UNICEF USA

UNICEF USA has helped children worldwide through their partners such as World Largest Lesson to help educators like me to empower youth and children by educating them and raising awareness creation on global issues.

You have money being donated for all your arab countries but NOTHING for the displaced children of Israel. You are disgusting!!!

I got mail requesting a donation. The envelope included two pair of socks. I thought I would be providing socks and such to children. If I needed socks, I would I be donating in the first place. Many charities do this kind of stuff, and I almost never give to them. It's a sign of dumb management, I think.

I was asked to run a donate post for my birthday for UNICEF. They asked me to donate, so I put in a donation amount and tried to click one time. It would not accept the change and wanted me to commit to a monthly donation. I am retired living on a fixed income. I tried to raise money for them but they got greedy.
I consider them bullies so I cancelled the fundraiser. I do not want my friends to encounter the same problem.

I've known of UNICEF for many years, and have contributed at times. However, recently I received a mailing that asked for a one-time contribution and said that, if I did so, I would never receive another ask. I contributed, and three weeks later received another mailing from them with another ask. I assume more are on the way. This is not a good way to run fundraising.

I donate regularly to 3 organizations, and UNICEF is one of them because of their transparency and money management. Reading that they spend $XX million on salaries doesn't bother me because that average salary is on the low-end for a highly qualified person. Those workers could definitely make more in the private sector, yet they can choose to stay at UNICEF because the financial sacrifice is not too bad to swallow. And we need and want highly qualified individuals in charge of a billion dollar organization, don't we? I'd be more afraid if the offices were filled with lower-paid workers who haven't worked abroad, worked in political offices, or worked in consulting.

The problem with most charities is a too-big SG&A with no transparency. (I don't agree in spending a lot on marketing.) From my assessment, UNICEF is pretty responsible with donor funds, and I appreciate that.

Here are the facts from their 2012 IRS form. They spent 23 million in salaries and benefits for 205 employees, that is an average of about $112,000 per employee. So, they are not grossly a overpaid but a reasonably well paid bunch. Now I don't know the qualifications of the top 3 employees that make between 347K and 532K per year (the latter figure is Caryl Stern's, the CEO), but these figures appear a bit high for a charity. On the other hand, these officers manage an organization that collects more than 211 million in annual revenue and then distributes more than $142 million in direct grants. So to me they are not A+, but a B+ might be appropriate.
In conclusion, I have donated modestly to them for a number of years and will continue to do so.

How do criticize an organization that spends 89-90% of its income on services? The internet email and Facebook posts that target this organization are incorrect and shameful.

My wife and I have made numoerous donations to UNICEF in the past. We have recently started evaluating the excessive salaries being paid to these CEOs of "nonprofits." We have discontinued donating to UNICEF until the salaries are adjusted to reflect the supposed charitable nature of this organization.

I understand that there is a lot of controversy regarding the United Nations here in the USA. Many criticisms aimed at the UN as a whole are not without merit. However, the UN is a massive complex of many organizations that engage in a wide array of work. Many of the more specialized agencies (including UNICEF, the UNHCR, UNDP, etc) are far more apolitical than the UN proper and are staffed by career professionals who know what they are doing and are in it not for money but for bettering the world. UNICEF is an incredible organization that uses well over 90% of its budget on charitable programs that seek to improve the health, education and living standards of the world's worst off children. UNICEF is extremely transparent in it's activities and has saved countless lives since it was established. There are few organizations more worthy of charitable donations.

I am outraged by the attacks on UNICIF in some of these reviews that are all chain e-mail lies. Sounds like the kinds of things you read on tea party sites that attacks anything to do with the UN.
Please check your info before you post it and attack an organization that does so much good in the world. You should be ashamed of yourselves.

I have donated modestly for some years. But have now stopped - and have directed the savings to other organizations with similar work but with directors who do not shamelessly rip of the good hearted.

I WANT TO BE A PART OF YOUR ORGANIZATION TO BE A PART OF THE UNICEF FAMILLY AND HELP OTHER PEOPLE HOW NEED US AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THERE LIFE EVEN A SMALL ONE IT DIDSN't MATER JUST I WANT TO MAKE THEM HAPPY I WANT TO GIVE FOR THEM

alright everybody who gave a 1 star rating, you do realize that almost all of the information in your copy and paste comment is false, right? next time you see something like this, why don't you take a minute (seriously 1 minute is all it takes) and do a little research on this stuff. i mean, seriously, you're already on a very credible site that disproves almost everything in your post.

