Firefighter Charity Pockets Most Donations

[dallasdame]

DALLAS -- Dallas firefighters said they are angry over a charity that claims it helps injured firefighters but pockets most of the money raised.

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Blog: Grant Stinchfield

Video: Firefighter Charity Pockets Most Donations

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According to an NBC 5 review, less than $6 of every $100 donated to the Disabled Firefighters Fund went to help disabled firefighters.

D.D. Pierce of the Dallas Firefighters Association said the charity makes firefighters "very, very, very, angry."

"You want to grab them by the nape of the neck," he said.

An NBC 5 review of the most recent documents the charity has filed with the federal government shows that the group raised just more than $2.2 million in 2006. The Disabled Firefighters Fund spent $1.9 million on fundraising and more than $193,000 on management expenses, leaving less than $130,000 to be spent on the cause.

"Using a disabled firefighter as part of their ploy to make money for themselves and not that firefighter -- that upsets us to no end," Pierce said.

NBC 5 has received numerous complaints about harassing telephone calls from telemarketers from the Disabled Firefighters Fund.

Barb Little said she received a call from the Disabled Firefighters Fund. She said the group's story was "very good and very believable."

"They are preying on the sympathies of the people there to make money for themselves," Pierce said.

But Little said that while the cause sounded great, the telemarketer did not.

"He was pushy, and I didn't like it, and I hung up on him," she said.

NBC 5's numerous attempts to contact the Disabled Firefighters Fund and its officers were unsuccessful. The charity's main telephone number does not even go to voicemail.

"I don't know how they get away with it," Little said. "I really don't."

Everything the Disabled Firefighters Fund is legal. But NBC 5 has been told that most reputable charities strive to give more than 80 percent of the donations to fund their cause.

[Dustdevil]

D.D. Pierce of the Dallas Firefighters Association said the charity makes firefighters "very, very, very, angry."

If that makes him angry, he should take a good look at where the AFL-CIO spends his union dues. :roll:

[Amhet1]

These people that contract with associations to rasie funds for charity are frquently in the news for their operations. Everyone from "60 Minutes" to OReilly have hadreports of these scumbags. There was a story recently of a guy in VA/DC area that was raising money for Disabled Iraq Veterans or something like that and had raised something like $8,000,000. He had 3 HUGE homes (to rival Al Gores), exotic cars and a personal jet (oops, his "business" jet), etc. Records indicated he gave $100,000 to the DAV.

Other professional "Fund Raising" businesses frequently report costs in excess of 96%, but many are also filed as "non-profit" to dodge the taxes......

[Doug]

And yet it's legal. According to what I've read and heard only 1/10th of 1% actually has to make it to the target recipient, and up to 97% can go to "Administrative Costs." Many of those fly by night organizations that popped up after 9/11 and Katrina were technically legal. The really messed up part is that that 1/10th of 1% can actually go to ANOTHER charity. So you can raise $100,000 and donate $100 to Red Cross and it would be legal.

[Just Plain Ruff]

this is old news, not that the disabled firefighters were victimized by this so-called charity but this has been happening over and over again, year after year.

The bad thing is that well meaning departments often get screwed while trying to the right thing.

[mdtaylor]

D

According to an NBC 5 review, less than $6 of every $100 donated to the Disabled Firefighters Fund went to help disabled firefighters.

D.D. Pierce of the Dallas Firefighters Association said the charity makes firefighters "very, very, very, angry."

Money raised for the purpose of donating to such causes must come from net profits. 6% is NOT that bad. The average for the oil and gas industry today is a mere 9.7% The average for the S&P 500 is just 8.5% (Source) So, a small business that donates 6% is not out of line. The media makes it sound bad. The firefighters make it sound bad. And the public is outraged. But, it is monies that the firefighters would not have otherwise. If they want better then they can man the phones themselves instead of watching movies or playing basketball in between calls.

Yeah, I'm a firefighter.....

[mdtaylor]

There was a story recently of a guy in VA/DC area that was raising money for Disabled Iraq Veterans or something like that and had raised something like $8,000,000. He had 3 HUGE homes (to rival Al Gores), exotic cars and a personal jet (oops, his "business" jet), etc. Records indicated he gave $100,000 to the DAV.

Oh, and 8 million is not NEAR enough to buy all the things you quoted...

Although that his donations amount to only 1.25% this story reeks to me because it is "a guy in VA/DC" and not an organization. An individual would normally donate his time and effort as well as 100% of funds collected.

[JakeEMTP]

Money raised for the purpose of donating to such causes must come from net profits. 6% is NOT that bad. The average for the oil and gas industry today is a mere 9.7% The average for the S&P 500 is just 8.5% (Source) So, a small business that donates 6% is not out of line.

Yeah, I'm a firefighter.....

When your sole reason for existing is to raise money for disabled firefighters, 6% is pathetic. Oil and Gas and S & P donate. But it is not their line of work. This particular charity is to raise monies for the firefighters. That is what has everyone's knickers in a knot.

[mdtaylor]

When your sole reason for existing is to raise money for disabled firefighters, 6% is pathetic. Oil and Gas and S & P donate. But it is not their line of work. This particular charity is to raise monies for the firefighters. That is what has everyone's knickers in a knot.

You didn't seem to understand the analogy. Business is business whether is it oil and gas, S&P whatever, or collecting for charity. Utilities have to be paid, salaries, rent, office supplies, postage, credit card expense, and on and on. Only AFTER all the bills are paid can monies be given to the charities for which is was intended. And if it takes 94% to pay the bills then they are giving 100% of what is left to the charity.

All I am suggesting is that we see the actual numbers before we condemn the effort.

[afib]

and numbers like most corporate places have a way of getting.........changed unless i sit down with a charity and work out the arrangements. sorry but i cant trust them. i know they mean very well, but maybe the two sides need to come out in public and state what they agreed uppon and then let us make our decision. or if no agreement was made how this all came to be?????

there needs to be some good faith of both sides to be honest, fair and partial, other wise there will be no trust and charities who do try and put fourth an effort are lost, and thats not fair.

yes places have over head costs, but sometimes it just looks like greed and the ones who need, are short changed. :?