Boy, does Joel Collins get around!
Earlier this month, I received a call from Collins on behalf of Injured American Veterans Foundation, a trade name of Healing Heroes Network. After announcing his name and affiliation, the line went dead, making it the shortest charity cold-call pitch ever received at the New To Seattle world headquarters. Quick research by me suggested only 2% of the money spent went to the stated charitable mission.
A few days ago, the phone rang. It was Collins, again speaking in his deep baritone voice. But this time the call was on behalf of American Veterans Support Foundation, which I knew was a trade name of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation. Now here was another milestone–the first time a computer-controlled interactive voice using the same name was employed to telemarket to me for different charities, and in the same month, to boot (Yes, the Joel Collins who called me is not a real human being.)
There was a reason I knew right away that the American Veterans Support Foundation was a trade name of the National Vietnam Veterans Foundation. The organization already has been nominated–twice!–for my list of candidates for America’s Stupidest Charities (see the roster on the left if you’re viewing this on a computer). The criteria is simple: questionable charities that call asking for money even though they already have been the subject of a critical write-up in this space. Can it get dumber than that?
Another milestone: AVSF/NVVF is the first to be nominated three times (for the first two citations, click here and click here) after its computer solicited me under varying names: “Jim,” “Jeff,” “Mike McCann,” and now “Joel Collins.”
And after reviewing the latest financials (which you can download from this page), I say AVSF/NVVF remains as questionable as ever. Almost all of the money raised went to fundraising and very, very little got to the stated charitable mission of helping vets.
For the year ending December 31, 2014, AVSF/NVVF, which was based in Alexandria, Va., received $8.7 million in donations. Of that, $7.7 million–a full 89%–went right back out the door in fundraising expense. Most of that went to two telemarketers, CSI/Outsource 3000 Inc in Milwaukee and Midwest Publishing Inc. in Phoenix. That’s a fundraising efficiency ratio–percent of donations remaining after fundraising expenses–of 11%. Charity watchdogs like the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance say anything below 65% stinks. Trust me, 11% is really, really low.
What was spent on the stated charitable mission of “support of veterans and veterans organizations”? Not much. According to the latest tax return, $120,000 went out in grants to veterans organizations or individuals, and another $240,000 was spent on veterans events and awards. Together, that was only 4% of the $8.6 million spent.
Another $220,000 that AVSF/NVVF counted toward the charitable mission was mainly for travel (the charity’s four employees managed to spend a total of $133,000, more than the grants) and overhead. So even by its own accounting, AVSF/NVVF spent less than 7% of its expenses on its charitable mission. Again, the BBB Wise Giving Alliance says the minimum charitable commitment ratio–expenses for the mission as a percent of all expenses–should be 65% or higher. Small wonder that AVSF/NVVF has refused to be evaluated by the BBB. It also has a no-star rating from Charity Navigator.
The organization’s president remains J. Thomas Burch Jr., a lawyer who is a long-time activist for veterans causes as well as favored conservative candidates like George W. Bush. When I first wrote about Burch in 2014, he was paid $24,300 in pay and benefits for 2012 for what the tax return said was a one-day-a-week job. The latest return said he was paid $65,000 for what was officially described as a 30-hour-a-week job.
Last week, I emailed AVSF/NVVF recounting the dreadful efficiency ratios and asking for comment. I’ll update this if I hear back.
As is so often the case talking on the phone to a computer, my latest conversation with Joel Collins bordered on the surreal. After he finished his pitch about all the good things his charity would do for veterans, I asked for the organization’s tax ID number, a standard means of verifying tax-exempt status.
Collins gave me a toll-free phone number.
I asked again for the tax ID number. Here was the reply: “I’m in training right now and can’t answer that.” That gave me a good chuckle.
Still, at this rate, Joel Collins may be looking soon for yet another gig.
I live in Kentucky and Joel Collins just called for the International Chiefs of Police! The phone number was Kentucky’s area code 502, but the caller id was V30118304000335. What is with this V number?
Besides the fact there aren’t a lot of 14-digit phone numbers out there, it just goes to show how easy it is to spoof a number on your caller ID.
I JUST got a call from Joel Collins but today he is with the New York State Police Association. He’s so busy.
Joel gets around.
I live in Virginia, Joel just called me (and generally does once or twice a week) to solicit money for the Virginia State Police Association. What a voice, lol.
After giving, or being taken, by the Kids Wish Network for years, I check the charity closely before sending money. I was sent a pledge payment form for Injured American Veterans and I called them asking for a financial statement. They never sent one. Thanks for your article, you confirmed my suspicions.
Great story and way to open the eyes of good-meaning folks, Mr. Barrett. To carry it further, please check web site This AIn’t Hell dated 11/16/2016 and read story (including in depth investigation) titled J. Thomas Burch To Retire From V A..
I am familiar with Mr. Burch’s departure from the VA. It appears he was asked to leave.
Suggest you read the entire T A H web site story on this fellow. In particular, scroll down to a post by Hondo……”Just going to leave it at that”. It is a ten minute read of the gub. investigation and the results are indeed shocking. Thanks for taking the time to read any of this to begin with.
If it was a computer calling on behalf of the American Veterans Support Foundation the software is rather intricate and ALMOST can pass as a real person. It IS possible that a real human was reading a script BUT… the delay in answering my questions suggests what I consider to be a scam is using computers to minimize expenses thus allowing the maximum amount of wealth possible to be spent in ways to benefit the filth who, in my OPINION, or filthy scum taking advantage of good-hearted folks. Hopefully a day of reckoning arrives in the future and those who scam decent folks are sent to labor camps to serve the rest of their lives at HARD labor.
I don’t think American Veterans Support Foundation uses very many real people in their initial cold-calls.
I have been looking for a charity to support now, and volunteer with after retirement. So disappointed by what I’ve read regarding Wounded Warrior Project. Can you recommend a reputable veterans group? I have heard good things about how the USO is run, and a friend volunteers with them. Are there others?
If you’re looking for a veterans cause and donating your labor, the USO, which I know something about because it is so large, is respectable. However, I tend to look at charities from the perspective of a financial donor, so I don’t always know a lot about them from the standpoint of a volunteer.