Thoughts on Feed Nova Scotia - Over $500,000 goes to Salaries!
lharnish
basically stealing food out from under the Parker Street Food and
Furniture Bank, according to the article.
http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1213581.html
I know there are two sides to every story and I'm not making judgment
on the issue.
However, when reading some of the comments by readers, I was shocked
to read about the salaries paid out by Feed Nova Scotia. I did take a
look on the CRA website to see if the comments were accurate. I must
be naive, but I thought this was solely a non-profit, volunteer-run
organization. So, any cash you donate to Feed Nova Scotia isn't going
directly to the needy and you're helping pay some pretty high
salaries. They have on their CRA return for 2009 that they have three
employees who make between $80,000 - $119,999 each. They also have
seven employees who make between $40,000 - $79,999. That's a lot of
money diverted away from the people that need the food. At the lowest
of each range, that amounts to over a half a million dollars!
I encourage anyone who might have given cash to Feed Nova Scotia in
the past to switch solely to food donations so you know 100% of your
donation is going to those that truly need it.
Halifax_Hooligan
I donate to a local food bank that works in the community.
I will however inquire as to what they do with thier excess inventory.
I'd rather see it go to a place like PArker St
than FNS.
HH
Halifax_Hooligan
Reading the finacial statements at CRA is quite convoluted as well.
But high paid positions seems to have jumped in the previous 2 yrs,
2007 - 5 positions making 40K- $79K
2009 10 positions 7 making 40K- $79K, & 3 $80K - $119K
Based on 38 full time staff ( I subtracted the $88K for parttimers),
avg salary is $44K, not bad for warehousing and driving a truck.
HH
Halifax_Hooligan
wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
IN 2009
$1.6M in donations ( for which they issued tax receipts ) Total
revenue $2.8M
$1.7M in Salaries!!!!
WOW
$
lharnish
> But high paid positions seems to have jumped in the previous 2 yrs,
>
> 2007 - 5 positions making 40K- $79K
>
> 2009 10 positions 7 making 40K- $79K, & 3 $80K - $119K
>
> Based on 38 full time staff ( I subtracted the $88K for parttimers),
> avg salary is $44K, not bad for warehousing and driving a truck.
>
> HH
>
We don't know if those seven positions in the $40-$79 are making $44
or $79 though.
To me, $44K for warehousing and truck driving would be a bit
excessive. I know DND employees who drive and don't make quite that
much and I know of warehouse and driver employees at a local food
distribution centre and they wouldn't come close to those amounts
unless they get a lot of overtime at 1.5X pay throughout the year.
In my younger days, I sometimes applied for clerical jobs at non-
profits until I realized how poor the pay was compared to larger
companies and government organizations. I guess that isn't the case
anymore based on these numbers.
kozmo
the majority of which don't truly need it.
Donna W.
>Good point, food only.
I didn't realize they paid their executives that much. I've actually
only ever donated food but I'll certainly never change from that
practice now.
Thanks to LHarnish for doing the research and passing along the
information.
Donna W.
<skepti...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Reading the finacial statements at CRA is quite convoluted as well.
>> But high paid positions seems to have jumped in the previous 2 yrs,
>>
>> 2007 - 5 positions making 40K- $79K
>>
>> 2009 10 positions 7 �making 40K- $79K, & 3 $80K - $119K
>>
>> Based on 38 full time staff ( I subtracted the $88K for parttimers),
>> avg salary is $44K, not bad for warehousing and driving a truck.
>>
>> HH
>>
>> http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/haip/srch/charity-eng.action?r=http%3A%...- Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>IN 2009
>
>
>$1.6M in donations ( for which they issued tax receipts ) Total
>revenue $2.8M
>
>$1.7M in Salaries!!!!
>
>WOW
>
>$
Holy crap! I know organizations do require SOME operating expenses but
that's freakin' ridiculous.
Halifax_Hooligan
> On Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:48:18 -0800 (PST), Halifax_Hooligan
>
>
>
>
>
> <skepticalm...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> Reading the finacial statements at CRA is quite convoluted as well.
> >> But high paid positions seems to have jumped in the previous 2 yrs,
>
> >> 2007 - 5 positions making 40K- $79K
>
> >> 2009 10 positions 7 making 40K- $79K, & 3 $80K - $119K
>
> >> Based on 38 full time staff ( I subtracted the $88K for parttimers),
> >> avg salary is $44K, not bad for warehousing and driving a truck.
>
> >> HH
>
>
> >> - Show quoted text -
> >IN 2009
>
> >$1.6M in donations ( for which they issued tax receipts ) Total
> >revenue $2.8M
>
> >$1.7M in Salaries!!!!
>
> >WOW
>
> >$
>
> Holy crap! I know organizations do require SOME operating expenses but
>
> - Show quoted text -
It's interesting that the cryptkeeper ( D Swinminer ) , hasn't made
any public statement on this flap.
Sobeys did the big public flip flop as expected!
I wonder how FNS monitors who ultimately receives the goods they
deliver. I know off one Salvation Army location that sells stuff at
reduced prices, and doesn't limit it to the needy.
Years ago there was a store in Halifax that sold returned/dented
goods. Mostly just canned or bottled goods. But that was long before
FNS or foodbanks .
HH
Justin Cyder
>
>
>
>
>
> <skepticalm...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >> Reading the finacial statements at CRA is quite convoluted as well.
