The American Cancer Society Responds About Rejecting Atheist National Team from Relay For Life

The American Cancer Society has responded to my post about Foundation Beyond Belief getting rejected as a Relay For Life National Team:

We feel a need to address some of the comments posted on this Facebook page and a recent blog post related to the relationship between the American Cancer Society and Foundation Beyond Belief. We hope to clarify some misinformation and correct any misconceptions.

The Society has not turned down the Foundation Beyond Belief’s generous donation offer and we definitely don’t want to discourage the group’s participation in Relay For Life. We are grateful for their interest in saving lives from cancer. In fact, we continue to discuss with this group ways in which we can work together.

The Foundation sought to participate in Relay For Life’s National Team Program, which is a program for corporate donors and supporters. The Foundation Beyond Belief is not a corporate entity, so our representative offered alternatives to the National Team Program that are consistent with the way in which Relay For Life works with other foundations, student groups, social and philosophical organizations, and other types of groups across the country that do not meet the criteria of the National Team Program. Our representative encouraged participation by the Foundation Beyond Belief at the community level, and offered to make introductions to local Relay events in communities wherever the Foundation has affiliates across the country. The Society has similar relationships with millions of individuals representing similar organizations nationwide.

It is true that there are some recognition benefits available only to groups that are part of the National Team Program, and it is regrettable that some people may feel offended that the Foundation Beyond Belief would not be eligible to take advantage of those benefits. In managing Relay For Life, with thousands of community events and millions of passionate participants nationwide, we strive to deal fairly and consistently with everyone.

We sincerely hope we can find a resolution to this situation that is agreeable to all concerned , because it is clear that we all share a passion for Relay and our mission of helping people stay well, get well, find cures, and fight back against cancer. And at the end of the day, saving lives is what it is all about.

Reuel Johnson
National Vice President, Relay For Life

A couple quick rebuttals:

The Society has not turned down the Foundation Beyond Belief’s generous donation offer…

I know that. I know they’re fine with taking the money. They just don’t want to give Todd Stiefel or the atheist groups recognition for raising and donating it. That’s the problem.

The Foundation sought to participate in Relay For Life’s National Team Program, which is a program for corporate donors and supporters. The Foundation Beyond Belief is not a corporate entity…

We’re a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

Furthermore, there are other groups on the current National Team list which fall in the same category as the Foundation Beyond Belief. Sigma Alpha Lambda, for example, is also a “501(c)(3) non-profit leadership and honors organization.”

…

Mr. Johnson also doesn’t explain why there were long periods of time during which the ACS did not return Todd Stiefel’s calls/emails…

To be clear, I like Relay For Life. Hell, I may still participate in it later this year. No one is calling for a boycott or anything like that. But I’m still shocked that ACS is standing firm in a decision that would only serve to benefit everybody involved — the ACS, the atheists who would participate worldwide, the cancer researchers, etc. This is a win-win for everybody.

So why reject us?

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Richard Wade

A reprint of my reply to Mr. Johnson’s comment at the bottom of the previous blog post:

I’m sorry Mr. Johnson, but to me at least, your “clarification” written
in bureaucratese is just as opaque as the stone wall that Mr. Stiefel
encountered, and merely repeats presenting the same stones in that
wall. Perhaps you have contacted Mr. Stiefel personally to explain in
more frank detail these encumbrances that are usually found in a
conflict where one side just doesn’t want to deal with the other in an
openhanded way:

1. The initial six weeks of completely ignoring Mr. Stiefel’s efforts to
establish the Foundation Beyond Belief as a national team.

2. The accidental re-establishment of contact with the mysteriously
unavailable ACS representative, here called “Bob,” only because a
different ACS staff member contacted Mr. Stiefel on a different matter.

3. The series of excuses in the telephone conversation portrayed above
on this blog post between Mr. Stiefel and “Bob,” each one of which
sounds very ad-hoc, very made-up-on-the-spot to be an arbitrary barrier
to national team recognition.

