Watch out for these Veterans' ''fundraisers.''

with an extremely smooth,'' two tiered rap, 'Steve' and his partner tried to get me to donate via credit card, over the phone. I told them I don't do that, and I'd send a check. They didn't like that, but accepted. After a five second search, I decided to send their return envelope back with no check, but this website's review of their operation:

http://www.military-money-matters.com/foundation-for-american-veterans.html#axzz3xMj954Yc


According to a Charity Navigator report in 2005, the Foundation for American Veterans used just 6 cents of every dollar raised for services for veterans.

Despite this lack of transparency with regard to their financial information, we were able to locate a form filed by the Foundation for American Veterans, Inc. with the Secretary of State for the State of Washington (charities must register in each state in which they intend to solicit donations). According to the information filed with Washington State, for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2007, the organization had revenue of $5,263,927, and spent $528,196 on program services out of total expenses of $5,118,508.

In other words, for FY 2007, the Foundation for American Veterans devoted 11% of its total expenses to program services for veterans.

The form did not break down those expenses, but we think it would be safe to say that a large percentage went to professional fund raisers. It did list Associated Community Services as a paid fundraiser organization.

When we checked that organization's Commercial Fundraiser Profile Report with the Washington Secretary of State, we learned that in the fiscal year ending December 31, 2008, Associated Community Services (ACS)


reported that it raised $1,264,583 in contributions, and of that amount, only $480,465 went to the charity client for whom the funds were raised. In other words, the charity got 38% of the money raised, and the fund raising organization kept the other 62% as its fee.

This is so common, and so nauseating. I've gotten calls by them every day for more than a week, with more than one call on several days. I usually ignore, but this time I was curious and picked up. I'm glad I did.

BTW, there's a long list of outraged responses that follows the excerpt. Scroll down and read a few.......just infuriating.