Oregon Attorney General's 2011 list of 20 Worst Charities. [View all]

Source: Oregonian, December 15, 2011

Right in time for waves of well-intentioned year-end generosity, the Oregon Department of Justice has posted its annual list of the 20 worst charities registered in the state.

Three Northwest charities made Attorney General John Kroger's rogues' gallery of nonprofits that bring in scad of money to help firefighters, cops, sick or missing kids and other needy folks but spend only a fraction of it on charitable causes. Here is the list.

For the second year in a row, Shiloh International Ministries, based in La Verne, Calif., topped the list for soliciting money to "provide medical necessities and moral support to needy children and assistance to the homeless." About $27,000 of its fundraising went to help the needy, 3.2 percent of the $846,340 raised this year.

Continued:

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/12/ag_posts_2011_edition_of_orego.html

This type of behavior is a huge peeve of mine. I like to think the best of people, but a part me me believes that a lot of people are creating and using these charities as a way to provide for their needs during difficult economic times. With all the things you can write off, (travel, business meals, etc.) and salaries paid to the people running these organizations, I would imagine one could make out pretty well for themselves.

It also hurts well-run, above-board, charities.