Pinktober Revolution
Comments
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will start working on the komen thing tomorrow. started looking at it last night.
seems each state is seperate. not sure yet. did see some reports of much larger amounts being spent on awareness. not sure why so much goes there. i think its going to be hard to figure out where komen money goes
does anyone ever audit these nonprofits? much like the irs does?0 -
Blessings-well said, agree, agree agree!0 -
hey ladies
I had a very interesting email exchange the other day
so I get this email from a natural cosmetics company I use (not sure if I can say the name) I have bought product from them and of course you know how it goes, you are on their list and they send you constant emails
the last one had the heading "you can prevent breast cancer". It went on to list all the clean living that you need to do in order to prevent bc - a long list including, of course, natural whole cosmetics
I responded to the email (which I didn't even think would work) and said that although I agree with clean, organic living and using whole foods etc I don't think anyone can make the claim that they know exactly how to prevent bc. To make this statement it implied that we did something wrong and because we didnt live clean enough we got cancer. I told her I was the healthiest person EVER before diagnosis and still got the beast. Sometimes you do all the right things and still get cancer.
well I did get a direct response from the OWNER herself! she apologized and said that she in no way meant that her "tips" could prevent bc and were only "risk reduction" suggestions
she ended up sending another email "10 things you can do to reduce your risk"
she was lovely and very understanding and I was really happy that she made the change and acknowledged my response0 -
rozem - Good for you!0 -
Thanks, mamasixtaz!0 -
Fredn-The IRS has a whole section devoted to audits of nonprofits and charities.
http://www.irs.gov/Charities-&-Non-Profits/Exempt-Organizations-Audit-Process..0 -
Fredn, after we talked I reviewed the research grant segment of Komen. From the inception in 1982, Komen has given 790 million dollars towards research. Obviously, that's been in greater amounts over the years. Was I shocked? Yes.
Regretfully, I think the Komen Machine has screwed up. The flack over Brinkers salary and the Planned Parenthood fiasco has hurt them.
But it does point out why we need to look at these organizations objectively. Ruth's synopsis of what she learned in one day is important to us all.
I found the same thing when I used the questions from BCA. You key in on the need to know info.
"Follow the Money" versus gossip.0 -
Also remember that Komen contributed $$ to get BCO started. If you check BCO info, you will find it was started with support from numerous places, including a grant from Komen.
Komen started out with a worthwhile mission, but like so many organizations that change leadership, the focus changes, the mission changes but the mission statements remain un-edited to reflect the true aim of the organization.
So here is a question to ponder: can good come from evil? If you believe in the power of love, of lovingkindness, of a loving God or some sort of loving supreme being of creation, is that power of love not permeating the world all the time? Is it not affecting the evil - that occurs through human choice - to make things better? If the CEO of Komen is making an obscene salary, can anything good come of it? I suspect the answer is YES, because so many people have been spurred to activism, to writing, to investigating, to educating .... our voices CAN be heard! Let's keep it up!
BTW, TicTacs have pink and white available with the ubiquitous pink ribbon on them - in micrographia there is a label that DH says indicated they will donate to CancerCare, which provides free services to patients who cannot afford them. Sorry, Sassy, I just don't have the energy to do the research on this one.0 -
Local donut shop is making pink donuts and with pink frosting and donating" a portion" to the local Komen. I asked how much was going to Komen? No one could really say, I suspect little to none. I really didn't need those donuts anyway! Won't be going back for donuts in October! What about the NFL? The pink towels and "flags" got mixed up this weekend, so they will go back to yellow for the penalty flags! Yea! Go Broncos!0 -
I've noticed some companies will say a portion of sales up to(insert $ amount) will be given for bc awareness. At least they are up front about it.
On another note, this had to be a typo, FIGHT THE CURE for Botox injections.0 -
Linda, I know your energies are where they need to be right now. Don't fret. Your discussion of "can good come from evil". I thought that same thing when I did the research on Breast Cancer Research Fund. Through the research, found out that Estee Lauder was intergral to the foundation leadership. Her company in the last few years got back into animal research to obtain approval to market their products in China. BCRF funds a huge amount of research, but how do you weigh animal research against that? Conundrum.0
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mamasix--call the manager, then keep going up the chain until you get an answer. That will make them either correct the advertising or advertise exactly what they do donate. You will have the satisfaction of getting them to be honest about it
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Spookie---do you think they even get the error on the words?0
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will post figures later on komen. Its all on the komen website. Far too much being spent on education. Questionn. What are we going to do about it?
LETS START A REVOLUTION
Will post figures later0 -
Kayb so nice to hear from you. We've been around together since the early hot flash days LOL. Literally. Thank you for your prospective on the local level. Fredntan and I were talking about where does the money go for education and use with patients directly. The national web site isn't clear. It's very transparent with listing the amounts for research grants. Fredntan is working on the whole money picture.
Kay could you transfer your description to the list Organizations thread. I'd transfer it, but if I do it'll become all one paragraph. LOVE & HUGS CHickiepoo miss you! sheila0 -
kayb - Well put!
I feel the same way. Despite Komen's national PR disaster, loss of credibility, and ensuing reduction of financial support, I adore our local Komen director, and said so in my recent Facebook post.
It's hard to criticize the overall parent agency, when the small local organization is working so hard to provide direct services to women.
Granted, it's not money for research to find a cure, but they do fulfill a vital need for uninsured and underinsured women to receive diagnostic and treatment services, and much-needed support.
