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Large
Asset Charity Threatens to Close Hospitals
"Unless we do something, the clock is ticking and within
five to seven years we'll probably be out of the hospital business
and not have any hospitals."
—The Associated
Press (AP), 4/10/2009
Comment by Ralph Semb, Board Chairman
of Shriners Hospitals for Children, reported April 2009
This is not what you would expect to hear from the head of a charity
that could operate for 11.6 years at current spending levels without
raising another penny. Shriners Hospitals for Children (Shriners)
is #4 on AIP's Large Asset Reserves Chart on page 20 of the current
Charity Rating Guide & Watchdog Report, reporting a $9.7
billion fund balance in its most recent available audit of 2007.
Shriners declined to disclose to AIP a more current accounting of
its financial position. Read
more...
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Charity
Head Stages Failed Coup
Larry Jones, founder of the well-known hunger charity
Feed the Children (FC), was recently mentioned in an ongoing
court case in which the group’s longstanding board of directors
claim they were unlawfully ousted by Jones, board chariman Dwight
Powers, and five improperly appointed directors. Court papers reveal
that after learning of the board's plans to place him on "indefinite
sabbatical," Jones packed the board in his favor with directors
who would be friendly to him and then fired the longstanding directors.
Read more...
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AIP President Daniel Borochoff discusses on national TV the charity
fallout from the alleged Madoff Ponzi scheme and precautions donors
can take when considering donating to charities that may be holding
highly risky and even fraudulent investments. Watch
Here
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Help Your Fellow Americans During This Time of Economic Crisis
As the unemployment rate continues to rise and home foreclosures
increase, more Americans are suffering from homelessness, hunger,
drug and alcohol abuse, and other issues. During this time of heightened
need, it is more important than ever to lend a hand to your neighbors.
Find out how you can help.
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Help Provide Relief for the People of the Democratic Republic of
Congo
Renewed fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has left
over 1 million people displaced. With militiamen burning down some
of the temporary housing, many are going without food and shelter
as they attempt to avoid the worst areas of conflict. As the crisis
worsens, humanitarian organizations are stepping in to provide assistance
to the victims of this catastrophe. See AIP's list of Top-Rated
organizations providing relief in the DRC to find
out how you can help.
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Help with Sudan Refugee Relief. The growing
international attention to the crisis in Darfur has failed to alleviate
the large-scale violence. The janjaweed militias continue to terrorize
civilians and underfunded African Union troops have been unable to
maintain peace. Up to 3 million people have been displaced since the
fighting began in 2003.
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F Rated Charities
Awarded Best in America Seal
Ubiquitous on charity web sites is a ribbon-style seal that in large
type reads "BEST IN AMERICA," features five stars across
the top edge, and indicates that the charity awarded the seal is
"certified by Independent Charities of America"
(ICA). Many donors may view such a seal as a reflection of how efficiently
a particular charity will use their donations, and assume that it
represents an independent endorsement of a charity from an outside
organization. While ICA may refer to its member charities as "Best
in America," some donors may be disappointed to learn that
ICA is funded by the very charities that use its seal, and that
ICA generally does not screen charities for financial efficiency.
Read more...
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Help Provide Relief for the People of Afghanistan
Thirty years of war have left Afghanistan one of the least developed
and most dangerous countries in the world, and yet a recent study
shows that some 40 percent of reconstruction and relief assistance
provided since 2001 has been returned to donor countries in the
form of corporate profits and consultant salaries. See AIP's list
of Top-Rated charities providing relief in Afghanistan to find out
how you can help.
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See the Top 25 Compensation Packages of Charity
Officers |
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Help With Relief for Hurricanes Ike and Gustav and Tropical Storm
Hanna
Hurricane Ike struck the Gulf coast of Texas with high winds and
a massive storm surge as the southern Gulf states continue to recover
from Hurricane Gustav, while Haiti remains devastated by Tropical
Storm Hanna. See AIP's Hurricane Relief page to find out how
you can help.
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Help With China Earthquake Relief
A magnitude 7.9 earthquake has wrought massive destruction in China's
Sichuan Province, killing tens of thousands and leaving millions
homeless. See AIP's list of Top-Rated charities who are getting
involved to find out how you can
help.
