That's what most people think. I know a lot of people that stopped giving money to all charities because "they are all run by crooks".
Unicef has a 10% admin budget and 90% programs. Now, some have questioned how wasteful their programs are but the examples I have seen bandied about have been two or three really bad projects cast as typical of the whole. Which really isn't the case.
Now, with CFP I've gotten updates directly from my foster child detailing the changes in the village. Maybe someone at their office is typing up fake letters and lying to me about the new classrooms in the school. But then why would they invite people to go visit the communities? I feel confident that a large portion of the money *IS* getting to the child/community.
But I think a lot of people lie to themselves about the "administrative costs" so they don't feel guilty about buying a big screen TV when the money could have provided vaccines for thousands of poor children.
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TimSJ: Good call. Médecins Sans Frontières is a *WONDERFUL* organization. I have given lump-sum donations before but I really should add them to my payroll deduction program. BTW - the Canadian site is
www.msf.ca .