Children's Cancer Fund - #10 on the worst charities in America list!
Children's Cancer Fund of America is one of five Reynolds family charities that raises millions in the name of cancer, but spends most of that paying for-profit companies.
Rose Perkins runs the charity. She was married twice to James T. Reynolds Sr., the 70-year-old patriarch who transformed Cancer Fund of America, a struggling charity, into a $35 million empire that pays executive salaries to at least a dozen of his family members. In the past three years alone, Cancer Fund and its associated charities, including Children's Cancer Fund, raised $110 million. The charities' solicitors were paid more than $75 million.
Perkins, who had been vice president of Cancer Fund, started Children's Cancer Fund of America in 2004. In addition to the cash raised through fundraisers, the charity received a $50,000 cash grant from Reynolds' Cancer Fund in 2010.
Since it was formed, Children's Cancer Fund has raised nearly $38 million and let professional fundraisers keep nearly 78 percent. The charity has given cash grants to patients of about $300,000 a year. It also reports shipping millions of dollars in donated medical supplies to developing nations each year through "gifts-in-kind" programs.
Perkins, now separated from Reynolds, said she hopes to wean Children's Cancer Fund of America off fundraisers.
"We are only in our eighth year," Perkins said.
In 2011, Perkins was paid $227,442. Her charity reported giving about $265,000 in cash to nearly 1,500 children that year. The grants averaged less than $200 each and represented less than 5 cents of every dollar raised.
Perkins said that in 2012, the charity started a new program, giving donated goods to needy children in the United States.
"We give away soap, lotions, backpacks, Disney DVDs and socks," Perkins said. "When you don't have a lot, it's something."
Female caller - asked for Mildred, then said she from the Children's Cancer Fund asking for donations. Call received at 8:20 A.M. Caller ID shows Keyport, NJ. Calls are annoying as I have received the same call multiple times this year.