New Project for Wounded Warrior Charity: Regain Trust

Wounded Warrior Project said last week's dismissal of two top executives has brought order to the popular veterans charity, but recipients of services are worried, donors are jittery and experts contend it's not going to be that simple to regain the public's trust.
"They are on thin ice right now," said Doug White, a teacher who leads Columbia University's master's program in fundraising. "In the nonprofit world, we don't have assets. We have trust. Once you let that go, it's a long, long climb back."
The move by the organization's board last week to dismiss the charity's two top executives followed media reports of lavish spending and mismanagement. Since then, the charity's Chairman Tony Odierno, who is acting CEO until a new chief is found, said the board has spent "a great deal of time" talking directly with donors and alumni worried about Wounded Warrior Project's fate -- and its integrity.
"We certainly understand the concerns that have been raised and we are moving to address those concerns as quickly and decisively as possible to reestablish donor trust," he wrote in an email.
Odierno said he's confident the board can right the ship now that CEO Steve Nardizzi and chief operating officer Al Giordano are out. And some donors and charity partners have expressed similar sentiments.
But Odierno acknowledged in an interview with the New York Times that donations had fallen. The organization can still meet its obligations now, he said late last week, "but I am concerned about our ability to meet our obligations in the future."