If you think these problems are incorrectly characterized and
interpreted by this blog post or by me, I’d like to hear something more
cards-on-the-table to explain them, rather than the impenetrable P.R. obfustication that you have offered here.
MJH

My daughter did RFL a few years ago with her atheist team “In Dog We Trust”. Mind you, that was a very local team, but I was certainly proud of her!
Roxane Farrell Murray

I understand that nobody is calling for a boycott, but I don’t have an infinite amount of money to donate to charity, and ACS is off the list unless this is favorably resolved. It’s not as though there aren’t other worthwhile causes.
Atheist Dave

Atheists make up the one group of people guaranteed -not- to simply try and “pray away” the problem. You’re absolutely right in asking, Hemant: why reject us?

I’m with Roxane; if made to choose between the ACS and, say, the Komen Foundation (which helps fund certain parts of Planned Parenthood), I will absolutely donate to the latter.
Nancy hallo, M.D.

I agree with Others here. I donate money to medical causes and groups as a physician, apart from the work I do on a daily basis working with other doctors in caring for those with cancer. I find it appalling that such excuses are being made as to why a group of freethinkers, who happen to include many of the same physicians, scientists and others in the medical establishment cannot be recognized. This is disturbing to me and I will likely not contribute time or resources to the ACS until this is rectified.
Anonymous

I don’t get it – cancer doesn’t care if you’re an atheist or religious, so why does the ACS seem to care? It’s all so petty. And the people who ultimately suffer are the people who are fighting cancer or have people they love who are fighting cancer. How can the ACS possibly rationalize this position?
Richard Wade

If every one of the ACS’s excuses for denying FBB national team status has been debunked, then their only response left standing is “We’re too big and too busy to change your status. Now give us your money and stop complaining.”

Okay, if you’re too busy, I’ll go somewhere else. You can go “be busy” with yourself.
Heather Adams

I agree with you, Roxane. I have very limited funds that I donate annually, and I’m not going to waste it on an organization that may be discriminatory. This year I choose to Walk to End Alzheimer’s. RFL is off the list for now. The unfortunate truth is that I threw away, well recycled, some mail from RFL just yesterday because of this reason.

People don’t seem to consider the long term consequences of actions such as these. Regardless of an apology or acceptance on the part of RFL, I will have a negative feeling about the organization for a long time. That’s an unavoidable consequence of feeling disenfranchised by an organization I have donated to in the past.
Heidi

The claim that one specific non-profit corporation “is not a corporate entity,” seems more than a little weak to me. I would love to know why they consider SAL a corporate entity, but not FBB.
Annie

I agree. If FBB decides to stick it out in this inappropriate relationship with ACS, I will certainly put my dollars elsewhere. We shouldn’t need to beg to give money, especially when half a million dollars is on the table. I have my own reasons for boycotting ACS (mentioned in another post, no need to rehash here) and I am firm with my decision. I sincerely hope that FBB will find another organization that is not only more willing to take their money, but also more grateful.
Sarah

They open their ceremonies in prayer here in Oak Harbor, WA. I want to cure cancer, but do I have to love Jesus to do so? I was upset to my stomach and severely filled with anxiety when I participated for the first time this year. I thought it was just the locals who were being inconsiderate, but after reading this, the problem of excluding atheists may be systemic.
Guest

I dislike the ACS RFL. I donated a lot of money, got my family and friends to donate a lot of money and then went to the RFL event expecting a celebration of all the money we donated but was confronted by more hands in my pockets. To top it all off I’ve been spammed for the past 4 years. They should skip the pretense of a relay, point a gun at you and demand your money.
Annie

You’re spot on. The ACS doesn’t really care if you have cancer, regardless of who you are. They are concerned with making money, plain and simple. I have read statements that as much as 95% of donations go towards paying salaries. I need to research this and get a confirmed percentage, but sadly, the ACS doesn’t seem to make its use of funds available to everyone. It’s so sad to me that raising funds for cancer research or assistance has become big business.
Jcole25

It is no secret that a lot of charity work and money comes from religous organizations, I’m guessing that the ACS is afraid that acknowledging an Atheist group could possibly anger some of those organizations. Personally I think this is beyond silly. First of all many religous groups will not support any charity that gives money anything involving stem cell research. So, is the ACS going to promise to only give money to people looking for cures for cancer that don’t involve stem cell research? Also, is there really any major religous institution that would deny money to the American Cancer Society just because the ACS acknowledges an Athesist group?
Allison Wolf

I’m with you, Roxanne. I have many other worthwhile causes to support.
Kevin_Of_Bangor

Correct you are. I lost my mother to cancer almost 3 years ago. I remember the times when she told me via phone that God himself told her, in her kitchen of all places that he himself was healing her cancer. Sadly, he did a pretty shitty job curing it.

