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nutritional value, and (4) communicate the reactions to
MFM.
“In less than a year, letters and experience reports from
across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and from within the
United States poured into the Foundation’s office with the
welcome news that the trio had won its gamble.” Many
testimonials follow (p. 51-55).
“Equally laudatory reports arrived at Clifton’s
Restaurant from Asian countries.” By late 1947 MFM and
MPF had become newsworthy enough to gain some
mention on local, national, and trade publications, such as
Time magazine, the New York Times, Soybean Digest, and
the Christian Science Monitor. In 1947 MFM donated
500,00 meals to in an American project to send a
“Friendship Train” across the United States to collect food
for Europe. One result was more glowing newspaper
coverage (p. 57-58). Continued. Address: Seattle,
Washington.
204. Roberts, Hibbert Rice. 1967. The Meals for Millions
Foundation: a study of a non-governmental organization
(Continued–Document Part IV). PhD thesis in Political
Science, University of Washington. 288 leaves. [53 + 100+
footnotes]
• Summary: Continued: “From the outset MFM found mail
appeals the most effective fund-raising device. Each appeal
normally consisted of a form letter carrying a message
signed by the President of Meals for Millions, a
‘Newsletter,’ and an addressed envelope for sending
contributions to the Foundation. Usually written by Ernest
Chamberlain, both the President’s cover letter and the
Newsletter strive unabashedly to arouse the emotions of the
reader” (p. 58). The mail appeals were sent three times a
year to a list of about 45,000 potential donors. The resulting
contributions accounted for 60-70% of MFM’s budget.
Dr. Ebright, who was deeply involved with the National
Christian Council of India from 1947 to 1952, “found
himself embroiled in the most turbulent and misery-filled
period of Indian history as the partitioned sub-continent
reeled from the upheaval and horror of communalism.” He
was surprised and delighted to receive shipments of MPF in
early 1948. He stated: “There was no doubt about it–
wounds began to heal and doctors became enthusiastic, I
then became one of the first Americans to use MPF in large
quantities and I used it in our total relief program both in the
north and south for the next 4 or 5 years.” He wrote about
MPF at length in his book Free India published in 1954,
five years before he joined MFM (p. 61-63).
“Upon returning to the United States in 1960, Dr.
Ebright visited MFM’s headquarters at the invitation of
Florence Rose, who then offered him the position of
Director or Extension Services.” As a result of his work and
attendance at church conferences, “In 1961 the annual high
MEALS FOR MILLIONS, SOY, AND FREEDOM FROM HUNGER 85
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of Methodist donations to MFM leaped from a previous
high of $3,500 to one of $33,415” (p. 63).
“From 1946 to 1962 Americans contributed $3,182,958
to MFM–a disappointing sum in terms of the time and
energy poured into fund-raising by MFM’s staff and officers
and the severe limitations it has imposed upon the
foundation’s capacity to respond to appeals for relief
shipments of MPF and to stimulate overseas production of
MPF-type foods.” “Figures relating to MFM’s finances are
based upon the annual financial audits of the Foundation’s
records by the certified public accounting firm of Kahan,
Seltzer, and Eckstein of Los Angeles” (p. 65).
Table 4 (p. 66) shows the yearly income of MFM from
1946-47 to 1961-62. The following give a general idea of
the ups and downs: 1946–$60,916. 1947–$272,649. 1950–
$41,658. 1955–$215,090. 1960–$285,204. 1961-62–
$332,297.
“... more than once Florence Rose and Ernest
Chamberlain delayed paying themselves in order to meet the
pay roll of the office staff. In general, the instability and
inadequacy of MFM’s income generates an air of permanent
crisis and frustration within the ranks of the Los Angeles
staff as they struggle to fill the requests for relief shipments
which stream into the office daily.
“To make matters worse for MFM, the fundraising
endeavors of Florence Rose and staff have been hampered
by its relations to two key non-profit organizations in the
American field of philanthropy. Particularly damaging has
been MFM’s standing with the National Information
Bureau. Founded in 1918 ‘to maintain standards in the field
of philanthropy and to aid thoughtful contributors to give
wisely,’ the National Information Bureau (NIB) prepares
and upon request sends to its subscribers evaluation reports
about any of approximately 500 non-profit organizations
that solicit contributions within the United States.” “NIB
approval comes only when a non-profit organization
complies with the following ‘basic standards of
philanthropy.’” The headings are: Board. Purpose, Program,
Cooperation, Ethical Promotion, Fund Raising, Audit, and
Budget. For a non-profit, winning NIB approval is almost
essential to success. Meals for Millions never did win this
approval. NIB’s evaluation of MFM found: The
“Foundation’s board of directors was too small and too
inactive to exercise adequate administrative control.”
MFM’s literature “includes statements which are probably
entirely inaccurate as to fact and other statements which are
exceedingly questionable from the point of view of
constructive relief. MFM’s slogan ‘3¢ buys a meal’
apparently ignored the contributions of other voluntary
agencies in providing the expensive services [such as
transportation, warehousing, distribution, plus MFM’s
fundraising costs] necessary to deliver the 3¢ meal to a
consumer” (p. 67-69). Additional contentious issues arose
over the years, for example: MPF was not cooked and thus