World Vision International: Revenue and Expenses
World Vision International (WVI) is an evangelical christian humanitarian aid, development, and advocacy organization that works with children, families, communities, and organizations throughout the world. Established in 1977 by Walter Stanley Mooneyham, the then president of World Vision, Inc. (which was established in 1950 by Robert Pierce to meet the emergency needs of missionaries), WVI is a 501 (c) (3) religious non-profit corporation under the laws of California. Read more 
Where does your $1 to World Vision go?
World Vision – a Christian humanitarian organization – is one of the most complicated charitable entities to understand because many people believe that World Vision is one entity when in fact, there are many “World Vision” organizations under the legal umbrella of World Vision International (WVI) which was established in 1977 as a non-profit religious organization in California but whose executive offices are in England.
Because WVI is a “church,” they are not required to file the IRS Form 990 filed by most US-registered tax-exempt organizations although two of their subsidiaries – the US fundraising affiliate –World Vision, Inc. (WV Inc) which was established in 1950 – and the microfinance affiliate – VisionFund International – file a form 990 for the “benefit of its US donors.” Read more
Where does your $1 to March of Dimes go?
The March of Dimes is one of the most well-known charities in this country with a mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality by enhancing the availability and quality of healthcare and prevention services for women and babies with specific programs (to see which programs are funded in your state, check with the local chapter). Few people can resist contributing to an organization that “helps moms and babies in your community” but before making a charitable donation to the March of Dimes, it is important to understand where your dollars are going. Read more
Thoughts on Living Vegan
Veganism often leaves people perplexed (as in “How do you get your protein?”) or thinking how strange that animal products (i.e. milk, eggs, ice cream, yogurt, cheese, steaks, hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken breasts, pork chops, and the like) are not a part of my diet. To these people, I want to say “I understand” because I, too used to think vegans (and I used to pronounce the word “veg-ans” with a soft “g”) were extremists, outliers, and generally don’t fit in with the rest of the world. The truth is they don’t but it’s not because vegans are weird but because vegans have chosen to acknowledge, confront, and reject the horrific cruelty involved in putting animal products on a breakfast, lunch, and dinner plate, or in a bowl or glass. Read more
The War of Words on Facebook
I’d be willing to wager that no one has won an argument on Facebook. We have the Right to Lifers and Pro Choice defenders at each other’s throats with neither side giving an inch while the NRA and the citizens who support various types of gun control villainize each other. The animal rights activists are exposing the livestock industry for its cruel practices and trying to shame those who don’t care or think the industry’s practices are best ignored. And, the political supporters of both the Republican and Democratic parties polarize and tear each other apart on Facebook. Too many people are spewing vitriol at one another in a ping-pong game of words in which no one ever wins. Read more
Remembering Sharon Balkcom
Sharon Balkcom was 43 years old when she died on September 11, 2001 after American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 am. The plane hit the building between the 93rd and 99th floors, rendering all stairwells and elevators above the 92nd floor impassable. Balkcom worked as an Assistance Vice President of Technology at Marsh & McLennan, an insurance and brokerage firm that occupied eight floors of offices between the 93rd and 100th floors. All 294 employees of Marsh & McLennan present that day, including Sharon Balkcom perished. Read more
Organic, Natural, Veganic or Hydrophonic?
There are hundreds if not thousands of methods of growing food but the four most talked about farming methods and certifications include organic, natural, veganic and hydrophonic. Each of these methods is carefully defined by the processes and products used in the growing and making of our food.
Organic has been the food buzz word for years with many consumers blindly attaching credibility to any product that has the word “organic” stamped on it. For the record, organic farming is Read more
McDonald’s and the Mercy Medical Center
From the start, we’ve been committed to doing the right thing. And we’ve got the policies, programs and practices in place that allow us to use our size and scope to help make a difference. Because what’s good for us, is good for us all. ~McDonald’s
Mercy. Excellence every day in every way. ~Mercy Medical Center
Have you ever wondered why a McDonald’s would ever be located within a medical center or hospital? I have and can only guess that the answer must be related to money, job security, or incompetence. Why else would a facility dedicated to health and saving lives ever allow a fast food chain known for the Big Mac (540 calories, 28 grams of fat, 970 grams of sodium), French Fries* (510 calories, 24 grams of fat, 290 grams of sodium), and Coca Cola* (280 calories, 76 grams of sugar) – which coincidently is also known as the “Extra Value Meal” – on their premises? Read more
Banning the Word “Strategic”
We have a strategic plan. It’s called doing things. ~Herb Kelleher
Strategic is one of those words that stop most people in their tracks. It’s a wow word, as in powerful, especially when used in conjunction with other words: strategic plan, strategic advice, strategic research, strategic communication, strategic marketing, strategic management, strategic innovation, strategic goals, strategic direction, strategic leadership, and my personal favorite: strategic partnership or alliance (what is so novel about working with other people, teams, or companies?). Read more
App-less in an Appy World
On a recent trip, my husband and I were sitting in the Des Moines airport when we started discussing our boarding passes. I had two hard copies while he flashed his phone in front of me displaying a boarding pass on the screen. “It’s a Delta app” he said and proceed to show me all the information he had at his fingertips, none of which I really saw the importance of because I was in the habit of going to airline websites to make a flight reservation, check-in, change a ticket, or get a boarding pass. After all, if I didn’t check in, I would probably forget I was going somewhere. Read more
Paddock Post 