I have gladly donated to finding a cure since losing my mom at the age of 64 but now I will think twice before I donate for a cure to cancer.
Randy

Off my charity list til I see a positive outcome. I’ve donated to ACS directly after watching my grandfather die of pancreatic cancer, but if they’re not willing to treat all donors equally, they can count me out.
Sarah

My letter to ACS

“Please support freethinkers by acknowledging the Foundation Beyond Belief. As an atheist who is more likely to donate money to find cures than I am to just pray for healing, I really want to be accepted by ACS. I also don’t want it to suffer a financial loss of donors. The work you do is critical, but when it comes to it, my funds are limited and there are many ways to help make the world a better place.”
Jen

I’m an oncologist who does research myself and in my experience, very few people I people I work with are true believers. Cancer research requires evidence based thinking, which most religious people are lacking. Without all of us atheists people would be dying left and right! Seems a little ironic…
Joshua Zelinsky

Agreed. Not only are there a lot of worthy causes there are a lot of other ways to raise money to fight cancer also. The Jimmy Fund, Curesearch, and Alex’s Lemonade Stand are all excellent examples. Next time something asks me to give money to ACS I’ll just give the same amount to the Jimmy Fund (although honestly, I’m a grad student so it isn’t like my 10 or 15 dollar donations matter that much). This wouldn’t be nearly as appalling if not for the presence of other 501 (C)(3) corporations which shows that the primary claim being made by the ACS is simply a fabrication. Utterly appalling behavior.
Anonymous

One thing I noted about the drop down list Hemant posted a pic of was that there were no church groups on it. I wonder if the hard line on this issue has less to do with discriminating against any particular group and more to do with not inviting every group to say they want a national team as well.
Stephanie

I’m with you Roxane! There are a lot of worthwhile charities out there- I don’t need to donate one who seems to be embarrassed to admit taking money from atheists. I am done with ACS and will put cancer charity donations into other organizations.
Stephanie

I’m with you Roxane! There are a lot of worthwhile charities out there- I don’t need to donate one who seems to be embarrassed to admit taking money from atheists. I am done with ACS and will put cancer charity donations into other organizations.
Stephanie

I’ve been on the fence about whether to give to FBB. I think how they handle this will decide it for me. If they capitulate to ACS, then I’ll go elsewhere. If they stand firm, I’ll donate. I’d love to see anyone else who is offended by this whole situation pledge with me.
Hemant Mehta

What does “capitulating” in this case mean? I don’t think Todd has any intention of giving the ACS money if they don’t allow us a National Team… What would you like to see FBB do?
Patrik

Personally, this is the one thing I would really like to know. Not knowing corporation stuff at all, both of them appear to be the EXACT same type of organisation. And if their refusal to work with FBB is down to the type of organisation FBB is, then this is the one thing that really bothers me. And I would love someone from the ACS to respond to that particular issue.
Anonymous

If churches don’t want to be shown up by a successful atheist organisation then they could always try to raise more money than Foundation Beyond Belief. I’m sure cancer research would love that kind of competition.
Anonymous

That’s a good point. Just checked the site myself to view the full menu, and I’m not seeing any groups that are overtly associated with any religious beliefs. I wonder if any religious 501c3s have been denied.
Anneth

I’m with Sarah. We need to flood ACS with requests. Also, Charity Navigator has a public review/comment section for ACS. http://www.charitynavigator.org/
Joshua Zelinsky

The Facebook thread makes for interesting reading. The people who are defending the ACS are showing all sorts of classical cognitive biases and fallacies. This shouldn’t be that surprising: they are seeing evidence of something wrong with an organization that they are deeply involved in and that creates cognitive dissonance. This is pretty standard human behavior. Unfortunately, it seems that even politely telling people that their brains are misfiring generally makes thing better not worse.
Mary

The Foundation should reconsider which charities it supports. The ACS is a huge, bloated organization that spends an incredible portion of its budget on random expenses, travel, overhead, etc, instead of on actual cancer programs. The ACS uses 11% of its yearly expenditures on cancer research grants (they say they use more, but they include things like telephone expenses in their “research” funding). Their deputy CEO makes more than $1 million a year. Is that really what you want your donations to fund???

