Feeling Charitable?

Before you get out the checkbook, let me share a few things with you. I used to donate to what I thought were the top three charities every year. The American Red Cross, The United Way and the Salvation Army. Over the years I've heard of numerous scandals involving The Red Cross and The United Way. After 9-11 The American Red Cross has initially planned to hold back more than half of the $543 Million raised for victims of 9-11 attacks....~~~~They placed $200 million of the donations in a reserve fund planning to improve the charity's infrastructure. To those of you that generously donated, is that really what you had planned for your donation??? I know it wasn't my idea. While the Salvation Army's response to 9-11 was much more impressive, volunteers headed to NYC, without being asked, to serve 300,000 meals in the first 72 hours after the attack, teddy bears for the children and as always handing out bibles. Can I tell you that from now on, that's the only place my money is going?
Here are some statistics I found on these three organizations...Just FYI before you decide where or how much you are giving this year.

Marsha J. Evans, President and CEO of The American Red Cross...annual salary $651,957 PLUS EXPENSES

Brian Gallagher, President of United Way $432,709 base annual salary plus numerous expenses and other benefits.

John Busby, chief executive of the Salvation Army earns a yearly salary of 13,000.00 plus housing and transportation expenses.

In response to interviewer's Mr. Busby offered "I dont miss anything money can buy, I'm in the will of God, doing what he wants me to do. There's no higher purpose than that"

The average salary among charities executives is $144,521 yearly

Awww...just what I like...A christian standing up and showing us that we can still have faith in some things. I wish all top positions required that only a christian could hold OFFICE. I believe we'd all be better off.