Maddie's match

[freely]

I'm all for it and the charity and not knocking here but I just read this on saints website:

Maddie’s Vision has already raised $1.6 million – $1 million of which has been channelled into crucial projects including the Australian Aplastic Anaemia Registry and a three-year $300,000 research fellowship for Dr Wayne Crismani at the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne.

So my question is, what's happened to the other $0.6 million?

[shrodes]

Not for profit doesn't mean staff aren't payed.

[saintsRrising]

There may be other funds yet to be distributed.


However ignoring any paid staff there will always be some costs as not everything will be donated.

Ie put on a charity lunch and you will have catering and venue costs.

[freely]

Hi - yes, that's all true. Still 0.6 million seems a lot. Maybe it's par for the course.

[saintspremiers]

Excellent post.

All charities should have full disclosure re costs.

Some deplorable ones only distribute 70% of their revenue.

That's why I'm very sceptical with making donations. If admin fees are very low then fine, otherwise why bother.

Hopefully the 600K includes a fair bit in the bank waiting to be distributed to research etc - I had no issues with a charity taking some time to make sure the monies collected are spent wisely.

Let's hope our donations to the Australian Sports Foundation are spent wisely eh?!!

[carn_sainter]

I think it's an undisclosed amount of revenue, 1.6 million profit, 1 million active (under current research). I'm sure that bone marrow research isn't like getting an uber in its readily available, cheap, immediate nature, so there could be many reasons why a use has not been found for the 600K which is not active.

Having said that, it may have been used already in the first two years. (I'm not sure)

Or, it could be 1.6 million revenue, 600K costs and 1 million active (I'm not sure)

But I believe the first scenario to be true.


I find it slightly hypocritical that we expect no admin fees and full disclosure from charities but not from any other type of business. They should be judged on the product/service they provide and should be able to pay the people in their organisation and offer those people a good job and standard of living too. I don't work in charity so I can't be called biased on this.

[RooJoo]

Hi Everyone, Alex Riewoldt chiming in here.

Someone brought this discussion to my attention today.

On behalf of my family, I think some of this commentary is pretty hurtful the day before Maddie's Match.

I also speak on behalf of the 1,000s of people who have supported my sisters Vision - particularly the volunteers who have helped us. Our expenses are less than 20%! Our two paid employees only get paid to work part time, but choose to work full time, weekends and more to achieve what we do. To grant $1million dollars to 6 really important medical research projects is a huge effort in less than 2 years, and the $600k plus more raised will continue to go to good projects. We already know what we're funding with funds raised from Maddie's Match because we have a strategic plan and strategy to fight bone marrow failure.

Everyone is working hard to get funds to the right medical research. It would honestly sadden everyone involved to hear that some people are questioning our transparency and the allocation of funds.

We are extremely proud of the professionalism, support and love that everyone has afforded us. Sorry some of you don't share these sentiments. Thanks to all of you who do and thank you SO much from our family - especially Maddie.

Go Saints.

[noddy04]

Well said ROOJOO. Maybe some on here can take a step back and do some research before shooting off their mouths. I applaud you Alex and also your WHOLE family as well as the Richmond AND Stkilda footy clubs. Well done to the 1000's of people who have donated to your cause. Well done to the Volunteers and the part ime staff for their dedication to this very worthwhile cause. Go Maddie and Go Saints

[Goose is king]

Well said ROOJOO. Having seen how incredibly hard and long those two talented "part time" workers work I can personally say they are absolutely inspirational. My daughter raised $6000 for Maddie Riewoldts Vision and I know for sure that it will be used to find a cure for bone marrow failure. No charity is more important than any other but if you are a Saints fan and have some spare money to donate to a charity make it this one.

[freely]

No problems with Roojoo - I've also been a contributor and am behind the charity, like I said in the first place! But the announcement on the website was misleading - that's what I was drawing attention to. My question (where's the rest gone?) was an obvious first response to what I was reading. Delighted to read the explanation. It's not unusual for a charity to say what percentage of each contribution goes towards whatever the actual cause is - maybe MRV should just spell it out.

But please be clear, my remarks were absolutely not intended to be disrespectful. This is a discussion forum - I was raising a question not putting the boot in.