CBN, other group report rise in 2008 donations

VIRGINIA BEACH

Public contributions to the Christian Broadcasting Network rose 9.5 percent and shot up 22.2 percent at Operation Blessing International last year, according to the groups' latest annual tax statements.

The latest data are for 2007-08 and give little indication as to how the two groups founded by broadcaster Pat Robertson are weathering the recession. The statements, filed last month with the Internal Revenue Service, cover the 12 months that ended March 31, 2008.

Chris Roslan, a spokesman for the two organizations, said both groups would not comment on their finances. No information was available on contributions since March 2008, or whether the groups had layoffs.

Operation Blessing, which provides relief and food aid overseas and domestically, said in January it had seen a 343 percent increase in applications from food pantries nationwide seeking food supplies.

"There have always been some hungry people in America, but never as many as we are seeing now," William Horan, the organization's president, said in the January news release. "OBI's Hunger Strike Force is struggling to keep up. We need cash donations to keep our fleet of trucks rolling in the battle against hunger."

Operation Blessing is based in Virginia Beach on the same campus as CBN, which broadcasts "The 700 Club" television show, carried on The ABC Family Channel. Robertson is chairman of the boards of directors of both organizations.

In 2007-08, Operation Blessing tallied $278.7 million in total contributions, including $258.4 million in noncash donations, such as surplus food from corporations and growers. The group has distribution centers in Virginia Beach and California and a storm relief warehouse in Florida.

The donations made Operation Blessing the 58th-largest philanthropy in the country in terms of private contributions, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy last fall. It was bigger than Samaritan's Purse, headed by evangelist Franklin Graham, and $5 million behind the University of Virginia.

Operation Blessing spent $286.6 million, with more than 99 percent going directly for program services.

Aid included tornado relief in Tennessee, medical care for 2.7 million people globally, and earthquake aid in China. Groups collaborating with Operation Blessing included the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the United Nations' refugee commission.

At CBN, contributions direct from the public represented 62.2 percent of the evangelistic organization's total revenue of $278.7 million, about the same proportion as the previous year. Other revenues included airtime CBN received in trade for providing programs to international television stations.

CBN came in 111th among charities ranked by the amount of private support they received, according to The Chronicle of Philanthropy.

About 81 percent of total spending was for program services, exceeding the standard of The BBB Wise Giving Alliance. That charity watchdog group says nonprofits should spend at least 65 percent of their budget on program activities.

About 40 percen t of spending was for Internet and domestic broadcast programs such as "The 700 Club," while 31 percent paid for evangelistic programming targeting international audiences. CBN has said that 90 percent of CBN's viewing audience was in foreign countries.

CBN gave $10.3 million to Operation Blessing and $3 million in grants to nonprofits ranging from the Asian Center for Missions in Philippines, which got $342,452, to Norfolk-based Operation Smile, which got a total of $100,000.

Robertson received no salary from CBN or Operation Blessing. Horan, president of Operation Blessing, was paid $330,290.

CBN's president, Michael D. Little, was paid $301,334, and Gordon P. Robertson - one of Robertson's sons - got $284,805 as chief executive officer of CBN. Robertson's daughter, Ann R. LeBlanc, was paid $105,227 as an associate vice president for CBN. Robertson's granddaughter, Laura Robertson, received $42,081 as a CBN producer.

CBN reported 1,234 employees.

Steven G. Vegh, (757) 446-2417, steven.vegh@pilotonline.com