> >> But high paid positions seems to have jumped in the previous 2 yrs,
>
> >> 2007 - 5 positions making 40K- $79K
>
> >> 2009 10 positions 7 making 40K- $79K, & 3 $80K - $119K
>
> >> Based on 38 full time staff ( I subtracted the $88K for parttimers),
> >> avg salary is $44K, not bad for warehousing and driving a truck.
>
> >> HH
>
>
> >> - Show quoted text -
> >IN 2009
>
> >$1.6M in donations ( for which they issued tax receipts ) Total
> >revenue $2.8M
>
> >$1.7M in Salaries!!!!
>
> >WOW
>
> >$
>
> Holy crap! I know organizations do require SOME operating expenses but
>
> - Show quoted text -
No wonder when I went to Sobey's last night everyone was asked if they
wanted to donate $2,yes $2, to Feed Nova Scotia.
lharnish
the real story to evolve out of this are the high salaries as recorded
on the CRA website. I told her I would imagine the average person
does/did not know that over a half a million dollars each year goes
out in salaries. They said they might do another story on this
aspect. In the meantime, spread the word to encourage anyone who has
given cash in the past to switch to food only donations. I might even
start a Facebook page to spread the word!
Halifax_Hooligan
Actually last year over $1.7M went for salaries, those were just the
10 highest paid.
I checked PArker St ( Community care network society - CRA ) , and
tehy had ~$343K in salaries for 12 full time staff. Highest paid was
$40k - 79K, and 9 making $1- $39K.
And Mel is a volunteer, takes no salary.
Avg Sal - Parker St $21K
Avg Sal FNS $45K
Not counting parttimers, which interesting enoght cost both out fits
abouut the same ~$80K - $90K.
Parker street also operated at a loss last year , their expenditures
exceeded their revenues. FNS was ~$100K in the black.
HH
KD
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> IN 2009
>
> $1.6M in donations ( for which they issued tax receipts ) Total
> revenue $2.8M
>
> $1.7M in Salaries!!!!
>
> WOW
>
>
> - Show quoted text -
In their annual report, it says that annual salaries are 254,800.
http://www.feednovascotia.ca/images/annual_report_2009_2010.pdf
Am I reading something wrong? Big difference between these two
figures.
Halifax_Hooligan
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > IN 2009
>
> > $1.6M in donations ( for which they issued tax receipts ) Total
> > revenue $2.8M
>
> > $1.7M in Salaries!!!!
>
> > WOW
>
> > $- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> In their annual report, it says that annual salaries are 254,800.
>
> http://www.feednovascotia.ca/images/annual_report_2009_2010.pdf
>
> Am I reading something wrong? Big difference between these two
>
> - Show quoted text -
I counted $993K, and that is only up to July of this year.
There is salary noted in three seperate places.
The othe rnumbers you see come from thier tax forms files with CRA ,
which is a public document.
HH
Donna W.
>I hope they do, in the remote chance that something good can be
>uncovered in this.
If the Chronicle Herald doesn't run with it, you KNOW that Frank
would. Whatever people think of the publication, they do expose that
kind of abuse on a regular basis.
Donna W.
<skepti...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> Holy crap! I know organizations do require SOME operating expenses but
>> that's freakin' ridiculous. - Hide quoted text -
>>
>> - Show quoted text -
>
>It's interesting that the cryptkeeper ( D Swinminer ) , hasn't made
>any public statement on this flap.
>
>Sobeys did the big public flip flop as expected!
>
>I wonder how FNS monitors who ultimately receives the goods they
>deliver. I know off one Salvation Army location that sells stuff at
>reduced prices, and doesn't limit it to the needy.
>
>Years ago there was a store in Halifax that sold returned/dented
>goods. Mostly just canned or bottled goods. But that was long before
>FNS or foodbanks .
>
>HH
Apparently she was interviewed on the suppertime news last evening. I
believe Sheena or one of the other regulars mentioned it. She was also
on Information Morning today explaining her position.
lharnish
new information I found while helping a friend try and pick a
reputable charity to sponsor a third world child. This information is
from 2008 and is from an American source but one would think the rates
would be similar in Canada.
From http://charity.lovetoknow.com/Charities_Rated
Median Wages of Nonprofit Executives
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a publication of the
United States Department of Labor (DOL), the median hourly rates of
pay for top level managers in nonprofit organizations could be broken
out as follows in 2008:
* Grant Making/Giving Services: $47.82 per hour (equal to an
annual salary of more than $99,400 per year)
* Social Advocacy Entities: $37.37 per hour (equal to an annual
salary of more than $77,000 per year)
* Civic/Social Organizations: $33.86 per hour (equal to an annual
salary of over $70,000 per year)
For similar positions across all industries, including for profit and
nonprofit sector employers, the overall median hourly wage is $44.02,
which translates into an annual salary of just over $91,000 per year.
These statistics indicate that, while some individuals who work in the
nonprofit sector may earn less than those employed in for-profit
entities, this is not always the case.
It's important to note that median wages do not represent an
arithmetic average. The median wage number represents the physical
midpoint of data collected for the 2008 Occupational Outlook Handbook
report. This means that, within the sample studies, there are an equal
number of people earning wages higher and lower than those reported,
regardless of the spread from highest to lowest pay.
James Warren
A further thought: sometimes the median is used to conceal the fact that
some salaries are extremely high or extremely low. To avoid the possible
perception of dodgyness one should really specify both the mean and the median.
--
jw
lharnish
> A further thought: sometimes the median is used to conceal the fact that
> some salaries are extremely high or extremely low. To avoid the possible
> perception of dodgyness one should really specify both the mean and the median.
>
> --
> jw
A very good point. The article gives a good starting point in the
absence of other information.