Letter: Research charities carefully

I received a phone call from “Wayne” of the Washington State Law Enforcement Association, asking for support of its “sponsorship drive.” He said his organization has “programs to keep kids from drugs and alcohol.” Who doesn’t want to help in this cause? He asked for a pledge of money.

I asked him to send me more information in the mail and told him that I would think about it.

He again asked for a donation pledge, which I declined.

I opened the Washington Secretary of State’s website — http://www.sos.wa.gov/charities — to look up this group. Yes, it is a registered charity in our state, but the financial data was alarming.

In 2011, this charity had revenues of $513,665, expenses of $512,088, and spent only $34,727 on the association’s services. Only 7 percent of income is spent on the services the association officials claim to be providing.

Where does the money for the expenses go? I assume that the half a million dollars of donations go to the fundraising companies who tug at your heartstrings to “help our law enforcement officers.”

I did not contribute.

There are plenty of excellent charities doing worthy work right here in Clark County. Do some research to be sure that your hard-earned dollars go to the services they claim to help rather than to the fundraisers and staff.

Donate carefully and often.

Bruce Alber

Vancouver