Smaller non-profits are almost always better, because they tend to be run by volunteers with a passion. I work for a cancer non-profit, and we use AT LEAST 97% of the funds we raise for actual research grants, with specifications that the money cannot be used for overhead expenses. The founders of my non-profit pay themselves nothing and volunteer thousands of hours a year to the cause. Do your research before you donate!
We

As long as atheist sensitivities take their rightful place as higher priority than curing cancer or charitable giving our true colors will be transparent to all.
Kevin Bates

You can also contact the ACS at http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/ontheweb/otw.jhtml?id=210000077 . This link contains a physical address, and phone number for Reuel’s office. If you plan on contacting them to let them know that you’re upset, I’d stress ‘don’t be a dick.’
Pureone

whatever- they will donate to another charity. So, yes, it shows our true colors of being caring giving people…
Kevin Bates

Or we could just give to a different organization? Maybe one that is not discriminatory. I don’t think that anyone is suggesting “No donations to anything forever,” but instead “Let’s take our $.5M somewhere else.”

RFL and the ACS are not the only groups that are working on curing cancer, in fact they are among the least efficient with the highest overhead.

As reasonable and rational thinkers, we should be taking our money elsewhere already.
Nazani14

They’re off my list, too. I prefer to donate to groups that try to PREVENT cancer, and often that means environmental groups which are often in conflict with commercial entities.
Rabid

Naming yourself “We” does not fool anyone into thinking this is anything more than your own turgid interpretation of FBB intentions.
Abram

Has anyone been able to figure out exactly why they limit the National Team registration to Corporations (apparently only for-profit ones)? It seems to me if any group of people could meet the other qualifications, the ACS should be jumping at the chance to help them out. 50 teams in at least 2 states. That’s huge. The infrastructure is apparently already built, so why stop groups that otherwise meet the qualifications. If someone offered me a half million, you bet your ass I’d take the time to write the damn code. I don’t see any reason church groups, fraternities/sororities, atheist groups or any other national group shouldn’t be allowed to participate in this program along side for-profit companies.
Slappy Jack

I’m an Atheist and I donate to the food bank for the local church – because people are hungry. I’m Pro Choice but I still donate items to the Crisis Pregnancy Center – because women and children still need help. I’m a Cancer survivor and I’ll continue to donate to the American Cancer Society – because their research saved my life. I try to do the best I can to help people regardless of their beliefs.
Daniel

They rejected Foundation Beyond Belief because discrimination against atheists is still socially acceptable and sometimes required in contemporary American society. That’s the reality, plain and simple.
Nathan

I still think they should donate the money elsewhere.

They can donate money to a good cause without giving it to bigots who refuse to recognize a group because they aren’t religious.
Captainkait

Hemant, I meant exactly what you have explained just now. If Todd still gave the money to the ACS in this situation, I don’t think I’d be able to trust FBB to donate responsibly with my donation. By the same token, a lot of us are commenting on this issue and I think maybe we should all put a little money behind our convictions and give to FBB if/when they don’t give money to ACS as a sign that we are behind them. Why not use this snub as motivation to do a little good?
Hemant Mehta

Just to be clear, Todd’s donation — a personal one — was only going to happen if the FBB became a National Team. Since ACS isn’t giving us that team, I don’t think Todd intends to make a contribution to them. For what it’s worth, even if he did, it’s his money, not the Foundation’s.

Also, FBB has no intention of giving money to ACS. They’re not one of our quarterly charities. This was a separate event we were trying to help create until they rejected us.
We

All I am saying is that we can give to charities without having to politicize everything. If the Red Cross was the only way to get blood to people and you were going to give blood until you realized the Red Cross was a Christian group, I think it would be petty to withhold your blood because you didn’t like who was giving it out.

