Zero-rated Veteran Charity Goes Belly-up

By Debbie Gregory.

The National Vietnam Veterans Foundation (NVVF), a zero-rated charity that we reported on a few months ago, has closed its doors for good, according to one of the charity’s executives.

David Kaufman, the charity’s vice president, says the organization “has severed all ties” to the organization’s president, Thomas Burch, and is shutting down completely.

“All fundraising has ceased and the only thing being done is the distribution of blankets, personal care kits and related items in the warehouse.”

NVVF was enormously successful in fundraising, but a complete and utter failure when it came to helping veterans. In fact, most of the money spent by the “charity” was paid to telemarketers, with less than 2 percent being used for the benefit of veterans and veterans’ charitable causes.

If you donated money to this “charity” in 2014, here is where some of your money went: $133,000 for travel, $21,000 for “awards”, $70,000 for “other expenses” (????) and $8,000 for parking!

Even more disturbing is the fact that Burch’s day job is working as an attorney for the Department of Veterans Affairs!

Rolls Royce-driving Burch is deputy director in the VA’s Office of General Counsel, where he pulled down $127,000 in salary in 2014. That’s the same year he drew a salary of $65,000 as head of his “charity.”

Michael Thatcher, the CEO of Charity Navigator, said the foundation deserved is zero rating.

“If one really cared about Vietnam veterans, is this an effective way of making a difference? I don’t think so. I can’t justify it. I can’t explain it.”

There are thousands of wonderful non-profits that work tirelessly to help those in need.

Thank goodness this stinker is no longer.

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