redirecting millions in spending to mental health care programs and partnerships as part of an. Wounded Warrior Project Like a 'Frat Party,' Former Employee Says Crisis of the Week: Scandal Engulfs Wounded Warrior Project For fiscal year 2015, Wounded Warrior reported a 92.9 percent satisfaction rate with the organizations services. The organization initially denied the accusations and demanded retractions, but then went silent. 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. The Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation provides more than 98 percent toveterans. The Walter Reed Army Medical Center neglect scandal refers to a series of allegations of unsatisfactory conditions, treatment of patients, and management at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, D.C. culminating in two articles published by The Washington Post in February 2007. He said he felt guilty about what he saw as widespread waste. Graphite 80/20 Poly/Cotton Left Chest/Sleeve Design Screenprint Show your support for Wounded Warrior Project with this tee! That's because they include some promotional items, direct response advertising, and shipping and postage. Veterans participate in a Soldier Ride on Jan. 8 in Marathon, Fla. Today, on a list of 27 founders that was created by the charitys current leadership and handed out to all new employees, Mr. Melias name appears well below the name of the charitys for-profit fund-raising consultant. All rights reserved. Current price: $30.00. A report on spending scandal exposed by News4Jax and national media outlets in January blames the Wounded Warrior Project's board, former employees who spoke about the charity's spending practices . And it took all this bone and everything with it and, of course, my left eye it took with it.. Wounded Warrior Project Survey Shows 6 in 10 Wounded Veterans Are Struggling to Make Ends Meet. 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. This follows reports from CBS News and The New York . 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?". He was medevaced out of Iraq, but only nine days after his near-fatal injury, the Walter Reed staff discharged him into outpatient status. Major donor calls for ouster of Wounded Warrior Project executive 'Doonesbury's' Trudeau on timely Wounded Warrior Project scandal strip Mar 10, 2016 Wounded Warrior Project executives fired in spending scandal. I don't know, and frankly, that's not what I'm worried about. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. The annual surveys of the wounded warriors the organization serves help direct its focus, Linnington says. The reporter and at least one editor know the identity of the source. He said that the organization regularly followed up with veterans who receive Wounded Warrior Project services and that the vast majority reported having good experiences. He said the. According to The Times, former employees claim the organization spent millions every year on travel, dinners, hotels and conferencesall of which were over-the-top and . 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. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. You do not reflect the sentiments of the more than 80,000 wounded soldiers we have helped, focusing instead on a few malcontents. That moment in February was part of the building pressure by donors, veterans and supporters of the organization that culminated Thursday night in the abrupt firing of Mr. Nardizzi and his second in command, Al Giordano, who together earned nearly $1 million per year. The groups founder, a wounded Marine named John Melia, announced late Friday that he was interested in returning to the organization, which he left in 2009 after a dispute with Mr. Nardizzi and Mr. Giordano. But while Millette, who spoke with Military.com earlier this year, said he still thinks the organization tends to lean too hard on showcasing veterans with dramatic visible wounds in its publicity materials and public events, he also said he has observed a remarkable overall turnaround in the organization. "TAPS believed these cancers were due to [toxic exposure]. 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. The Warriors to Work program, for instance, was intended to provide one-on-one counseling to develop rsums and interview skills, then place veterans in suitable jobs. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Over the past few years, WWP staff members have treated themselves to nights at five-star hotels, booked first class cross-country flights to attend minor meetings in-person, attended lavish conferences, and spent nearly 40 percent of their donations . Mr. Nardizzi fought back. The development was confirmed by Abernathy MacGregor, a public relations firm hired to represent the veterans charity. 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. It said that 94 percent of the travel spending was associated with program services delivered to Wounded Warriors and their families. It noted that the retreat at the Broadmoor cost about $1 million, not $3 million as CBS News had reported. The 20 Worst Charities You Shouldn't Be Donating To - Money Inc - The According to Charity Watch, the Wounded Warrior Project is, in fact, rated C. To stop donating to it is a response that makes sense. To do this, we must give numbers priority over emotionally compelling stories. More than 6 out of 10 (64.2%) WWP-registered Alumni say they. Wounded Warrior Project Fires Top Executives Over Lavish Spending And on Tuesday, it started a program to provide care for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries, two of the most common injuries for veterans of recent wars. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) has been helping injured veterans since its inception in 2003, 2 years after the deadly terror attacks that rocked the nation on 9-11. 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. The Special Operations Warrior Foundation was founded in 1980, after the daring attempt to rescue 53 American hostages in Iran, which ended in the tragic loss of eight servicemen who left behind. "Wounded Warrior Project helped me reclaim my life," one reads, over a photo of single-amputee wounded veteran Sean Karpf, smiling proudly. The most recent financial report on Wounded Warrior's web site shows $372 million in donations for the 2014-15 fiscal year. Mr. Longoria said he was offered money in exchange for signing a nondisclosure agreement, but refused. The Wounded Warrior Project said Mr. Longoria was terminated at Mr. Chicks recommendation. The organization paid Mr. Melia at least $230,000 after he stepped down, according to tax forms. When the Wounded Warrior Project was hit in January with multiple accusations in the news media of lavish spending on travel, conferences and public relations, and a toxic corporate culture, Fred Kane, one of its major fund-raisers, was stunned by the organizations response. They would just come up with numbers based on nothing, Mr. Lessard said. In early January of 2016, both The New York Times and CBS Evening News ran stories exposing the unethical spending habits of WWP. Wounded Warrior Project Reviews | Read Customer Service - Trustpilot But I am concerned about our ability to meet our obligations in the future.. Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. Peter J. Johnson Jr on the firing of WWP's CEO and COO. Its television commercials with scenes of men, women and their families coping with deep emotional pain pull at the heart and purse strings. Former workers recounted buying business-class seats and regularly jetting around the country for minor meetings, or staying in $500-per-night hotel rooms. March 14, 2016. Wounded Warrior Project: Is it a Scam? - US Patriot Blog Wounded Warrior Project's Board Fires Top Two Executives Give this article By Dave Philipps March 10, 2016 The Wounded Warrior Project ousted its top two executives Thursday after. 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. "Veterans, our lives, literally, depend on it.". Where is this guy? Will we ever be 380 again? That's a pretty significant drop in a short period of time," he said. " Several cases of patient neglect and shoddy living conditions were reported as early as 2004. CBS News' investigation into the Wounded Warrior Project's spending on veterans has sparked heated debate online. In a 19-page decision filed today (Jan. 12), the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in Nebraska knocked down six alleged key errors in the Appeals Court Upholds Judgment For Wounded Warrior Project Read More "Wounded Warrior Project was there when I needed them most," says another ad, featuring veteran Chris Wolff, his hand on the wheel of his chair as if poised for action. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. just hours before the New York Times ran a story about the . Mr. Kane said the leaders failure to take responsibility shows a total lack of regard for the mission, the alumni, the employees, proud supporter organizations and the thousands of other individual and corporate donors. He canceled his own contributions and encouraged others to do the same. "We've changed that too, honestly," he said. It has spent millions a year on travel, dinners, hotels and conferences that often seemed more lavish than appropriate, more than four dozen current and former employees said in interviews. Donations to Wounded Warrior Project Slow After Spending Scandal Also around that time, the group hired the global public relations firm Edelman, which has represented Starbucks, Walmart, Shell and Philip Morris, to improve public perception of the charity and its overhead spending. And sometimes those employees are veterans.. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. On March 14, 2016, CBS This Morning published an article titled, "Wounded Warrior Project chair on recovery from spending scandal." For more information, please see the CBS This Morning article. 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.". WWP Performance Tee - Graphite. The writer is head of investments and partnerships for the Forest Stewardship Council. It did not dispute findings reported by The Times, including that the organization had fired a number of wounded veterans with little cause. It made me sick, Mr. Kane said Friday in an interview. Now, they're doing that follow-up, and they have the capacity to deal with the mental health issues," he said. " 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. The councils mission includes defending charity spending on overhead and executive salaries, its website says. 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. Ive Ive never left the hospital grounds. Under Mr. Nardizzis direction, it has modeled itself on for-profit corporations, with a focus on data, scalable products, quarterly numbers and branding. All rights reserved. Mr. Nardizzi took over the organization, based in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2009. 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. Kaine, in the recent interview, also questioned Nardizzis apparent public absence while his organization has been under scrutiny. He said he was now interested in returning. Fred and Dianne Kane, the parents of two Iraq War veterans, have donated $325,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project since 2009 through their personal charity, Tee-off for a Cause. 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. 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. Anyone can read what you share. Why don't you offer services to ALL veterans? Re Helping Veterans Recover, Spending Lavishly on Itself (front page, Jan. 28): I was saddened to read of the wasteful spending at the Wounded Warrior Project. Senate releases report criticizing Wounded Warrior Project's - WJXT Recent reports from The New York Times and CBS alleged that the nonprofit has been misspending its donations on lavish conferences and unnecessary business trips for employees.. Peter J. Johnson Jr on the firing of WWP's CEO and COO. By 2014, the group was spending $7.5 million per year on travel, according to tax forms. On the ratings service Charity Navigator, the Wounded Warriors Project earns an overall score of 84.5 out of 100, good for three stars. Since 2009, the group raised nearly $1 billion. Report Calls Out Wounded Warrior Project for Excessive, 'Lavish' Spending. By Friday afternoon, both phones had been disconnected. Charity Navigator also assessed that Wounded Warriors total revenue for 2014 was well over $340 million. The eRumor's claim that the organization spends just 3.5% of its total income on grants for individuals and veteran organizations is . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. The problem is the horns effect, one of the many thinking errors that are a consequence of how our brains are structured. I wasnt speaking anywhere unless I was collecting a check, said Mr. Millette, who worked for the program for about two years, until he left in 2014. Besides devastating both donors and wounded veterans, this news could undercut public support for the nonprofit sector as a whole. Since its inception, the organization became the #1 veterans charity in the world. Copyright 2023 Military.com. But like other former employees, he said the group swiftly fired anyone leaders considered a bad cultural fit.. Other respected charities .