I don't feel that the compensation for the FAAN executives is out of line. NFP need to attract quality personnel just as much as industry does. I think that FAAN is a wonderful, quality organization and I am very thankful for their work and the products that they provide. I am a member and send an addtional annual donations when I can manage it.
Also in response to another comment in this thread, I agree with their position on "may contains" as potentially being a cop out that the manufactors can use to protect themselves instead of using thier brains to solve the problems of properly cleaning, testing or altering their plants to strive to make the products safe for allergy sufferers. While no one wants unsafe products represented as being safe, better labeling and safe manufactoring practices are linked but not exactly the same thing.

Speaking of donations to FAAN - I wonder how many of us really know that Chris of peanutallergy.com has done as much or more for all of us as FAAN?
Where is FAAN's bulletin board? How do they allow us as a group to interact with them? FAAN frequently indicates publicly that they represent the peanut allergy community.
They have some good information - but most of it is available on other sites or searches.
Chris is the one that has either refinanced or sold his HOME to provide us with this board to help us keep informed and to get to gether as a group to contact people and companies about the needs of our children.
So isn't it about time we all send in our donations to Chris? This board is NOT maintained free - it costs him lots of money and TIME. He doesn't set a fee that we must pay to use it. He has lots of links on this board that answer most of our questions and provides us with updated info.
Anyone notice that FAAN does not provide a link to peanutallergy.com - why? Could it be because he doesn't charge for his information? I used to be a member of FAAN.
Everyone that uses this board and that can afford it should send Chris some money today (yes, even if it is only five dollars). I know that this board has saved me money and time on Dr. visits and fighting schools. We all share such wonderful information and support because of Chris. He brings us together - FAAN gives us information for a fee. So if we want this board to keep running lets donate to the peanutallergy.com fund today.
Sue in Sunny Arizona

Chris, if you're out there, please let us know if you have not-for-profit status.
I have no problem sending a donation, but I'd like to be able to deduct it on my taxes!
Also, since you seem to be an internet wizard, how about setting up a "quick donation via Paypal" link?

I don`t agree that we need as much for support for something like ADD which is not life threatening as we do for PA which is life threatening. It`s great if one has lots of money to contribute to many different charities. However, my resources are limited and I prefer to spend them on support for illnesses which are life threatening. FAAN and PA.com both have many accomplishments to their credit, although both have helped us in different ways.

carefulmom - obviously ADD does not affect your life or you would not make such a callous statement about it. I would prefer not to go into an essay length rebuttal (although I could quite easily), but I will say this.
An EpiPen "literally" saves the life of my PA daughter. Ritalin "figuratively" saves the life of my ADD son, by helping him control his impulsive behaviour (looking both ways before he crosses the street). Studies show 1/4 of jail inmates have previously undiagnosed ADD - impulsivity is their downfall - and this same disorder leads to teenage drug use (self-medicating) and suicide attempts.
I consider my son's ADD equally as life-threatening as my daughter's PA, and it is obvious that organizations like the ADDO must survive in order to educate people like you.
Carolyn

Whether or not salaries of $125,000 each for Anne Furlong and her husband are reasonable is open to much debate. What struck me about the figures quoted here was that expenses are almost double the amount of donations, and salaries and "related expenses" are almost half of the expenses. I admit I am speaking without further research, but that doesn't sound like optimal use of donation money. There are charities that strive to use 20% or less of donations on expenses. It sounds like FAAN is falling far from that mark. And optimal use of donations is certainly an important consideration for me in deciding where my charitable dollars go.

Salaries are a big budget item in most organizations. "Staff salaries" can easily munch up half a budget. People cost money. I worked for a non-for-profit who researched this somewhat to make sure we were in line with budget items.
I am not for or against FAAN. I haven't researched the organization enough to know whether they are doing anything wrong or not.
I am against people hurling unresearched accusations at people out of emotion. I mean, why would you say they do not show PA.com as a link because it offers free information? What do you base that on?
I am all for accountability & debate on oragnizations. But, you really need to have facts & understand the facts before you make accusations. If you disagree with some positions FAAN takes on PA, that doesn't mean you have to dis the whole organization out of anger. Or drag people's name through the mud without researching your points.

I have to pipe up on the brain/body disorder thing. I have a dear friend of over 30 years who right now is in a serious, serious depression. This IS life threatening. We know enough now to know that brain disorders ARE physically based. If you don't think brain disorders can be life threatening, think of the Andrea Yates trial which is currently front and center in the national news.
I know this was a digression from the original thread, but just had to add my $.02.
Amy

Yes, ADD does affect my life or I would not be in a position to compare it to PA. I would rather have ten children with ADD than one with PA. For me nothing compares to having to worry daily about someone eating peanut butter and touching my daughter without washing their hands which for her could be fatal. I don`t live with that daily fear with ADD.
As far as depression, I didn`t comment on it. What I said was I would rather spend my limited resources on illnesses which are life-threatening than those which are not. Going Nuts, I never made a generalization about all brain disorders. What I said was specifically about ADD. Aside from Andrea Yates, all one has to do is look at suicide statistics to see that depression can be fatal, and in fact I have contributed to that cause both financially and by volunteering my time.
[This message has been edited by Carefulmom (edited January 07, 2002).]

carefulmom - you are certainly entitled to your opinion that your child's PA is more serious an issue than my son's ADD. I believe if I post another rebuttal it will turn into an unfortunate contest over who has the biggest burden to bear, so I won't. You can certainly hold the opinion we can pull the plug on "my" groups, like ADD, because they aren't as important as "your" groups, like FAAN. Your money is your money - give it to whomever you like. Whatever.
But have you considered the irony of your post? The one where you discount "my" problem, while knowing nothing about what I deal with? Your ADD situation is not my ADD situation - my PA is not your PA, understand? Other people underestimate the seriousness of PA every day, and our collective wish is that if only people could walk in our shoes for a day, they would "get it". How can we expect compassion, or at least understanding, if we won't give it? Don't negate my experiences.
Carolyn
[This message has been edited by Cayley's Mom (edited January 07, 2002).]