Veterans Accredited Programs

by Michael Maricic
(Tucson, Az)

I have been asked to contribute to Veterans Accredited Programs - $45 for a gift basket for veterans.

Is this a legitimate veterans charity, and what percent of my donation actually goes to veterans?

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Mike,

Thank you for your question. We were unable to find any listing for "Veterans Accredited Programs" on the list of charities that are registered and approved to solicit funds in Arizona, nor at any of the charity watchdog lists. There is also no such listing on the IRS list of approved charities.

Our recommendation is to not make a donation unless the organization provides you with a copy of their IRS approval letter.

You may also want to report the apparently unauthorized solicitation to the Arizona Attorney General's office, providing them with as much information as possible. Hopefully, this will help keep others from being taken advantage of by this group.

Thank you for your desire to help our nation's veterans, and for your diligence in checking out the charity before you give.