January 6, 2010 | Read Time: 1 minute
Is the Salvation Army abusing donors’ wishes by paying for housing for its top leaders or is it simply following a common practice for rewarding top charity leaders?
The news that the religious group has spent about $4-million in the past decade on homes for its leading officers in Massachusetts set off a heated debate. The article was reported by New England Cable News and the New England Center for Investigative Reporting.
Online comments by Chronicle readers ranged in their reactions, with some pillorying the Salvation Army, a church that provides social services.
“There will be no more contributions from me to the Salvation Army and will discourage others from contributing,” says one.
Many others supported the Christian group, saying that buying the houses is a good investment and not an unusual practice for large organizations. They also say that the high housing costs are typical for the Boston area.
“The Salvation Army is in fact a remarkably egalitarian organization and officers really do receive very modest stipends. Most move to new posts every two years,” says a commenter.
What do you think? Click on the comment button below to share your views or dive into the discussion with other readers of The Chronicle’s coverage.
