By David J. Stewart
I am disgusted with America's charities, who pay their executives 6-digit
salaries.
Children International asks for donations of $22 per child, per month, to provide
food, medical, education and other needs. Yet, their CEO was paid
$374,935 in 2008! It is appalling to me that an organization that
stresses how far a mere $22 will go per month, pays their CEO $374,935
a year! That's just plain wrong in my opinion. Anything can be
justified, but that doesn't necessarily make it proper or ethical.
Friends of the World Food Program is another fat cat charity, who compensated their CEO $301,828 in 2007. All these fat cat, tax-exempt 501c3 charities, show the public all the poor and starving children; but they don't show you where their CEO's live, the fancy cars they drive, the exquisite lifestyles they live, the exorbitant money they spend on themselves. If the public saw the truth, they'd never give them a dime.
I hate to say it, but it's nonetheless true, most people are gullible. They see images of starving children and give donations on impulse. Even when people see the large salaries paid to charity CEO's, it really doesn't sink it. But if you could see the life of Riley that they enjoy, with the swimming pools, fancy cars and boats, luxurious homes, wine and dancing, frequent lavish vacations, then you'd get upset and stop giving them money.
The Salvation Army isn't quite as bad, they only paid their CEO $175,050 in 2004. No doubt, they have all kinds of excuses to justify such outrageous salaries; but no one needs that kind of salary, and it is certainly unbecoming of a so-called “charitable organization.” I realize that top executives are often paid high salaries for their fund-raising abilities and expertise; yet, it's just inconsistent with all the plethora of ads we see begging for our donations, which might mean “life or death to some child.” If that's the case, just think how many more children's lives could be saved if the CEO's of these fat cat charities were to give back 80% of their salary, God forbid, and actually have to live on $75,000 a year! My, oh my, how would they survive?
What gets me is that a charitable organization can actually pay their CEO $350,000 a year and still be rated by the BBB as a great company. Not in my book! The BBB is a joke in America! Many companies who support the BBB are given preferential treatment. In my opinion, you can't trust information from the BBB, nor from America's big charities.
Red Cross and United Way are even worse. The top CEO at Red Cross pulled down a $651,957 salary in 2003! According to Forbes, United Way's top executive made $629,950 in 2004! Why do people support these fat cat charities?
A lot of people give money to charities to boost their public image, feel good about themselves or to find a tax write-off. It is a sore evil in America. While an estimated 18,000 children continue to starve to death daily throughout the world, and others eat bugs to survive, America's biggest charities continue to pay their top executives outrageous salaries. It is a false balance in God's eyes. America's charities have become lucrative businesses.
My advice to people is to find some poor person and give the money directly to them. There are many poor people today, and others who have lost their jobs, or are homeless, and you can be a blessing to them directly. And best of all, you know that 100% of the money is going to charity, and not helping to pay someone's $600,000 salary! Really, it is insane to pay someone that kind of money in a so-called “charity.”
Who do you think will appreciate your money more... some fat cat charity or a struggling family who has no income?
If you DO decide to support any charity, demand a financial report of where the donations are being spent. This way you can see first hand where your money is going, and can make sure that you're not buying someone a mansion in the suburbs. Don't accept a vague summary, kindly ask for specifics. If they don't disclose such information, give elsewhere. Honestly, too many people are abusing the system today, living extravagantly on donations, because people don't think.
I just can't in good conscience drop my money into a Santa Claus's bucket at Christmas time, when I know the top dog at the Salvation Army is being compensated $175,000 a year!
I
cringe when I hear ads telling people how much their $22 a month can do to
better a poor child's life, knowing that the CEO of that charity got paid
$374,935 in 2008! Yet, so many people sit at home, staring at some picture
of a child they're supporting for $22 a month, failing to realize that the
CEO of that company makes 15-TIMES what the average American family
gets paid annually. No CEO of a charitable organization ought to be paid
more than $74,935 a year, and that's a BIG SALARY, which leaves $300,000 remaining from this guy's
salary. For $22 per month, $300,000 can help an additional 1,136 poor
children! Yet, the charity appeals to the American public, from families
who are struggling financially to live on $30,000 a year, to give $22 per
month. The whole charity scene in America is enough to make one want to go
vomit.
Please stop giving to big charities and start giving money directly to the poor.
Isn't it something that in the midst of a harsh recession, when tens-of-millions of Americans have lost their jobs, and 35,000,000 Americans1 are receiving government Food Stamps, that a charity can pay someone $374,000? I just don't understand why people give to charities like that, when you can give it directly to the poor.
Furthermore, most of those big charities don't share the Gospel with the people being helped. Even the Salvation Army is more Army than Salvation these days. When you give money directly to the poor, you can witness to them concerning Jesus Christ, or give them a Gospel of John. Just think how much further your money can go by giving it directly to the poor. I am a firm believer in helping the poor, but not through some fat cat organization that keeps back $600,000 a year for it's CEO. That's crazy!
Big charities pay big salaries which is a big waste!
