Where Does $100 to RIP Medical Debt Go?
Most recently, the national news has given quite a bit of airtime to a non-profit known as RIP Medical Debt, calling the organization out for doing good deeds like paying off medical bills for people unable to settle these debts. Seems RIP Medical Debt has been acquiring bad debt (debt sent to collection agencies) for pennies and paying off that debt thereby erasing a person’s obligation to pay accumulated medical bills.
Established in 2014 by two former debt collection executives, RIP Medical Debt was created to collect donations to buy large bundles of medical debt and then forgive that debt with no tax consequences (although the donor making the donation to RIP Medical Debt gets the deduction). Read more 
The Christmas of ’51
Several years ago, I posted a story about the Christmas holidays and the Christmas of 1951, when my husband was 4 years old. It’s a story worth reposting because its message conveys the real meaning of the holidays: being with the ones you love. Read more
Where Does Donations to the Center for Consumer Freedom Go?
The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) was established in 2002 but changed its name to the Center for Organizational Research and Education (CORE) in 2014, but still uses both names.
Founded by Richard Berman, founder, principal and president of Berman and Company, a Washington, DC-based firm “specializing in research, communications, and creative advertising” reportedly for the fast food, soft drink, alcohol, restaurant and meat industries, CCF/CORE is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) who runs media campaigns against organizations whose doctors, scientists, environmentalists, health activists, animal activists, and employees who report and advocate information to the consumer. Although CCF/CORE reports the organization is leading the charge to protect personal freedoms, a closer look at the finances of CCF/CORE reveals that the primary person that benefits from donations to this organization is, in fact, Richard Berman. Read more
Understanding the American Medical Association (AMA)
The American Medical Association is a non-profit 501 (c) (6) – a professional association – based in Chicago, Illinois with about 215,000 members who pay about $400 annually (although medical students and residents are exempt from annual fees).
The AMA raises about $300 million annually and spends half its revenue on staff compensation for the nearly 1,100 employees. With a $560 million net fund balance (or what some people refer to as an endowment), the AMA is in a strong financial position.
Although the AMA publishes the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the primary income stream is from royalties the organization receives for establishing, maintaining, and allowing doctors, practices, groups, hospitals, and payers (i.e. insurance companies, Medicare, Medicaid, etc) to use it’s CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) Codes system. Membership dues only provide about 12% of revenue annually. Read more
Where Does $100 to Samaritan’s Purse Go (2018)?
Samaritan’s Purse – based out of Boone, North Carolina – is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) established in 1970 by Bob Pierce who died in 1978. W. Franklin Graham (son of Billy Graham) became Chairman, President, and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse in 1979 and has held the position since although he is also an evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
Samaritan’s Purse is a nondenominational Christian organization that provides “spiritual and physical aid to hurting people around the world.” Read more
Executive Compensation at Samaritan’s Purse (2018)
Samaritan’s Purse is an evangelical Christian organization that provides “spiritual and physical aid” to people around the world. Governed by 18 board members (16 males and 2 females), Samaritan’s Purse is well known for their shoe box gifts (a shoe box filled with toys, school supplies, crafts, hygiene products) which accounts for the majority of “grants” ($225 million out of $294 million in 2018) to children in foreign countries. To deliver these gifts and perform evangelism and other relief programs, Samaritan’s Purse provides charter travel via the use of ministry owned aircraft (15) in North Carolina, Alaska, Puerto Rico, Antigua, Kenya, and Liberia, and private charters. Read more
Where Does $100 to Big Brothers Big Sisters Go (2018)?
Big Brothers Big Sisters includes more than 250 non-profit organizations nationwide:
- The national office: Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA)
- The foundation: Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation (BBBAF)
- The affiliates: 250 local affiliate offices
BBBSA is the largest of the Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations (in terms of revenue raised) so the focus of this post will be on the national office and how they spent revenue in 2018 (but don’t hesitate to read the Form 990 for your local affiliate to find out how they spent revenue).
It is important to note that if a contribution was given to the national office, the revenue was spent differently than if given to a local office because at the national level, revenue was basically spent three ways: supporting the national organization’s staff and overhead including fundraising, providing grants, and providing education and support to the affiliates. The provision of grants is not the local affiliates’ mission; instead, the local affiliate is the receiver of grants which are used to provide program services at the local level. Read more
Where Does $100 to Big Dog Ranch Rescue Go?
Big Dog Ranch Rescue (BDRR) is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) whose mission is to “provide shelter, care and affection to homeless dogs of all breeds and adopt them out to loving homes.” In addition, the Loxahatchee Groves, Florida-based organization provides education and community outreach about dog care and the importance of spaying and neutering. BDRR is the largest no-kill 33-acre cage-free rescue in the southeast United States with an annual goal of saving 5,000 dogs a year. Read more
Where Does $100 to Home For Our Troops Go?
Home For Our Troops (HFOT) is a non-profit tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) whose mission is to build specially adapted custom homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans to help restore freedom and independence that was sacrificed defending our country.
To do this, HFOT raises funds, buys land, and builds homes but maintains a lien on the home for 10 years (to protect the veteran from losing the home to foreclosure/bankruptcy and to protect donors who made the home possible). Beginning in year 6, the veteran accrues 20% equity per year until they obtain full ownership in year 10. Since HFOT was established in 2004, 266 homes have been built (and only two veterans moved out before the end of their lien period). Read more
Where Does $100 to the American Heart Association Go (2018)?
The American Heart Association (AHA) is one of the most popular and recognized non-profits in the United States with enormous public support as evidenced by the $852 million raised last year. That the AHA also has nearly a billion dollars in their net fund balance (which is often referred to as the endowment) is also noteworthy.
By most accounts, this organization is a magnet for public contributions and an expert at raising and saving money. But, are they accomplishing their mission, which is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular disease and stroke (especially with hundreds of recipes on their website calling for eggs, dairy products, beef, poultry, pork – including bacon, a Type 1 carcinogen according to the World Health Organization, oil, sugar and white flour)? With heart disease the number one cause of death in the United States for decades, one has to wonder if all the contributions to the AHA are really helping to prevent and reverse heart disease? Read more
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