When we give money to charity, we hope it will help people in need. But sometimes, things aren’t what they seem. Some organizations that claim to do good might not be using your donations as expected.
In this article, I’m going to look at 12 well-known charities that have some surprising secrets. You will see how they spend the money people donate and what’s really going on behind the scenes.
United Way Worldwide
United Way is a big charity that collects money for local groups. But some people say it spends too much on its own workers and events. There have been reports of leaders using donation money for fancy trips and parties. Some local United Way groups have also been caught misusing funds.
American Red Cross
The Red Cross helps in disasters, but it’s been criticized for its use of money. After the Haiti earthquake, it built only six homes despite raising half a billion dollars. It’s also been accused of wasting money on its own PR instead of helping victims.
Wounded Warrior Project
This group says it helps injured soldiers. But reports show they spent lots of money on fancy offices and big salaries. They used to spend more on advertising than on programs for veterans. After people found out, they changed some things, but many are still unsure about them.
Kids Wish Network
This charity says it grants wishes for sick kids. But reports show they spend very little of their donations on actual wishes. Most of the money goes to for-profit companies that collect donations. Only a tiny part of what people give actually helps kids.
UNICEF USA
UNICEF helps children around the world. But some say the US branch spends too much on fundraising and salaries. They’ve been criticized for using scary ads to get donations. Some people think more money should go directly to helping kids.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army helps poor people, but they’ve been criticized for discrimination. Some say they’ve refused to help LGBTQ people or pushed their religious views on those they help. They say they’ve changed, but some people are still worried about their practices.
Goodwill Industries International
Goodwill sells donated items to create jobs. But they’ve been criticized for paying some disabled workers very low wages, sometimes less than $1 an hour. Their leaders also get big salaries. Some people think this goes against what Goodwill says it stands for.
Make-A-Wish Foundation
This group grants wishes for sick kids. While they do help many children, some say they spend too much on advertising and salaries. Concerns are that they focus more on publicity than helping as many kids as possible.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
This charity runs after-school programs for kids. However, there have been cases of local clubs misusing money or not protecting children properly. The national organization has been criticized for not watching local clubs closely enough.
Susan G. Komen
This breast cancer charity is known for its pink ribbons. But they’ve been criticized for spending too much on advertising and not enough on actual cancer research. They’ve also been involved in political issues that some donors didn’t agree with.
ASPCA
The ASPCA helps animals, but some say it doesn’t use donations well. Even though it raises money nationally, it mainly operates in New York City. Some local animal shelters say the ASPCA’s ads make people think it’s helping local animals when it’s not.
Locks of Love
This group makes wigs for kids who’ve lost their hair. However, reports say they sell most of the hair they get instead of using it for wigs. They also charge some families for the wigs, which surprises many donors who thought the wigs were free
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