When we give to charity we don’t have to do it as Christians or atheists or African-Americans or Democrats – we can just help other people as human beings for Christ sake. When you do it with your atheist.com temporary tattoo on like Danny Bonaduce at Celebrity Fight Club it’s transparent that you’re just pulling off an attention-grabbing publicity stunt to get in the papers. Actually caring is better than PR propaganda.
iowanatheist

They are deleting comments on their facebook page.
Stephanie

Ah, much clearer. Off to FBB website in contrition! 😀
Kevin S.

Unfortunately, CPCs don’t help young women – they shame them.
Stephen

give the money to Partners in Health:
http://www.pih.org/
WAY better option than ACS
Travshad

Is this a poorly thought out analogy, or do you actually believe the Red Cross is a Christian organization?
Slappy Jack

I totally agree. They’re made to feel guilty because they’re pregnant, then told if they don’t have the baby they’ll go to hell, then told they’re going to hell once they become single mothers. It’s a no-win situation. Unfortunately, in our rural area, they’re the only organization around that is willing to help. I prefer trying to find out who needs something, then donate directly to them. I’d rather bypass the center if at all possible.
Anonymous

The American Cancer Society is now clearly on record as discriminating against people on religious grounds. This kind of bias is sure to be reflected in other areas and mechanisms of the American Cancer Society. This is appalling for a health based organization.

To be consistent, they should fail to recognize the research or pay for the services of any of their staff who also fail to believe in gods or other manifestations of a supernatural world. Considering the correlation between eminence in the sciences and lack of religious belief this should force their best workers to lie or lose their jobs. That cannot be good for the future of the work done by this Society.
Dale Headley

Keep in mind: this is America, where religious dogma trumps ALL. My suggestion? The Foundation Beyond Belief should simply make their donation in an enlightened country where humanity comes before superstition. How about Finland?
Elerena

You might have had the glimmer of a point if the ACS was the only place to donate for cancer research.

It isn’t. It isn’t even the best one *without* considering this whole incident. So, tell me. Why do you advocate giving money to people that won’t handle it well when I could give it to someone who will? Because nobody here is advocating simply not donating at all.
Stephanie

Perhaps you should go check out the FBB then. I did. I noticed each quarter they have a very specific “Challenge the Gap” charity which is a religious based charity that will receive funding. There is a difference between not giving money to a group where you have philosophical differences and giving to one that specifically doesn’t want to acknowledge your existence publicly or to reveal that you have given them a donation. Should we be slipping the money to the ACS in a plain manilla envelope slipped under a bathroom stall?
guess

You mean the same country where government funds missionaries?

http://www.mission.fi/suomen_lahetysseura/perustiedot/talous_ja_toiminta/
http://www.mission.fi/@Bin/5995485/Tilinp%C3%A4%C3%A4t%C3%B6s+2010_Tuloslaskelma.pdf
Charles Newbury

Because we’re viewed as “godless baby killers”?
Simon Waters

Surely FBBs role it to guide charitable giving, and some of the large charities are less effective ways to effect change.

I look around for smaller charities, or things that are worthwhile but unpopular. As a result a few donations a thousandth of the size Todd can afford to make have received prompt responses and effusive gratitude. Strictly some smaller charities are less efficient (spend a larger proportion on administration – or not in some cases where it is all done by volunteers) but they may still be more effective at changing the world for the better.
Ray Bradley

Interesting response. It is, word for word, the same response I received from Enrique, ACS’s Online Cancer Information Specialist, when I emailed ACS to confirm the Friendly Atheist’s article. ACS is definitely making a concerted effort in damage control with their strategic communications. This is usually a sign that an organization needs to be careful not to expose certain information. In this case, I suspect that hidden information is ACS’s fear of losing more in donations from religious organizations than they expect to gain from atheists if we receive national recognition for our award-winning efforts.
Zhuge

Also just chiming in to point out the Red Cross isn’t a Christian group, and has a number of other umbrella organizations with different symbols in parts of the world where the cross has been tainted by (negative) associations with Christianity(as in the Red Crescent, Red Lion w/Flame, Red Star of David and Red Crystal).
C D

