Wounded Warrior Project Sues Veterans Charity

Charities for Wounded Veterans Wage Bitter War in Court
Courthouse News
By JACK BOUBOUSHIAN
Tuesday, November 26, 2013

INDIANAPOLIS (CN) - The Wounded Warrior Project claims an Indiana veterans charity defamed it and criminally deceived donors by calling it a "fraud" and a "cash cow," and telling people to send their money elsewhere if they want it to reach veterans.

The Wounded Warrior Project sued Help Indiana Vets Inc., and its founder Dean Graham, both of Acton, Ind., in Federal Court.

The Wounded Warrior Project, founded in 2003, describes itself as a nonprofit that offers tens of thousands of injured veterans free services, including counseling, physical rehabilitation, vocational training, and camaraderie through discounted events and an online community.

"WWP does not charge any membership dues for its programs and services because WWP believes the alumni paid their dues on the battlefield. In fiscal year 2013 alone, WWP served more than 30,000 injured service members and their family members through its various programs and services," the complaint states.

The Wounded Warrior Project has received extensive media coverage and corporate support, leading the 8th Circuit to write in an unrelated opinion that Wounded Warrior Project has "become synonymous with veteran service to this generation of wounded veterans and their families," according to the 31-page complaint.

Defendant Dean Graham, founder of Help Indiana Vets, who says he is a disabled veteran of the Iraq War, told Courthouse News the Wounded Warrior Project turned him away when he sought assistance after his discharge.

"I called them in the middle of my discharge from the Army," Graham said in an interview. "During that time that financially destroyed me and our family we ended up filing bankruptcy and lost everything. I contacted the project for help and was told by six different civilian employees, no, we don't give financial assistance."

Graham continued: "Once we started helping vets in Indiana, I got a call from WWP and they wanted to add us to their list of people veterans can call. So what they would do is ask people to contact local charities for help, even though they were taking donations for the WWP, and then put the burden of providing services on the local organizations."

Graham posted statements on Help Indiana Vets' website saying that Wounded Warrior Project is a "fraud," and the "best paid nonprofit ever."
read more here

UPDATE

Sorry, I had to pick up the pizza right after I posted this. First, I didn't read anything that was not already out there for a very long time so why would this huge charity pick on a little one like Help Indiana Vets? Seems to me that this lawsuit is doing more to damage their reputation than anything else. I wouldn't have heard of Help Indiana Veterans otherwise and a lot of people wouldn't know that WWP has had a lot of issues going on like the ones in this lawsuit.

This came out a while ago.

Charity Investigator: Wounded Warrior Project posted by Kris Hundley Jul 16, 2013

Wounded Warrior Project, created in 2003, has become one of the fastest-growing veterans’ charities in the country.

When the Tampa Bay Times and The Center for Investigative Reporting asked readers in June to suggest charities to investigate, it was one of the most requested.

Unlike the 50 charities the Times and CIR named on its list of America’s worst in June, Wounded Warrior Project does not rely heavily on for-profit solicitation companies to raise money. And it does not pay telemarketers to drum up donations.

Instead, it uses a combination of fundraising events, corporate sponsorships, advertising and direct mail appeals.

Last year, the charity raised nearly $150 million.

About $81 million was raised through professional solicitors. Wounded Warrior paid 11 percent of that money to cover its solicitors’ fees and the expense of the solicitor-run campaigns. In comparison, veterans charities on the Times/CIR list of worst charities paid an average of 82 percent to their solicitors.

Like any charities you plan on giving to, know what exactly it is they do with your money and don't just guess.

I have a feeling Help Indiana Veterans group will be seeing a lot more donations after this. What was WWP thinking with this lawsuit?

Indiana Veteran Nonprofit Being Sued For Defamation
Indiana Public Media
By EMILY WRIGHT
Posted November 26, 2013

Wounded Warrior Project Complaint

read more here

This is from Help Indiana Veterans Post with the comments left.

Wounded Warrior Project is a Fraud

Among the comments left, this one broke my heart

Vietnam Marine Staff Sargent Paul Sr
(Saturday, March 16 13 02:12 am EDT)
I never relized this was a fraud, I should have known better when I called them for help last July. My son was blown up June 2011 and my wife and I were out of work to be with our son in Germany, Bathetia, Tampa, then to Lajuene, I needed financial help to have new stairs put in because my son lost his vision and needed wider steps to get to the front entrance, we ended up bowering 18,000 to do our front steps.

Bottom line, Wounded Warriors did dog shit to help us. I got lip service.

However, I have received a total of 7 letters from wounded worriers stating John Doe(s) has made a generous donation to wounded warriors in honor of my son.

Real nice, wounded warrior collects from donors, I have a son that is blind and deaf with a plate in is head, a scar that goes from ear to ear PTSD -bills up the ass, and thus group has the balls to say they help the wounded, Maybe if he lost his legs or became a vegetable we might have at least got a post card, we git the big O, so thank you wounded warrior for being such fraud organization.
it must be the Vietnam Marine in me, just grin and bare with it, we are survivors.

I don't think this Vietnam veteran knows what help is out there for his son. First, the DAV will help make sure he gets what he should with his claim from the VA. He can also contact the Wounded Warrior Regiment (Marines)

The United States Marine Corps Wounded Warrior Regiment provides and enables assistance to wounded, ill and injured Marines, sailors attached to or in support of Marine units, and their family members in order to assist them as they return to duty or transition to civilian life. The Regimental headquarters element, located in Quantico, Va., commands the operations of two Wounded Warrior Battalions located at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., and multiple detachments in locations around the globe.

For more information about the Wounded Warrior Regiment contact the Sergeant Merlin German Wounded Warrior Call Center 24/7 at 1-877-487-6299.

Home Depot Foundation offers help as well

Homes For Our Troops is a good place too if they need a home adapted for their son.