Wounded Warrior Project said the charity is standing behind its spending policies and salaries for its top executives. Action News Jax directly asked a spokesman Wednesday about allegations of mismanaging funds first reported by CBS News and the New York Times.
Dan Nevins, a spokesman for Wounded Warrior Project, said the charity partners with, or funds, more than 100 organizations that help veterans.
The recent CBS News investigation reveals allegations that Wounded Warrior Project has spent millions a year on travel, dinners and hotel conferences, while paying its top executives $300,000 to $400,000 a year.
Nevins, a veteran who has received services, said those salaries are set by the board of directors, and they do not believe they are excessive.
Wouldn't that be considered excessive to spend all of that money on these conferences?
Nevins: I was at Colorado. It was an off-season place that could accommodate our whole team and I can say beyond any shadow of a doubt that there was nothing really lavish about it. It was a place to lay our heads. Without Wounded Warrior Project spending in the way that it has, which has been very responsibly, then the success that we've had as an organization wouldn't be a reality.
Will the organization take a look at its policies and take a look at how it’s been spending to maybe reassess how they're doing things there?
Nevins: Those checks and balances already exist, and we operate with integrity every day and there's no real need for an extra look back and I'll say we respond with business as usual.
Given that you do rely on donations and the help of the public, why not take a look for that reason to give relief to those people who do want to donate to the organization?
Nevins: What I'd say to donors and perspective donors who are curious about Wounded Warrior Project is do the research themselves and go ask someone who's participating in the program themselves.
With nonprofits, public perception is a big deal, it matters. So over the last couple of days having these allegations come out, how may it affect the organization?
Nevins: Unfortunately the biggest concern I have with all of this happening right now is when I walk in here and typically when I walk into this building I see employees with huge smiles on their face working diligently to help wounded warriors. Now they're just being inundated with things that take them away from their job.
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