Alannah and Madeline Foundation responds to criticism of its fundraising method

UPDATE

The Alannah and Madeline Foundation defended itself amid criticism of its fundraising methods.

On Friday, 3AW Drive revealed AMF has outsourced some of its fundraising to an intermediary, Appco Group.

Appco sells voucher booklets for $50 on AMF’s behalf, however the company pockets 60% of the money raised.

CEO Judith Slocombe told Tom Elliott outsourcing the voucher booklet campaign is cheaper than training up their own volunteers.

‘If we’re going to people’s homes, we want to make sure that we’re really respectful, really considerate,’ Dr Slocombe said.

‘You’ve got to have trained people doing that.

‘When you look at the cost of a foundation doing that, it’s far more than a professional organisation can deliver that service for.

‘I would rather our efforts go to what we’re really good at – looking after children.’

Dr Slocombe said it was made clear that the price of the booklet was a purchase, not a donation.

Click play to hear Dr Judith Slocombe explain 

EARLIER

On Friday, 3AW listener Danny told Tom he wouldn’t have paid the $50 had he known so much of it was going to the company.

‘Not for that purpose, not at all,’ he said.

It followed the news that The Shane Warne Foundation is winding itself up ‘in response to recent, unwarranted speculation’.

Warne said his charity will make one final donation on March 18, bringing its total amount donated up to $4 million.

Click play to hear Danny’s call

3AW caller Ken said he received a similar visit from an Appco representative. 

‘He was quite upfront,’ Ken said.

‘He said ‘I work for another company that collects on behalf of Alannah and Madeline Foundation.”

Ken said that made him ‘incensed’. 

Click play to hear Ken’s call

 

One of the voucher booklets that AMF sells for $50.