The organization has yet to recover fully from a hemorrhage that saw fundraising drop from a peak of $373 million in 2015 to just $211 million in 2017. Wounded Warrior Project Spends Lavishly on Itself, Insiders Say 1244 William Chick, who was fired from the Wounded Warrior Project in 2012 after a dispute with his supervisor. The Wounded Warrior Project asserts that it spends 80 percent of donations on programs, but former employees and charity watchdogs say the charity inflates its number by using practices such as counting some marketing materials as educational. From the inception of WWP's grant program in 2012 to the end of 2015, it awarded in total about $36.5 million worth of grants. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Find Wounded Warrior Project shirts, headwear and other WWP merchandise at WWPShop.org Since its inception in 2003 as a basement operation handing out backpacks to wounded veterans, the charity has evolved into a fund-raising giant, taking in more than $372 million in 2015 largely through small donations from people over 65. All rights reserved. The videos are typically 10 to 12 minutes long. The group did lose points on its fundraising score, with roughly 22 cents spent to make a dollar, per the most recent available data. Right now we are in a position where we can still meet our obligations, he said. Many Americans gave their trust and. In early January of 2016, both The New York Times and CBS Evening News ran stories exposing the unethical spending habits of WWP. He said you better do this or you are going to look disloyal to the organization, Mr. Chick said. The two top . A nger and dismay greeted the announcement last week that the Wounded Warrior Project, a nonprofit that helps wounded veterans, had fired its top staff. We put warriors on a pedestal and the nation wrapped its arms around that concept.. "I find it frustrating when you see these solicitations, and they ask you to help a needy veteran, and you look into the finance and see most of the money is actually being spent educating the public that injured veterans have needs, rather than meeting the needs.". "Wounded Warrior Project helped me reclaim my life," one reads, over a photo of single-amputee wounded veteran Sean Karpf, smiling proudly. Anyone can read what you share. Religion and Technology Should Unite for the Greater Good, The 25 Defining Works of the Black Renaissance. The saddest part is that it endeavors to hurt an organization that does so much to help our wounded soldiers. Veterans organizations in the United States often reflect the era in which they were created: After World War I, they resembled fraternal orders. It was a very coercive conversation.. Its television commercials with scenes of men, women and their families coping with deep emotional pain pull at the heart and purse strings. During WWP's nadir and through its turnaround, its roster of wounded warriors and "family support members" has only grown -- a fact that speaks as much to the persistent and growing need as it does to the organization's success in the space. The councils mission includes defending charity spending on overhead and executive salaries, its website says. Notably, at its lowest point following the whistleblower reports and leadership churn, WWP's funding still dwarfed that of virtually every other organization in the space. 3. By 2009, the group had grown to about 50 employees and $21 million in revenue. 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And it took all this bone and everything with it and, of course, my left eye it took with it.. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. This claim is false. (Linnington said more than 72% of WWP spending currently goes toward programs.). saved my life, he said. GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Steve Nardizzi's entrepreneurial approach to charity work transformed the Wounded Warrior Project, which began as a shoestring effort to provide underwear and CD players to. He didnt want to leave, but it was obvious something was going to happen, Ms. Melia said. Anyone can read what you share. Sometimes employees make poor choices that cant be overlooked, Ms. Tezel said. Well, they didnt. March 14, 2016. Copyright 2023 Military.com. It also began to focus on programs like group bike rides and concert-ticket handouts that left many staff members wondering about how much they were helping veterans. "Wounded Warrior Project was there when I needed them most," says another ad, featuring veteran Chris Wolff, his hand on the wheel of his chair as if poised for action. Wounded Warrior Project FAQs 1. Chief Financial Officer . Wounded Warrior Project ( WWP) is an American charity and veterans service organization that offers a variety of programs, services and events for wounded veterans of the military actions following September 11, 2001. In an email to big donors, a fundraiser for the organization . Steve Nardizzi, the chief executive of the Wounded Warrior Project, speaking at the 2010 Soldier Ride at Macys in Herald Square, Manhattan. Both ad campaigns depict a real part of the wounded veteran experience, and WWP staff acknowledge that donors respond more to portrayals of those with the greatest need. WWP also put up strong numbers in financial health, with controlled spending on administrative expenses and a healthy reserve of capital, which speaks to the organization's ability to sustain itself over time. One 2013 commercial, "Sacrifices," featured footage of a veteran with severe traumatic brain injury struggling to walk assisted and to enter a car, and of another vet with body-encompassing burn injuries reaching for his prosthetic ears to put them on. Mr. Nardizzi and Mr. Giordano did not return repeated calls to their cellphones. Why was that poor guy placed in front of a CBS News crew? Mr. Kane, who has raised more than $325,000 for the organization, asked in an email sent in February to dozens of high-level donors. This beacon provides an assessment of a charity's financial health (financial efficiency, sustainability, and trustworthiness) and its commitment to governance practices and policies. They were