On numerous web
sites focusing on the ways concerned citizens can contribute to victims of hurricane
Katrina, Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing International is recommended. Some
time after the gravity of the situation became apparent, FEMA posted a short list
of agencies involved in disaster relief; there were just three agencies on the
list: the Ameican Red Cross, Operation Blessing International, and America's Second
Harvest. As of this writing Time Magazine's home page commends the same short
list, with hyperlinks to the respective home pages of those agencies where you
can make a contribution. To be sure the American Red Cross, despite the controversy
on its handling of money following 9/11, does appear to be doing heroic work now.
Likewise, America's Second Harvest is well respected for delivering surplus and
donated food to people in need.
Placing Operation Blessing International
(OBI) on the list of recommended relief agencies, however, is a real problem.
One needs to take a closer look at the finances of Operation Blessing International
before sending any money. On the surface OBI looks very much like the sort of
church sponsored, social service organization that concerned citizens have been
supporting for decades. Indeed, according to tax returns filed by the organization,
its main purpose is to give "food, medicines and other necessities of life to
individuals in need." I have no problem with that. One also learns from the tax
return, however, that OBI recieved nearly ten million dollars from the government
for the year ending in 2004. Hence, you may already be contributing to OBI, via
the President's "faith based" initiatives, whether you approve of the
work of OBI or not.
Why am I concerned about having either private contributions
or public money going to OBI? Quite simply, because I have read publicly available
documents about the work of Operation Blessing. In the year most recently reported,
OBI made cash contributions of $1,739,142 to various, local church groups, food
pantries, and individuals. Most of these grants were very small. A thousands dollars
here, a hundred dollars there. With one large exception. OBI sent a check for
$885,362.00 to the Christian Broadcasting Network. The purpose of CBN is not humanitarian
relief for disaster victims but rather "to prepare the United States of America
and the nations of the world for the coming of Jesus Christ."
There
is a fundmental difference between providing humanitarian relief to disaster victims
and preparing the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. After all, if Jesus
returns tomorrow, we won't need to worry about flood victims or rebuilding the
city of New Orleans; God will be taking care of such problems! But hastening the
return of Jesus Christ is not what most people have in mind when they write a
a check intended to provide direct assistance to the victims hurricane Katrina.
There are further problems with OBI. In addition to cash contributions,
OBI delivers food, water, and other "necessities of life" to those in
need. Until recently, OBI tax returns contained an itemized list of what those
"necessities" were. In 2001, for example, among the products distributed
were Ensure, a dietary supplement and Splenda, a no calorie sweetener. I suppose
that few would object too strongly to such products, though one would wonder whether
a no calorie sweetener ($2,572,548 of it to be exact) could be considered among
the "necessities of life." Also, looming very large on the list of products being
distributed by Operation Blessing International in 2001 were panty hose and candy.
($10,465,640 worth of candy.)
Do you suppose that those being asked to
contribute to OBI understand that a significant portion of its money is involved
in the distribution of panty hose and candy? And is it any surprise that OBI no
longer reports what it counts as a "necessity of life?"
Also in
2001 OBI's largest contribution by far was to the Christian Broadcasting Network:
$2,061,755.00 to be exact. I suppose that Pat Robertson truly believes his television
show ranks among the "necessities of life," but I wonder if the average American
tax payer would agree?
Further, one notices that OBI and CBN have interlocking
boards of directors with several people serving on both. Pat Roberston, his wife
Dede, and son Gordon are directors of both OBI and CBN. Gordon draws a salary
of $246,000 for his work with OBI. One of the most important responsibilities
of any Board of Directors is to evaluate the performance and insure the integrity
of staff. How can a board of directors that includes both father and mother impartially
determine whether son is using the tax exempt income of their essentially family
owned "not-for-profit" responsibly? This is nepotism of the most obvious
kind, a practice that any responsible agency would avoid.
Whatever one
thinks of Roberston's politics or his faith, his network of organizations is a
text book example of how NOT to conduct a not-for-profit organization that benfits
from its tax exempt status while recieving nearly ten million dollars from the
government each year.
Note: As of this writing FEMA has replaced its original
list of agencies providing relief to hurricane Katrina. The Bush - Clinton Katrina
Fund is now featured on the FEMA website, along with state and local agencies
in the affected areas.
If you want to talk with someone in person, please feel free to call 917-439-2305
The Rev. Charles P. Henderson is a Presbyterian minister and is the author of God and Science (John Knox Press, 1986).
A revised and expanded version of the book is appearing here. God and Science (Hypertext Edition,
2015).
He is also editor of a new book, featuring articles by world class scientists and theologians, and illustrating the leading views on the relationship between science and religion: Faith, Science and the Future (CrossCurrents Press, 2017).
Charles also tracks the boundry between the virtual and the real at his blog: Next World Design, focusing on the mediation of art, science and spirituality in the metaverse.