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Help With Myanmar Cyclone Relief
Cyclone Nargis has devastated Myanmar, killing tens of thousands
and leaving many more on the brink of disaster. See AIP's list of
Top-Rated charities who are getting involved to find out how
you can help.
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AIP's Efforts to Hold Veterans Charities Accountable Featured on National
Network TV
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See TV Coverage of AIP F-Rated Charities Help Hospitalized Veterans
/ Coalition to Salute America's Heroes With Comments by AIP
President Daniel Borochoff.
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 Watch
TV Coverage of AIP's F Rating of the Military Order of the Purple
Heart Service Foundation or read
the story here.
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Listen to AIP President Daniel Borochoff Discuss Veterans Charities
on Internet Radio (click on link, then scroll down to
"Knowing Where Your Charity Money Goes").
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Help with Bangladesh Cyclone Relief.
Tropical Cyclone Sidr has devastated the coastal region of Bangladesh,
killing thousands and leaving millions homeless. The damage to livelihood,
housing and crops from Sidr will be "extremely severe," U.N. undersecretary-general
for humanitarian affairs John Holmes told the Associated Press. Find
out how you can help. |
Help with Mexico Flood Relief. The
flooding in Mexico's Tabasco state affected approximately 1 million
people, one-third of them children, and left 70% of the state underwater.
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Iraq Crisis The best way to help
in the war's aftermath. |
The Best Way to Support Ongoing
Relief Efforts in Africa. Other crises in Africa continue to spiral
out of control and the international community needs to rally to alleviate
the suffering. |
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Listen to the NPR
segment about the usefulness of AIP's Charity Rating Guide
and Watchdog Report.
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Why the American
Red Cross is not telling the full story when it says its Disaster
Relief Fund is depleted. Listen to AIP’s president on NPR discuss
this issue. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Watch AIP’s president’s speech on how
to watchdog charities at Society of Professional Journalists’
2005 National Conference. (Requires Quick
Time .) |
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Pakistan Earthquake Relief The best
way to help survivors of the earthquake in Pakistan.
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 Not
all charity watchdogs are the same: Read more about how
AIP'S Method Better Judges Charity Efficiency: Why Oxfam Compares
Better and UNICEF Worse. |
Listen to AIP’s president discuss giving
to poor and needy Americans, who have become more visible in the
aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You will need to slide the knob
for the time to about 23:45 to hear the interview. (Requires
Real Player or
Windows
Media Player.) Interview by Maureen Fiedler of Interfaith
Voices. |
Hurricane Relief The best way
to help the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. |
Listen to AIP's president discuss on NPR
how to make sure your donation really reaches tsunami victims.
(Requires Real Player
or Windows
Media Player.) |
Humanitarian Crisis in Southeast Asia
There are over one million displaced victims of the earthquake and
tsunami; here’s the best way to help. |
Listen to the NPR broadcast of AIP’s president discussing
The Good and the Bad of Giving on NPR. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Neglected Humanitarian Crisis in Uganda
Refugees in Northern Uganda are dying at an alarming rate: the best
way to help. |
Supreme Court rules in case against telemarketer
of AIP “F”-rated charity.
Supreme Court rules unanimously that state regulators can charge fundraisers
with fraud if they intentionally deceive donors.
See upcoming Charity Rating Guide
for latest developments. |
 AIP’s
congressional testimony on the charities’
response to the 9/11 terrorist attack. |
Should we hand out cash to people on the street? Listen to some pros
and cons on NPR segment with “Mr. Dollars” and AIP’s
president. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Listen to the NPR broadcast of AIP’s president discussing Harvard’s
massive endowment and the issues of reasonable asset holdings
and compensation. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Listen to the NPR broadcast of AIP’s president discussing how
to avoid
the pitfalls and traps in your giving. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Listen to AIP’s comments on an NPR radio discussion concerning
emergency relief
and charity. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Listen to AIP’s comments on an NPR radio discussion concerning
charities’
response to the 9/11 terrorist attack. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
Listen to the NPR broadcast about how AIP’s watchdog role and
aggressive advocacy for the donating public is making
some charities very uncomfortable. (Requires Real
Player or Windows
Media Player.) |
