NEWARK
– The Italian American Police Society
of New Jersey, which does business as the
New Jersey Police Officers Foundation. The
U.S. Deputy Sheriffs Association. The New
Jersey Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association.
Each
of these nonprofit groups invokes the name
of law enforcement while soliciting charitable
donations in New Jersey. But recent fiscal
year reports indicate that when they spent
donors’ money, relatively small percentages
went toward any charitable programs. Most
of the money was spent on fundraising.
In
observance of National Consumer Protection
Week, the New Jersey Division of Consumer
Affairs is once again reminding consumers
to Investigate Before You Donate, and learn
how a charity intends on spending your money
before you hand over any donation dollars.
Continuing
its commitment to bring transparency to
the ways non-profit organizations use donated
money, the Division today released the latest
list of New Jersey’s Top 10 Most Inquired-About
Charities, with pie charts illustrating
each charity’s spending during its
most recent fiscal year report, at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov/charity/inquired/#list.
“This
bi-monthly publication by the Division of
Consumer Affairs can be an important tool
for consumers considering where best to
direct their charitable giving,” said
Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa. “Charities
should be forthcoming with the very same
information. If they refuse to provide it,
or if the information doesn’t match
up with what the Division has on record,
consumers should be suspicious.”
The
Better Business Bureau’s Standards
for Charity Accountability state that a
charity should dedicate at least 65 percent
of its expenses toward program activities,
and no more than 35 percent toward fundraising.
Consumers can compare that guideline with
the expenditure reports that State-registered
charities must provide annually to the Division
of Consumer Affairs.
“Consumers
are entitled to know that some charities
to which they may consider donating, are
less charitable than others,” said
Thomas R. Calcagni, Director of the Division
of Consumer Affairs. “As this list
demonstrates, there are organizations that
will invoke law enforcement or other good
causes, but dedicate as little as 10 cents
of each dollar they spend to charitable
programs, with the remainder going directly
into the well-lined pockets of professional
fundraisers. This may not be prohibited
by law, but it’s certainly something
about which potential donors deserve full
disclosure.”
When
the Lyndhurst-based Italian American Police
Society of New Jersey, also known as the
New Jersey Police Officers Foundation, spent
donors’ money during its most recent
fiscal year, only 11 cents of each dollar
went toward the group’s stated mission
to help other charities and advance the
Italian-American community. The bulk of
each dollar – 87 cents – was
spent on fundraising.
The
U.S. Deputy Sheriffs Association, of Houston,
Texas, states that it provides law enforcement
support, training, education, and equipment
to law enforcement agencies, as well as
financial aid to families of slain officers
and grants to underfunded county law enforcement
agencies. According to the organization’s
most recent filing with the Division, it
spent just 15 cents of each dollar on charitable
programs and 79 cents on fundraising.
According
to its stated mission, the New Jersey Narcotics
Officers Foundation, of Nutley, promotes
and encourages mutual cooperation, discussion,
and interest between law enforcement agencies,
and conducts seminars, conferences, and
research into enforcement and education
methods for the control of drug abuse. As
indicated in its most recent filing with
the Division, it spent 33 cents of each
dollar on charitable programs, and 63 cents
on fundraising.
At
the opposite end of the spectrum, the Children’s
Cancer Recovery Foundation, of Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania, spent 85 cents of each dollar
on charitable programs supporting its stated
mission, to provide education, training,
and support for cancer prevention, recovery,
and survival. The organization spent just
10 cents of each dollar on fundraising.
The
list of New Jersey’s Top 10 Most Inquired-About
Charities is drawn from consumers’
calls to the Division of Consumer Affairs’
Charities Registration Hotline, 973-504-6215.
Today’s list provides information
on the 10 charities most often asked about
by consumers who called the Hotline from
December 2011 through January 2012. A large
number of inquiries may mean a charity solicited
donations or held a campaign drive during
the months in question.
