Dear all:

Whether misleading advertising or appeals are intended or not, I beg to differ that this is benign.  I also beg to differ that this parallels all nonprofits.  

I actually have worked for organizations that have crossed my line in the sand in terms of accepting money or donations that really came at a higher cost to either the organization's reputation or the amount of staff time to process and transmit the donation to the intended recipient.  I have also had to deal with Development Departments that send out misleading appeals for donations.  Nevertheless, I have never seen the level of misleading appeals as I have for the so-called donations of milk for HIV orphans.  I have never seen an organization divert more than 75% of the donated goods to for profit endeavors or even to another program!!  

I spent many many years running a shadow accounting system like many program directors to ensure the grants I secured and the donations received went for the activities that they were intended for.  I know the many ways that one can attempt to hide the flow of funds -- or goods.  

I was still stunned when I did the math on where the money and donations were going for the so-called donations of milk for HIV orphans from the available websites.  Intended or not, for profit or not, I wouldn't even feel comfortable with this degree of misleading appeals from ANY organization. 

In the nonprofit world, organizations that divert funds from one program to another, do eventually get caught if they flaunt the rules.  It does influence their reputations and ability to receive donations and grants.  When it goes to far, they sometimes even have to pay back government grants.  

I have also seen engaging a competitor in a so-called partnership usually ends up with disastrous results.  Several of the vitamin companies were caught in an illegal price fixing vitamin A for their animal markets -- while they were partnering with the nonprofit world to supposedly provide vitamin A capsules for programs.  I have also seen reputable scientists and policy makers brought to so-called concensus workshops that are paid for by vitamin companies where the recommendations of the reputable scientists and policy makers were completely ignored, but their NAMES appeared on the document.  

Sincerely, 

Susan E. Burger, MHS, PhD, IBCLC

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