Is Relay For Life a public accommodation (on the day of the event) that would have to abide by the Civil Rights Act? This discrimination is appalling and I would hope that the Foundation would support a better-run cause.
C D

And the world will never improve if we shut up about discrimination.
Grandpa in the East

“they open their ceremonies in prayer…” Who? ACS or FBB? Inquiring minds want to know.
Mcsinned

I refuse to donate to ANY organization whose CEO makes a million dollars. They obviously don’t need my money.
Cold Water

calling yourself “we” had better not imply you speak for me. I, as an individual, have no agenda beyond being treated fairly.
when someone who belongs to a church has different rights in this country (that was founded as a place to escape being persecuted for one’s beliefs among other reasons) than someone who does not, it is clear and well-illuminated that fairness is in not being served.

cancer has taken friends and family members from me. my personal belief structure does not allow me to pretend I’ll see them again. I’ll give my money to an organization that strives to eradicate cancers– not one that seeks to last forever and grow like a cancer.Cure > Treatment.
Anniejmac

Jen I agree with you. I am dying of Lung Cancer .. the biggest Cancer killer & least funded .. if you look at the WTF page on Facebook you will find a lot of info on the ACS & non of it is good .. time to find a way to give the money straight to the researchers without the middle man
Nobodysheero

Good lord, so many of you people are stupid. Sigma Alpha Lambda isn’t on the team. Question the nature of the corporate team but don’t be so incredibly blind as to suggest that the ACS is discriminating based on religion. I’m not religious myself but I actually looked into the facts of a strange story instead of blindly lashing out at a wonderful organization that is doing good things for our world
Amber Mullikin

If you want to donate to cancer research and have it be actually USED properly, donate to Penn State or any of the other institutions where they are researching cancer and how to stop it.

Penn State has published recently that they found a non-disease virus that CAN KILL breast cancer, and they’ve replicated this study multiple times to ensure the accuracy of the reports. They want to find out if this virus also can kill other forms of cancer and study further. Why support a bigoted organization like the ACS when we have scientists working around the clock trying to save our sick??

Direct link to the article from Penn State if you want it:
http://live.psu.edu/story/55260
Amber Mullikin

Obviously NOT the FBB …

Atheists do not have a need for prayer.
Eland15

Hemant Metna, you are wrong. Here are the only entities who have national teams:

Abbott AGLA Allstate American Airlines AT&T Bank of America Best Buy Booz Allen Hamilton CNH COUNTRY Financial Curves Delta Airlines dressbarn El Paso Corporation Fred Meyer GEICO HCA Healthcare Hewitt JBS JELD-WEN KPMG Kroger Liberty Tax Service Lockheed Martin maurices MetLife Nucor Steel PartyLite PricewaterhouseCoopers Purolator Quest Diagnostics Rolls-Royce Sam’s Club Starbucks State Farm Insurance Target Tastefully Simple United Community Banks United Technologies UnitedHealth Group UPS Walgreens Walmart Aaron’s Inc. Anytime Fitness Apex Systems Century 21 Kraft Staples Tyson Wellpoint Wolters Kluwer Here is the website: http://www.acsworkplacesolutions.com/relayteamprogram.aspSigma Alpha Lambda, or whatever, isn’t on the list.
Eland15

If possible, I would like you to state that you were wrong on your claim. Thank you.
Nickolaos Fotopoulos

Sigma Alpha Lambda raise $28,315.73. A mere 11% of the matching offer, and 5.5% of the potential $500,000+ that might have been raised.
Eland15

Sigma Alpha Lambda is not a member of the Relay for Life National Team, which is also known as the Relay for Life National Corporate Team. All of you that are complaining about this have not done any research. It was quite simple to find the list of corporations who are part of the National Team on their website. Here is the link:
http://www.acsworkplacesolutions.com/relayteamprogram.asp

People, know the facts before you comment. ACS will accept this donation, as they stated, but FBB cannot join the National Corporate Team because it is not a corporation. Also, Sigma Alpha Lambda, and all these other names you guys are throwing out, are not part of the National Team. Either go to the website or look at my post one down from this one.
Anonymous