Each
of the Top 10 Most-Inquired-About Charities
is listed below, beginning with those that
dedicated the smallest percentage of their
expenditures to charitable programs, according
to their most recent fiscal year reports.
Click on each charity's name to see the
full pie chart and additional information.
New
Jersey Police Officers Association, of
Lyndhurst.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/2010:
$931,126
Charitable program expenses: 10.8 percent
Fundraising expenses: 87 percent
Management and general expenses: 2.1 percent
U.S.
Deputy Sheriffs Association, of Houston,
Texas.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/2010:
$6,694,687
Charitable program expenses: 14.8 percent
Fundraising expenses: 78.7 percent
Management and general expenses: 6.5 percent
New
Jersey Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association,
of Nutley.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/10:
$278,661
Charitable program expenses: 33.3 percent
Fundraising expenses: 63.1 percent
Management and general expenses: 3.6 percent
Paralyzed
Veterans of America, of Washington, D.C.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 9/30/10:
$110,781,205
Charitable program expenses: 60 percent
Fundraising expenses: 31.8 percent
Management and general expenses: 8.2 percent
Wounded
Warrior Project, of Jacksonville, Florida.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 9/30/2010:
$34,843,801
Charitable program expenses: 64.1 percent
Fundraising expenses: 28.3 percent
Management and general expenses: 7.7 percent
Disabled
American Veterans, of Cold Spring, Kentucky.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/2010:
$125,556,794
Charitable program expenses: 69.2 percent
Fundraising expenses: 25.9 percent
Management and general expenses: 4.9 percent
Multiple
Sclerosis Foundation, of Fort Lauderdale,
Florida.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/10:
$6,443,579
Charitable program expenses: 69.7 percent
Fundraising expenses: 21.3 percent
Management and general expenses: 9 percent
Smile
Train, of New York, New York.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 6/30/2010:
$86,267,187
Charitable program expenses: 78 percent
Fundraising expenses: 21 percent
Management and general expenses: 0.9 percent
United
Service Organizations, of Arlington, Virginia.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/2010:
$174,716,310
Charitable program expenses: 79.3 percent
Fundraising expenses: 13.5 percent
Management and general expenses: 7.2 percent
Children’s
Cancer Recovery Foundation, of Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania.
Total
expenses for the fiscal year ending 12/31/2010:
$9,064,681
Charitable program expenses: 85.5 percent
Fundraising expenses: 10 percent
Management and general expenses: 4.5 percent
As
part of its ongoing Investigate Before You
Donate campaign, the New Jersey Division
of Consumer Affairs encourages New Jersey
consumers to learn about charities before
making a donation. For example:
-
Find out whether the charity is registered
in New Jersey, or is exempt from having
to register. (Certain religious and educational
organizations, and charities whose annual
income includes less than $10,000 in public
contributions and fundraising, are exempt
from having to register with the State.)
-
Find out how much the charity spent during
recent fiscal years on program costs,
management costs, and fundraising.
-
Learn about the charity’s stated
mission.
-
Consumers may obtain information about
a charity in several ways. They can ask
the charity itself (reputable charities
encourage you to do so); visit the charity’s
website; visit the New Jersey Division
of Consumer Affairs’ Charities Registration
page at www.NJConsumerAffairs.gov;
or call the Division’s Charities
Hotline at 973-504-6215
during regular business hours.
National
Consumer Protection Week (NCPW)
is a coordinated campaign that encourages
consumers nationwide to take full advantage
of their consumer rights and make better-informed
decisions. NCPW 2012 runs from March 4 through
10 and additional information is available
at www.NCPW.gov.
Consumers
who believe they have been cheated or scammed
by a business, or suspect any other form
of marketplace abuse, can file a complaint
with the New Jersey Division of Consumer
Affairs by visiting its website
or by calling 1-800-242-5846
(toll free within New Jersey ) or 973-504-6200.
Follow
the Division of Consumer Affairs on Facebook,
and check our online calendar of upcoming
Consumer
Outreach events.
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