Ah yes, ‘tis the season of giving and buying. I always felt like organizations such as Salvation Army and UNICEF try to garnish the holiday seasons with their volunteers and their annoying bells and whistles trying to get people to give money. I guess people just don’t spend enough money during the holidays. For some reason (call it intuition) I’ve mostly avoided all such donations, and never give. I never feel guilty about it either, especially not after learning that funds that people blindly believe go to those so-called charities, are in fact going to yacht clubs and resorts. Let’s review the list of who’s really been naughty:

1.      Prostate Cancer Foundation—CEO and President, Jonathan W. Simons $1,204,968 (2010)
2.      United Way – former CEO Gloria Pace King earned more than $1 million
3.      The American Red Cross—CEO Gail J. McGovern annual salary $995,718
4.      American Cancer Society—CEO John Seffrin, earning $914,906 (this is non-profit, right?)
5.      UNICEF – CEO Caryl M. Stern, salary $419,832 (2009)
6.      The Boys and Girls Clubs of America—CEO, Roxanne Spillett $361,000
7.      World Vision—President Richard E. Stearns $380,609

I thought non-profit was exactly it: NON-PROFIT. Why are these CEOs making six figures like they’re running profit organizations? Oh, that’s right, because they are. I am sure a cure was found long ago and the billions of dollars spent on donations was more than enough to stop world hunger by now, but people want to keep their jobs and salaries so each year they keep buttering up the public into “we’re so close to ending world hunger!” and “we’ve had MAJOR advancement in cancer!” that people are still putting all their money and energy into volunteering and donating. These types of things make me sick. So next time you see something yelling out in the subway or asking you to donate, make sure you remember just how much money their CEO is earning in the name of non-profit.