ACS actually deleted info from their website. However, some of the evidence is still there. Look at the info and logos on the 2010 report:
https://library.relayforlife.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_4179546_2646165_0_0_18/070445-RFL_FactsFigures2010.pdf

Also, check out their 2011 brochure:
https://library.relayforlife.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_4179546_3075551_0_0_18/7548.11%20RFL%20NTP%20Brochure%2011.pdf

Next, go to the Relay page and choose, “get involved”. Type a zip code into the “find an event” box. Next, choose “sign up”, then “state a team”. Once there open up the drop down menu and look for national teams labeled “youth affiliates” (AYSO, DeMolay, etc). That proves ACS is lying about the national team program being only for corporate entities. FBB also asked for a youth national team but was also denied that.
Anonymous

On the Relay corporate team page it shows Wolters Kluewer as having a national team. However, in 2010 they only has 10 teams and raised just $10,000. Why were they given a national team?

The fact sheet on the ACS website is here:
https://library.relayforlife.org/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_4179546_2777785_0_0_18/ACS%20RFL%20NTP%20Wolters%20Kluwer%20FY11%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf
Anonymous

Proof of the teams can be found here:
http://www.managemyrelay.org/mmr/resource
Go
to the section “Team Blitz Support Resources” and open the document
titled “Targeted Team Recruitment – ServiceSocial.doc”. I copied the
relevant portion of it here:

National Relationships Currently
there are 6 National service organizations that are affiliated with
Relay For Life. At a National level, they have chosen Relay For Life
as their signature activity. This does not mean all chapters will participate in their local Relay event, but a relationship at the
National level already exists and gives you a warm lead.

Find out where your local chapter is located and introduce yourself to them.
Ask if your committee can come and present to them on Relay For Life
and get the involved.
They could get involved as Committee members and teams! Ask if Relay could be involved in their local chapter communications to their members.

1) United States Junior Chamber (US JAYCEES) 2) Phi Beta Sigma 3) Parrot Heads In Paradise, Inc 4) National Funeral Directors Association 5) Knights of Pythias 6) Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc

There are also several youth service and social organizations that have a
National Relay For Life relationships. These clubs and organizations
exist at your local middle schools and high schools.

1) Technology Student Association 2) Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) 3) American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) 4) DeMolay International 5) Girl Scouts of the USA 6) Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society

(sorry for the bad formatting. didn’t look that bad when I posted it and can’t seem to make it better)
Anonymous

Be sure to let Sigma Alpha Lamda that they didn’t have a national team.

http://salhonors.org/2011/06/relay-for-life-hula-for-a-cure/

This was SAL’s first year as one of seven National Youth Partners with the American Cancer Society. As a National Youth Partner, we are working towards a goal of $100,000 in five years. We are off to a great start; this year 39 chapters, 422 participants and 812 donations raised $28,315.73! This incredible total has broken all of our previous records!

(Of course, ACS is trying to hide them as a national team which is why the link from the Sigma’s webpage just goes to the main Relay page)
Anonymous

SAL is showing on the dropdown menu as a youth affiliate. This is for 2012 Relay so it’s very obvious that ACS is lying.
Anonymous

DeMolay International is a youth affiliate national team and requires a belief in god to join. However, they still claim they are not religious. It’s also somehow related to the Masons and only allows boys.

http://www.demolay.org/aboutdemolay/whyjoin.php

What are the membership requirements?

In order to join DeMolay, you have to be at least 12 years
old, be younger than 21, believe in God / a supreme being, and strive to
be a good person.
Whitethunder56

If any of you really want to know more about the ACS log onto their website and look at the expenses. Also check out the salaries of their executives.
diamond_bullet

I am giving to a hospice this year.
Helena

I don’t agree with a lot of the comments about how much charitable groups spend on overhead. This TEDTalk gives an important perspective that makes a lot of sense. I understand that there will still be problems but it makes sense to remember that to make money one must spend money. So to make a lot of money – one will need to spend a lot of money. The cancer researchers would rather have $1,000,000 which might be only 20% of what was spent, versus $10,000 which was 85% of what was spent. http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_pallotta_the_way_we_think_about_charity_is_dead_wrong.html