I hear ya.0 -
Blessings will you, please, put together a description similar to Kayb's that describes how your local chapter is functioning and services to BC patients and put it on the Organization thread. I agree in the big picture the entire Komen organization and chapters are being hurt by Brinkers wage and planned parenthood fiasco. Fredntan is continuing to work on the Komen organization based on the BCA questions. It is a large organization. Sifting through all the info is time consuming. Plus Fredntan works. Thanks sassy0
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Kay and Blessings, On the Komen site the research/grant tab, allows full viewing of all the research projects that they are funding. It's very clear--Project/researcher/location/ dollars awarded. This fiscal year it's 64 million. The education/awareness tab has no such disclosure of where 173 million is being spent. They have a Certified Audit every year, the money is accounted for. It would be nice to see the same disclosure in this section as there is in the research/grant section. How the money is spent is important to allot of people. Thanks for being involved sheila 0
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Glad your local Komen chapters worked out for you but for some of us there was no help available except for asking us to take part in the run/walk whatever and I still get mailings asking me to attend seminars that cost a pretty penny ($35 for lunch, really???!) As a Stage IV "metavivor" Komen has nothing to offer so obviously I am going to always donate to an organization that raises funds for research.0
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I think we've got a good focus on deciphering Komen. The more that chime in with their experience, allows us to understand what's going on. Sometimes a "machine" can go off track. Fredntan is working very hard to decipher the organization based on the questions. It's a great task. I said I would wander around the Komen site, so, whenever she wanted to talk about it, she would have someone to talk with. BUT BUT Komens site is huge. Many identifications to other organizations for assistance. That's good, but it doesn't identify what they give to individuals for assistance. In comparison "Mothers Grace" a small 501c3 foundation started by a BCO member, gives money towards bills, tests etc. directly to the individual or to the billing company. (see pg 1 of organization list). So, if what we do here this year is decipher Komen that is a good thing.0
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Here's a link to a thread Fitzwins started. It is the 990 tax form. It identifies wages for a large number of people. All 6 figuires. Hope the link works.
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topic/812769?page=1#idx_9
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- Komen
- mission-she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. working to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries
- 2012 financial statement-found on komen website
- http://ww5.komen.org/uploadedFiles/Content/AboutUs/Financial/SGK002_AR_2011_2012.p
- Here is where the money comes from-its expressed in thousands
- puBlIc SupporT AnD revenue 2011 2012
Contributions $ 179,492 $ 163,857
Komen Race for the Cure and 3 Day 271,386 257,850
Other Revenue 20,872 7,190
Total gross revenue 471,750 428,897
Less Direct Benefits to Donors and Sponsors (32,784) (29,932)
neT puBlIc SupporT AnD revenue 438,966 398,965 - Where does the money go
- progrAm ServIceS eXpenSeS 2011 2012
Research 75,302 69,146
Education 181,092 173,813
Screening 54,089 50,338
Treatment 23,252 24,985
Total program Services expenses 333,735 318,282
SupporTIng ServIceS eXpenSeS
General Administration 27,253 23,064
Fundraising Costs 47,990 52,119
Total Supporting Services expenses 75,243 75,183
ToTAl eXpenSeS 408,978 393,465 - this is all I can do right now. my big computer does let me copy and paste. I really don't understand why so much go towards education. Fran
- arggghh I had spent much time getting those columns lined up and looking pretty. not looking so pretty now. oh well
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So, if I am doing the math right; the combined total of research, screening, and treatment is considerably less than what they spend on education. Am I reading the numbers correctly?0 -
Fran, The computer can drive you CRAZY. Thanks. Take a breath and relax for awhile. I know it was tough trying to decipher all this stuff 0
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Ruth--yup!0
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Wow! (I would put a very unhappy face if the emotions were available.)0 -
I have tried in vain to paste the financial report page for 2011-2012 from Komen's site to this post! The info is below. You can see that research, health screenings and treatment services combined are less than the total for education. Also, below that set of numbers is the costs for supporting services - which is what it costs to raise the money and the salaries paid to Komen personnel. That amount is more than is spent on research. Also, when compared to 2011 there is a considerable drop in research and health screening expenses but no drop in the fundraising and salaries category. The total for contributions, scholarships and race entry fees, (meaning the money raised) was $326,399,748, with an additional $75,740,465 in contributed goods and services - I wonder if all those good people who gave that money, their time and their skills realize that so little of it went to finding an end to this disease.
Year Ended 2012:
Expenses:
Research 69,145,875
Public Health Education 173,813,251
Health Screening Services 50,337,949
Treatment Services 24,984,647
Supporting Services:
Fund-Raising Costs 52,118,804
General and Administrative 23,064,504
Total 75,183,3080 -
This is so sad! How to make this known publicly?
You're right, Ruth, need our sad-face smiley's back.
Thanks to all doing the research!0 -
Anyone without a tool bar. GardenGumby talked me through it. The compatibility icon is on the URL line. Between the looking glass and the refresh icon. Don't know how long it's been there. BUT when I held the cursor over it, Viola, the little box said compatibility. Clicked on it and the tool bar appeared.
Komen's on the way to a crash an burn. Interesting that the Folks running the entertainment Industry Charity, SU2C,intrinsically understood that salaries are a big deal for a charity. Perception is everything.
SpecialK helllllloooooooo0 -
sas - helllloooooo!!!0
