🚀 go-pugleaf

Last week, I received a request for money from the National Cancer
Research Institute.  I always read requests for money for cancer research
because my mother died a terrible death from cancer at a young age two
years ago and I often give money.  This time, remembering an Ann Landers
article I once read and saved, I looked at the back of the request, and
read the fine print.  Sure enough, this place was also know as the Walker
Cancer Fund, or something like that.  (I've since sent it back to them
with a nasty note and no contribution, so I don't have it with me to tell
you folks the exact names.)  The fine print shows you a breakdown of where
the money goes and _less than one percent goes towards cancer research_!
The letter itself sounded so legitimate and helpful, talking about how many
people die of cancer, where the nearest cancer information center is, and
about new research, and it was so painful to then read the back of it.
This bothers me so much that I'm typing in the Ann Landers article without
permission below (I feel that surely Ann Landers and the Dallas Morning 
News won't mind) for everyone to read.  

Dear Ann Landers: Three years ago you printed a letter about a woman who
thought she had won $5,000 in a charity sweepstakes.  She was asked to 
"donate" $5 to the Cancer Fund of America.  You found out that this so-called 
charity was not reputable and said so.  
     After reading that column, I wrote to you and listed seven "not-for-
profit" organizations that solicit people in this manner.  All have contracts
with Watson & Hughey, a direct-mail firm in Alexandria, Va., which handles 
their fund-raising.
     I have since learned that the state of Illinois (and other states) has
sued Watson & Hughey.  The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment
protects even fraudulent fund-raisers, however, so the upshot was that this
direct-mail firm can continue to keep whatever percent of the money it 
raises as long as it declares somewhere in the solicitations precisely how 
the money is spent.
     Just today I received a solicitation from the Walker Cancer Research
Institute, another of these organizations.  On the back of the letter, 
buried in the small print, was the information that 0.96 percent of the
money raised goes to research.  Ann, that's LESS THAN 1 PERCENT of the
total!  The remaining 99 percent goes for "administrative costs, fund-
raising and education in conjunction with fund-raising appeals."
     I work for a legitimate organization that has been supporting cancer
research in Chicago medical centers for 44 years.  Millions of dollars are
diverted from charities like ours by Watson & Hughey and their ilk.
     Here again are the names of seven organizations that solicit people
through Watson & Hughey.  Please warn your readers to be alert and beware!
     American Heart Disease Prevention Foundation Inc., Montclair, N.J.
     Cancer Fund of America Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.
     Center for Alternative Cancer Research, also known as Project Cure,
of Dothan, Ala.
     Walker Cancer Research Institute, Inc., Edgewood, Md.
     Pacific West Cancer Fund of Seattle, Wash.
     National Animal Protection Fund of Tulsa, Okla.
     Social Security Protection Bureau, also known as Foxhall Corp., of
Washington, D.C.
     Thank you again, Ann, for all your help.--Sharon Swanson, executive
director, Cancer Research Foundation
     Dear Sharon: I appreciate the opportunity to warn my readers once again
about fund-raising letters that cleverly mask the fact that a huge percentage 
of the money donated does not go for the "cause."
     If anyone out there is suspicious of a mailing, check with the Better
Business Bureau.  It will give you the straight story.

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Christine Siewert		Domain: Christine_Siewert@trsvax.Tandy.COM
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Fort Worth, TX