There is a hoax email going around that claims that the CEO of Unicef makes more than a million dollars per year and other false claims about other charities, including false claims that the ceo's of organizations like the American Legion, VFW, DAV, etc. work for free. However, it is hard to understand why Caryl Stern, the executive director of Unicef's United States Fund makes almost $484k per year when Anthony Lake, the executive director of Unicef itself makes just over $200k. Also, I was very much put off by Unicef USF yesterday when I received a "free" unsolicited tote bag, so I do have some issues with how Unicef USF spends its money, and will make future donations directly to Unicef instead.

i am shocked that the CEO makes more than $500k. This means people have to donate a lot to support the other high salaried top management like CEO, COO, CIO, CFO, EXEC VP'S, VP'S, and directors besides the rest of the company before any money goes to the needy. Let's say for the 10 top executives: $400k each is $4million dollars. Same idea like the IRS, how many months you have to work to pay IRS before your salary actually is for you. So how much of people need to donor before the money actually goes to the needy after paying of all the people in the company. I guess my $500 that I saved very hard for donation went to their expense account!!!! I really want my money to make a difference with the needy and NOT make a difference in the top manager's life!!!!!! And this is a Non-Profit!

The payment to the CEO might seem excessive to many of us, but the CEO'S of many major charities are paid a lot more. Look at the American Red Cross for example. The important number is how much is given out in aid, and 90.2 is a very good score.

J David, So glad you wrote your comment saying negative comments were lies. needed to know. was upset.

I can't stand seeing this vitriol repeated. The age old story of Caryl Stern (or, in other tellings, UNICEF executive director Tony Lake, or before him Ann Veneman) making "$1.9M a year" and driving an expensed Rolls Royce is as untrue as it is absurd. Moreover, the US Fund for UNICEF consistently ranks as one of the most efficient non profits in its field, with overhead of less than 6%. Over .90 on the dollar goes to programs.

While I like the work that UNICEF does, the organization could do a lot more if they didn't have to pay the CEO over $400,000 a year. For that reason, I would never consider a donation to UNICEF until their payroll comes down.

I also cannot support a charity (?) where the CEO earns more than the President of the US. Job more difficult? The argument that the CEOs of corporations make substantially more doesn't wash. They are for-profit organizations attempting (in theory) to earn more for their shareholders.

I too am writing to share my experiences with UNICEF with regard to international adoption. UNICEF has not responded to my personal e-mails so I decided to give my opinion here. We were made aware of a $5million payment to the government of the Southern nations and people groups state in Ethiopia. Since that time, orphanages have been closed without basis (per Ethiopian investigation), children have been relocated, children who were in process to be adopted were moved and hidden from agencies and two children were even kidnapped by southern officials. These officials are now arrested. As far as I have been able to find out, families were offered payment to take their children out of orphanages. Don't get me wrong, family preservation is the ultimate goal in this situation, but this is the WRONG way to do it. Shame on UNICEF. They seem to have lost their way over the past few decades. In reply to the review that says that UNICEF's policy toward international adoption is "sound" I have to say that it is not. Do not be fooled, this is a political organization that does some good work, but the politics come first, in this case at the expense of children.

I would just like to say to all the judgmental people out there who are complaining about the CEOs pay, they're doing more than you. Even if only 25c of every $1 is going to the cause at least it's 25c for the cause.

UNICEF sponsored an ad showing a palestinain AXE cutting through the State of Israel.

You can see this add here:

http://israelmatzav.blogspot.com/2010/03/unicef-sponsored-ad-calls-for.html

Unicef's policies toward international adoption are sound and are focused on the best interests of families and children across the world. The organization is thoughtful about the limited role of international adoption in meeting the demands of children throughout the world. In terms of their ability to help with the disaster in Japan, I have confidence in this organization because they already have offices established in Tokyo and a strong legacy of leadership in advocating for children.

Please educate yourself on all of UNICEF's policies before donating. They are fighting international adoption in many countries and their black and white approach that children should remain in their country of origin deprives many children of permanent families.