Warner Todd Huston
Prager, Medved, Hewitt: promoting a troubled charity
By Warner Todd Huston
The hurricane in Louisiana and surrounding states at the end of August was a horrible event and it will take months if not years to figure the cost of it all to the American people as we struggle to clean up and rebuild the many devastated areas. Many people from around the country are trying to find a place to donate money to help these victims. Unfortunately, there are many, many supposed charities that just aren't worth giving to and many more that are outright frauds. This is a warning report about just one of those charities.
It certainly isn't easy to discover what charity or organization is a "good" one and many people simply rely on people whom they trust to recommend such an organization to which to donate much needed money and supplies to help the victims, fellow Americans all. In the center right sphere of political adherents we have talk radio all across the country admirably serving that function for millions of Americans.
The Salem Radio Network has under contract such fine broadcasters of the center right as Dennis Prager, Michael Medved and Hugh Hewitt each of whom have millions of faithful listeners, and rightfully so for they are excellent commentators. Salem Radio Network has also chosen a charity to help during this tragedy; Feed the Children is that charity.
Salem Radio Network (SRN.com) is a Christian radio network based out of Irving, Texas and being a religious based network they have picked Feed the Children, which is also a Christian based organization, as their target charity. Feed the Children(feedthechildren.org), formerly Larry Jones International Ministries, Inc., has formed a Christian Ministry with global outreach and really has helped millions of people with their charity work it is true.
Unfortunately, this charity has a troubled history and people must be warned that there are far better places to donate to help the victims of this hurricane when the need is so immediate and pressing.
Before I report on some of those troubles, I should say something. I certainly don't want to blame these talk show hosts for picking this charitable organization as I am sure they are not to blame. They are following the orders of their network and probably have not taken much time to research this charity themselves.
According to the American Institute of Philanthropy(http://www.charitywatch.org), Feed the Children has had several problems with the biggest, to my mind, being the fact that only a mere 18% of their cash budget is spent on charity work with 60% going to direct mail marketing, organizational expenses and other non-charitable expenditures.
This, to me, is the most damning reason why people should not give to this organization at this time, instead one should find an organization like the Salvation Army or The Red Cross to which to donate. With the Salvation Army and the Red Cross we can rest more assured that the donations given will get where they are needed most, the fastest and in the largest quantities. With the past history that Feed the Children has with such a low percentage of money actually being used for philanthropic purposes it just isn't a safe bet to donate to them for this disaster. We need to be sure that the most money is going where it is needed and the pockets of charity organizers is not that place.
But, the small percentage of charity money actually going to those who need it isn't FTC's only problem. Here is a list of some of their other problems:
© Warner Todd Huston
The hurricane in Louisiana and surrounding states at the end of August was a horrible event and it will take months if not years to figure the cost of it all to the American people as we struggle to clean up and rebuild the many devastated areas. Many people from around the country are trying to find a place to donate money to help these victims. Unfortunately, there are many, many supposed charities that just aren't worth giving to and many more that are outright frauds. This is a warning report about just one of those charities.
It certainly isn't easy to discover what charity or organization is a "good" one and many people simply rely on people whom they trust to recommend such an organization to which to donate much needed money and supplies to help the victims, fellow Americans all. In the center right sphere of political adherents we have talk radio all across the country admirably serving that function for millions of Americans.
The Salem Radio Network has under contract such fine broadcasters of the center right as Dennis Prager, Michael Medved and Hugh Hewitt each of whom have millions of faithful listeners, and rightfully so for they are excellent commentators. Salem Radio Network has also chosen a charity to help during this tragedy; Feed the Children is that charity.
Salem Radio Network (SRN.com) is a Christian radio network based out of Irving, Texas and being a religious based network they have picked Feed the Children, which is also a Christian based organization, as their target charity. Feed the Children(feedthechildren.org), formerly Larry Jones International Ministries, Inc., has formed a Christian Ministry with global outreach and really has helped millions of people with their charity work it is true.
Unfortunately, this charity has a troubled history and people must be warned that there are far better places to donate to help the victims of this hurricane when the need is so immediate and pressing.
Before I report on some of those troubles, I should say something. I certainly don't want to blame these talk show hosts for picking this charitable organization as I am sure they are not to blame. They are following the orders of their network and probably have not taken much time to research this charity themselves.
According to the American Institute of Philanthropy(http://www.charitywatch.org), Feed the Children has had several problems with the biggest, to my mind, being the fact that only a mere 18% of their cash budget is spent on charity work with 60% going to direct mail marketing, organizational expenses and other non-charitable expenditures.
This, to me, is the most damning reason why people should not give to this organization at this time, instead one should find an organization like the Salvation Army or The Red Cross to which to donate. With the Salvation Army and the Red Cross we can rest more assured that the donations given will get where they are needed most, the fastest and in the largest quantities. With the past history that Feed the Children has with such a low percentage of money actually being used for philanthropic purposes it just isn't a safe bet to donate to them for this disaster. We need to be sure that the most money is going where it is needed and the pockets of charity organizers is not that place.
But, the small percentage of charity money actually going to those who need it isn't FTC's only problem. Here is a list of some of their other problems:
- The 1999 financial statements of Feed the Children (FTC) contain the forged signature of Arthur Andersen L.L.P., their accounting firm. It appears that for several years no audit of FTC's finances has been made so there is no accounting for where all the money really went. -A $95,000 loan for a personal business opened by Larry Jones's son, Michael, was given by FTC and defaulted upon.
- Of $6.7 million dollars raised after the Oklahoma City bombing, only $2.8 million went to help victims of the bombing. It is unknown where all the rest went.
- Board member, Gene Geren took $110,000 from the charity for his services as a realtor. Also several car deals from board members who are car dealers were transacted even though FTC says that they have competitive bidding and that board members abstain from voting on such transactions when they have conflict of interest.
- Nashville television station WTVF, reported that it had secretly videotaped workers at the Feed the Children's (FTC) Nashville front office regularly taking home boxes of donated goods meant for the charity.
- FTC owns a for-profit trucking company headed by Larri Sue Jones, Larry Jones' daughter. Miss Jones is also Legal Counsel for FTC. Charities do not usually have for profit companies and it is not clear how this for-profit company fits in with the charities actions. Miss Jones has received nearly $300,000 in salaries and other benefits from the coffers of FTC as the head of this trucking company.
© Warner Todd Huston
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