celebrating their biggest year yet: $225 million raised and a work force that had nearly doubled. The country's most prominent veteran's . All Rights Reserved. And sometimes those employees are veterans.. The Wounded Warrior Project, WWP, is a not-for-profit charity that aims to assist wounded veterans with their needs. By giving back, I was helping myself and helping other vets.. Other former employees said they had signed such forms, and could not speak. It no longer invests, for example, in its TRACK college preparation program for wounded warriors, preferring to let Student Veterans of America own the space. New York Times Reporter Paid $51 Million for Ryan Seacrest's LA . "The warriors that joined Wounded Warrior Project, you know, in 2003 are today 15 years older than they were when they joined. The Wounded Warrior Project spent more than $34 million on fund-raising in 2014, according to tax records. A current ad campaign, "I am Living Proof," featured in a number of bold bus-stop ads near WWP's Washington, D.C., headquarters, shows wounded vets standing in a posture of confidence. Each of us can make a difference by becoming a more effective donor. Market data provided by Factset. With vaccine hesitancy remaining significant among his . Her comment was, Where have you been? And I said, What do you mean where have I been? The video project was started with a grant from Christopher Buck. He said that the organization regularly followed up with veterans who receive Wounded Warrior Project services and that the vast majority reported having good experiences. In news media accounts and at a Congressional hearing, the No. ', Her reply, he said, was, We can see in the computer that you went to all of your appointments, but nobody knows where you are.. The sergeant describes roaming Walter Reeds grounds wearing only a hospital gown and robe for two hours before making it to the small room he was assigned. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. I would fly to New York for less than a day to report to my supervisor.. But I am concerned about our ability to meet our obligations in the future.. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. But by then, Mr. Melia and Mr. Nardizzi were fighting over the charitys future, with Mr. Nardizzi pushing for more aggressive expansion than Mr. Melia, former employees said. Wounded Warrior Project's Board Fires Top Two Executives Give this article By Dave Philipps March 10, 2016 The Wounded Warrior Project ousted its top two executives Thursday after. He was not in the room at the time but was held responsible for the fight, his boss at the time, Mr. Chick, said in an interview. It also closed. Market data provided by Factset. Ideally, though, the ratio should be higher. Although detailed defenses of Wounded Warrior Project have been mounted -- including a lengthy independent report from nonprofit expert Doug White, published in September 2016 -- Linnington spends little time trying to relitigate the past. The veterans charity group fired CEO Steven Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano late last week, following a January . A report on spending scandal exposed by News4Jax and national media outlets in January blames the Wounded Warrior Project's board, former employees who spoke about the charity's spending practices . The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) is the largest veteran's charity in the United States. "Four years ago, I would have told you to keep your money in your pocket and take it somewhere else," he said. From so much bad came some good, as the military medical health care system was reorganized. Trace Adkins has been an advocate for Wounded Warrior, an organization that advocates for veterans. All staff members flying to the charitys office at a military hospital in Germany traveled in business class, employees said. Suddenly, a spotlight focused on a 10-story bell tower where the chief executive, Steven Nardizzi, stepped off the edge and rappelled toward the cheering crowd. When Mr. Nardizzi took over, in the depths of the 2009 economic downturn, most charities had dialed back their fund-raising efforts, figuring that the nation was in no position to give. The departure of two top executives, CEO Steven Nardizzi and COO Al Giordano comes at a time when the wounded veteran-focused organization is awash in controversy amid news reports accusing the . The nonprofit sector provides social services that governments cant or wont, including providing food, shelter and free higher education to the poor. People could spend money on the most ridiculous thing and no one batted an eye, said Connie Chapman, who was in charge of the charitys Seattle office for two years. One significant ongoing organizational investment has provided for a two-week intensive post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury outpatient program at four hospitals: Massachusetts General Hospital, Emory University Hospital, Rush University Medical Center and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. But newly released numbers for fiscal 2018 show a bounce in the right direction, up 16% to $246 million. But along with the money came charges of excess. With millions of good Samaritans regularly donating a portion of their paycheck to good causes, charities are booming unfortunately, not all of the money going into them is coming out the way we think. Re Helping Veterans Recover, Spending Lavishly on Itself (front page, Jan. 28): I was saddened to read of the wasteful spending at the Wounded Warrior Project. It said that 94 percent of the travel spending was associated with program services delivered to Wounded Warriors and their families. It noted that the retreat at the Broadmoor cost about $1 million, not $3 million as CBS News had reported. In 2015, Wounded Warrior Project seemed, in the world of veterans' support organizations, to have it all: a compelling mission. But Linnington said the organization is closely tracking engagement, and estimated that 30% of members were actively engaged in WWP community events or taking advantage of free programs. Mr. Longoria said after he was fired, he