Request for Question Clarification by
byrd-ga
on
05 Sep 2005 09:28 PDT
Hello Kimm0-ga,
Unlike many other charities you see, like the Red Cross or the United
Way, the Salvation Army does not have to file a "Form 990," which
discloses this and other financial information because they are
classified by the IRS as a church, and so are exempt from those rules.
Here's a link to a pretty good explanation of how the organization is
structured and works, from The American Institute of Philanthropy:
http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/salvarmy.html
Dr. Joseph Mercola, a well-known osteopathic physician who promotes
nutrition and alternative healing, says in this article about the
Salvation Army, tsunami relief, and why he has chosen them as his
primary charity,
"US Salvation Army works with nearly three billion dollars of donated
funds every year and their US CEO earns $13,000." You can read the
full article, here: http://www.mercola.com/2005/jan/5/tsunami.htm
Here is another article that praises the Army:
http://www.conservativetruth.org/archives/tombarrett/12-01-02.shtml
Just for balance, here is one that is more critical:
http://www.danmahony.com/wp6.htm
And on a personal note, I have a friend who grew up in the Salvation
Army, the daughter of a high official in a Western state. In a post on
a local discussion forum the other day, she said, in part,
"... yes they [SA] are the better bet. 90% of your donation goes
directly to the programs. If you specify on your donation Katrina
Relief it becomes a restricted donation and is used only for that
effort. In situations like
Katrina, money is the best donation because they are able to
coordinate how it is best needed .... SA Officers receive a weekly
allowance based on years of service. It isn't much, however their
housing and vehicle are provided along with the related expenses. They
pay income taxes on the housing and vehicles. The Officers are also
ordained ministers .... their motivation comes from the heart and
[they] don't seek to profit from their work.
If you feel this information answers your question, please let me
know, and I'll be happy to post it in the answer box. If not, perhaps
another Researcher can find more for you. I'm glad you're seeking
information before deciding which charity to support. Good luck.
Best wishes,
Byrd-ga
