Founded on November 14, 1978, the Operation Blessing International Relief and Development Corporation (OBI) is a non-profit humanitarian organization based in Virginia Beach, Virginia. It is ostensibly dedicated to alleviating human need and suffering in the United States and around the world. Since inception, OBI has helped more than 155 million people in 96 countries and all 50 states as well as distributed goods valued at more than $500 million. December 2005 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December- → 31 December 2005 (Saturday) 25-year-old Scottish human rights worker Kate Burton and her parents are freed unharmed in the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian gunmen who kidnapped them two days earlier. ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 47 days remaining. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... A non-profit organization (often called non-profit org or simply non-profit or not-for-profit) can be seen as an organization that doesnt have a goal to make a profit. ... Official website: http://www. ...

History

OBI came together under the guidance and leadership of televangelist Pat Robertson. The corporation was set up to help struggling individuals and families with donated items from viewers of The 700 Club, Robertson's daily television program. Operation Blessing has supplied humanitarian relief after many disasters, including Hurricane Andrew and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. Bill Horan is the current president and Chief Operating Officer. In the USA and Canada, a televangelist (portmanteau for television evangelist) is a religious minister (often a Christian priest or minister) who devotes a large portion of his (or her) ministry to TV broadcasts to a regular viewing and listening audience. ... American religious broadcaster Pat Robertson Marion Gordon Pat Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is an influential religious broadcaster from the United States. ... The 700 Club is a Christian News and talk show hosted by religious leader Pat Robertson, airing on cables ABC Family and in syndication throughout the United States and Canada. ... Hurricane Andrew was one of the most destructive hurricanes ever to hit the United States. ... The December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami hits Thailand The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake, known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, was an undersea earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC (07:58:53 local time) on December 26, 2004. ... A chief operating officer (or COO) is a corporate officer responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the corporation. ...

Diamond mining scandal

An Operation Blessing airplane was reportedly^[1] being used for Pat Robertson's personal mining venture. In 1997, two of Operation Blessing's pilots, Robert Hinkle and Tahir Brohi, told the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot newspaper that Operation Blessing planes were diverted to support Pat Robertson's diamond mining ventures instead of doing relief work in Zaire. Even though Robertson reimbursed Operation Blessing for the use of these planes, some have criticized the organization for allowing the use of resources by a for-profit venture. A Robertson spokesperson said that the planes used were unsuitable for relief work. No charges were ever filed in the matter. 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... American religious broadcaster Pat Robertson Marion Gordon Pat Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is an influential religious broadcaster from the United States. ...

Hurricane Katrina involvement

Operation Blessing provided large amounts of food and other donations^[2] to people affected by Hurricane Katrina. Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,605 Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the costliest...

From at least September 2, 2005, to September 4, 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency directed web site visitors to many sites for donations, with Operation Blessing listed third, after America's Second Harvest and The Red Cross.^[3] Then, FEMA replaced the links with a single link to nvoad.org. Leaders of other charity and relief organizations have estimated that this linking has enriched Operation Blessing by "tens of millions of dollars". Many have questioned this high profile linking to Operation Blessing, in light of the organization's close affiliation with Pat Robertson, who weeks previously had been a center of controversy since his plea for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.[4] New FEMA seal The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. ... Americas Second Harvest--The Nations Food Bank Network--is a nation-wide food bank network of over 200 food banks that serve every county in the United States as well as Puerto Rico. ... The Red Cross and the Red Crescent emblems, the symbols from which the Movement derives its name The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement consists of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (Federation), and the 183 national... Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías (IPA: ; born July 28, 1954) is the 53rd[1] and current President of Venezuela. ...

Former Entertainment Tonight host, New Age/Christian musician and syndicated radio host John Tesh is directing contributions towards Operation Blessing from his site TeshRadioRelief.com. He is calling in to his own show, as well as Pat Robertson's shows on CBN, giving on-the-ground coverage of Operation Blessing's efforts in the Katrina-ravaged Gulf States region.[5] Entertainment Tonight is a daily television entertainment news magazine that is syndicated by CBS Paramount Domestic Television throughout the United States and Canada. ... John Tesh (born July 9, 1952) is an American new age/contemporary Christian musician. ... CBN may stand for: Cannabinol, a cannabinoid from Cannabis sativa (hemp). ...

Large amounts given to Pat Robertsons TV Operation

Excerpt: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/story/343712p-293471c.html

Investigators concluded that Operation Blessing "willfully induced contributions from the public through the use of misleading statements ..."

After the investigation began, Robertson placated state regulators by personally reimbursing his own charity $400,000 and by agreeing to tighten its bookkeeping methods.

Separating Operation Blessing from Robertson's many politically oriented endeavors is not that easy, however.

The biggest single U.S. recipient of Operation Blessing, according to its latest financial report, was Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. It received $885,000 in the fiscal year ended March 2004.

Operation Blessing, with a budget of $190 million, is an integral part of the Robertson empire. Not only is he the chairman of the board, his wife is listed on its latest financial report as its vice president, and one of his sons is on the board of directors.

References

• ↑  Bill Sizemore. Pat Roberton's Right-Wing Gold Mine. Ms. magazine. URL accessed on September 6, 2005.

• ↑  Operation Blessing Hurricane Katrina Relief Activities. URL accessed on September 6, 2005.

• ↑  Help the Victims of Hurricane Katrina. FEMA web site. URL accessed on September 6, 2005.

• ↑  FEMA Directing Donations to Rev. Pat Robertson. Sploid. URL accessed on September 6, 2005.

1. ABC News: Some Question Robertson's Katrina Charity ... Operation Blessing Is Second on FEMA's List for Donations for Hurricane Victims. This Operation Blessing plane delivered aid to Africa in a past crisis. ... http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1112518&page=1 magazine Ms. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... New FEMA seal The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Gawker Media is a media company founded and owned by Nick Denton. ... This article is about the day of the year. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

2. ABC News: Some Question Robertson's Katrina Charity ... According to its most recent filing with the Internal Revenue Service, Operation Blessing gave more than half of its yearly allocation of cash donations ... http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1112518&page=2

3. ABC News: Grim Accounting ... Controversy Surrounding Operation Blessing (2:59); Interview With Colin Powell (1:48); Person of the Week: Mark Sloan (3:55) « Go back to main archive page. http://abcnews.go.com/Video/videoHighlight?id=1108956

External link

• http://www.ob.org