fell into depression but was also relieved. But some employees assert that the productivity goals were set so high that they eroded program quality. Kaine, in the recent interview, also questioned Nardizzis apparent public absence while his organization has been under scrutiny. In fiscal 2016, the organization's revenue exceeded $226 million; the closest runner-up was Disabled Veterans of America, with nearly $135 million. Millette, the former WWP staff member who publicly blew the whistle on the organization, said his decision to speak out came at great personal cost. The organization slashed all-hands training costs from $987,000 in 2016 to $110,000 in 2019 for a staff of nearly 700, according to numbers provided to Military.com, in direct response to public criticism. It slowly had less focus on veterans and more on raising money and protecting the organization, he said. "So when I saw what was going on in the media, I was, believe it or not, automatically attracted to try and help.". His tweets and Facebook posts stopped. It operates as a nonprofit 501 (c) (3) organization. The Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a fast growing and media-savvy charity serving veterans, has recently been in the news and not in a good way. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Kane said he has cut charitable ties with the Wounded Warrior Project, embarking on a new charge to effect change at the organization. Where is WWP located? Eighteen former employees many of them wounded veterans themselves said they had been fired for seemingly minor missteps or perceived insubordination. Can we corroborate the information? By the time I left, we were just throwing guys in jobs to check off a box and hit the numbers.. So WW cut their spending- not to themselves, but to the people who needed their money most. Today, the charity has 22 locations offering programs to help veterans readjust to society, attend school, find work and participate in athletics. These stories focused on fundraising, the salary of the CEO, exorbitant spending on staff activities, and the low percentage of contributions actually going to veteran services. 2. In January both The New York Times and CBS News reported that the Wounded Warrior Project, which raised more than $372 million in 2015, had spent millions on travel, dinners, entertainment and lavish staff meetings, like one at the five-star Broadmoor hotel in Colorado, where Mr. Nardizzi made his entrance by rappelling from a tower. By Lindsey Ellefson Jan 27th, 2016, 9:00 pm. We all have the power to ensure that we can truly trust nonprofits to spend our money wisely. This year, WWP surpassed the 100,000 mark in terms of veterans they provide assistance to. Ask anyone with a personal stake in the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), the organization founded in 2003 to provide programs and services for injured U.S. military personnel. As this weeks Retro Report video explains, the biggest scandal in recent times involving the care of wounded American troops was actually worsened because medicine on the battlefront had made such remarkable advances. Is Wounded Warrior Project a legitimate charity? He was fired in 2014 for what executives told him was insubordination. Crucially, these evaluative organizations, called meta-charities, do not receive any funding from organizations they are evaluating. A week later, he was back at work when a fistfight broke out between veteran mentors who had been drinking after one of his training sessions. Among those who say WWP has regained their trust is Erick Millette, a medically retired Army staff sergeant who worked for the organization as a full-time public speaker and representative in the organization's "Warriors Speak" program from 2013 to 2015. The metrics were intended to improve efficiency and help fund-raising. He is a 1998 Elgin High School graduate who served in the Marine Corp. for eight years and . Peter J. Johnson Jr on the firing of WWP's CEO and COO. Even with these questions satisfied, The Times uses anonymous sources as a last resort. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Out in Los Angeles, L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva sent out a warning over the weekend. Nonprofit watchdog Charity Navigator says Wounded Warrior Project spends just 60 percent of its budget on veterans. In 2016, they had a bit of controversy, when they fired s. Mr. Odierno said the board took issue with cultural and policy findings as well as financial issues when deciding to replace the organizations top leaders. Millette, 41, who still lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where Wounded Warrior Project is headquartered, told Military.com he stands by all the claims he made about the organization -- $2,500 bar tabs and other prodigal spending at staff-only team-building events, a permissive "good old boys" atmosphere among leadership, and a tendency to push certain badly wounded veterans into the spotlight again and again for what appeared to be promotional purposes rather than for their benefit and well-being. Linnington said the 2015-16 fiscal year will get posted in the spring . When was Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) founded? He's come in on a Segway, he's come in on a horse, one employee told CBS News. The Wounded Warrior Project is working to rebuild trust with its donors and veterans. Mr. Nardizzi took over the organization, based in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2009. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Like Charity Navigator, Charity Watch is critical of WWP's fundraising efficiency, which it considers to be on the low end of acceptable. Employees say Mr. Nardizzi vanished from view, refusing to talk to the news media, stopping his weekly addresses to the staff, and even disappearing from the halls of the groups offices. That moment in February was part of the building pressure by donors, veterans and supporters of the organization that culminated Thursday night in the abrupt firing of Mr. Nardizzi and his second in command, Al Giordano, who together earned nearly $1 million per year.