DONATIONS FOR THE SALVATION
ARMY SERVE THE LESS FORTUNATE
AROUND THE WORLD.
WHEN THE CHARITY BUILT A
HALF-MILLION DOLLAR HOME FOR
LOCAL LEADERS, SOME QUESTIONED
WHERE THE MONEY GOES.
THEY ASKED KIND -- WCCO TO
INVESTIGATE THE COST OF DOING
GOOD.
Reporter: THE SITE OF
BELLRINGER'S HAS BEEN
ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALVATION
ARMY FOR DECADES.
DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS, RAISING
DOLLARS AND CENTS IN A RED
KETTLE TO SERVE MEALS, OFFER
SHELTER AND ASSISTANCE TO
THOUSANDS EVERY YEAR.
BUT IT IS WHERE OTHER DONOR
DOLLARS WENT THAT IS MAKING
NOISE WITHIN THE CHRISTIAN
CHARITY.
IT MAY COME AS A SURPRISE TO
PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE SALVATION
ARMY THAT THE NONPROFIT
PROVIDES OFFICERS WITH A HOME
TO LIVE IN.
FURNITURE, AND A CAR PLUS A
MINIMAL SALARY .
IT IS A CHRISTIAN
ORGANIZATION AND THERE ARE
PHYSICAL NEEDS AND PERSONAL
NEEDS THAT ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO
BE THAT IMPORTANT.
THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE LIVING
MODESTLY.
Reporter: FORMER ADVISORY
BOARD MEMBER, DEBBIE BECK WAS
FLOORED WHEN SHE LEARNED THAT A
TURNING -- LIEUTENANT COLONEL'S
BUILT A NEW HOME.
LINEAL AND PATTY RICHARDSON
LEFT A $365,000 NORTH METRO HOME
AND THE SALVATION ARMY BUILT
THIS NEW HOME FOR THEM JUST A
FEW MILES AWAY.
THE COST OF THE LAND AND HOME?
$544,390.
IS THE PUBLIC OKAY WITH THIS
? I MEAN, IF THEY ARE OKAY I
GUESS I CAN BE OKAY BUT I AM
NOT OKAY BECAUSE I DON'T EXCEL.
Reporter: A SALVATION ARMY
SPOKESPERSON TOLD WCCO THE
ORIGINAL HOME NEEDED SEVERAL
IMPROVEMENTS . IT ESTIMATES TO
CORRECT THE DECADES OLD ISSUES
WOULD COST AN AVERAGE OF
$185,000.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL RICHARDSON
RESPONDED WITH A STATEMENT THAT
SAID FEWER THAN 1% OF ARMY
HOUSES ARE NEW BUILDS, "BECAUSE
THE ESTIMATED COST TO RENOVATE
AN EXISTING PROPERTY WOULD HAVE
SURPASSED THE CAUSE UP THE COST
OF NEW CONSTRUCTION, WE FELT
THE PRICE WAS JUSTIFIED.
IF WE HAVE MISSTEP IN THE
DECISION, IT WAS IN EARNEST AS
WE ALWAYS STRIVE TO FIND THE
MOST PHYSICALLY RESPONSIBLE
LONG-TERM HOUSING SOLUTIONS."
THESE ARE IMAGES OF THE INSIDE
OF THE HOME FROM A
REALTOR.COMPOST TICKET SO LAST
JULY FOR $380,000 AND WCCO HAS
LEARNED IT WAS MOVE-IN READY
WITH NO NECESSARY FIXES.
I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE
EXPLAINED.
Reporter: DANIEL WITH
CHARITY WATCH POINTS OUT WHAT
HE SEES WITH THE PAY STRUCTURE
OF SALVATION ARMY OFFICERS .
IT IS HARD TO GET A GRIP ON
WHETHER THE TOTAL COMPENSATION
PACKAGE IS REASONABLE BECAUSE
THEY DON'T GET ONLY A STRAIGHT
SALARY.
THEY GET BENEFITS TAKEN CARE
OF.
Reporter: HE THINKS SALVATION
ARMY OFFICERS HOMES CONFLICT
WITH ITS IMAGE OF SACRIFICE AND
SERVICE.
I HAVE HEARD SEVERAL CASES
WHERE IT GETS OUT OF CONTROL
AND THE HOUSE BECOMES HIGHER
THAN WHAT ONE MIGHT HOPE IS TO
BE A RATIONAL FOR IT IF A CARD
HOUSES ADEQUATE AND LESS
EXPENSIVE AND FULFILLS THE
PURPOSE THEN THEY OUGHT TO JUST
EXIST THAT WAY.
Reporter: SINCE THE
SALVATION ARMY'S RELIGIOUS
ORGANIZATION, IS EXEMPT FROM
FILING A TAX FORM. THAT HELPS
THE SALVATION ARMY AND THE
PUBLIC EVALUATE A CHARITY.
BECAUSE IT DOES NOT HAVE TO
SUBMIT A 990, IT IS NOT RATED
ON CHARITY WATCH.
HE WISHES IT WOULD BE MORE
TRANSPARENT .
IT WOULD INCREASE THE
INTEGRITY OF THE SALVATION ARMY
IF THEY WERE DISCLOSING THESE
COMPENSATION AND THE TOP PEOPLE
AS OTHER CHARITIES DO.
Reporter: W CCO OBTAIN THIS
2017 RESIGNATION LETTER OF A
HIGH-LEVEL STAFF MENTOR THAT
WENT TO TOP OFFICIALS AFTER
LEARNING ABOUT THE HOME.
THE WRITER SAID IN PART, "THE
SALVATION ARMY IS NO LONGER
DRIVEN FIRST AND FOREMOST BY
DOING GOOD IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT IS AN ORGANIZATION DRIVEN BY
DOLLARS AND I WILL NOT STAND
BEHIND A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION
THAT RICHES PREACHES MISSION
BUT PRACTICES GREAT."
BECK ALSO RECEIVED THE LETTER.
I HOPE PEOPLE WILL ASK
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY
IS GOING AND IS IT BEING USED
IN THE WAY THAT THEY ARE BEING
LED TO BELIEVE IT IS BEING
USED?
Reporter: JENNIFER MAYERLE,
WCCO 4 NEWS.
THE LIEUTENANT COLONEL SAYS
THE FUNDS FROM THE HOME DID NOT
COME FROM CASH DONATIONS OR
THEIR RED CODE CAMPAIGN.
THEY SAID THAT MONEY CAME FROM