My Nonprofit Reviews

I've been reading Christopher Elliot's consumer advocacy columns for several years and recently had an experience that made me think of him. In brief, my husband and I were charged for damage that we did not cause to a condo at the Castle Kaha Lani Resort in Kauai. We had photos that we took right before we checked out that proved that we left the unit in great shape, but the manager of the condo complex was unwilling to budge. He insisted that we caused the damage, despite the fact that his photos were taken more than 48 hours after we checked out.

I looked up Mr. Elliott and was delighted to find out that he had founded a non-profit consumer advocacy group. I immediately contacted the group and heard back that same day from the Executive Director, Michelle Couch-Friedman. Over the next few weeks, Ms. Couch-Friedman worked very hard to get our money returned to us. There were an awful lot of complex pieces to the story, and she patiently waded through every detail. I know that she had to contact the condo manager several times, and she also followed up with me frequently to gather further details and evidence, and to keep me posted on her progress. Ultimately, she succeeded in getting our money refunded.

I've since read many of Ms. Couch-Friedman's articles, and the Elliott Group is very lucky to have her on board. She is a great writer, she is a relentless advocate for consumers, and she cares greatly about her work and her clients. I enjoyed working with her, and I truly appreciate the work that this organization does to protect and inform consumers.