Joni Eareckson Tada Net Worth

Written from the perspective of a disabled Christian adult, after many years of experience:

I don’t know Joni or her net worth.

I do have a concern, not an accusation, a concern about her ministry “Joni and Friends”

I contacted them years ago and basically all I got was instruction on how I could send
money and support them. No help. Not even a phone call or letter. No referral to anyone else. I called today and the lady in the office did pray with and listen to me. I do appreciate that. She also offered I could call in any day and they would pray for me,
and she did not ask me for donations or to pay for this.

I realize there is a difference between the ministry “Joni and Friends”, and Joni’s personal businesses such as writing books.

I think the distinction between them should be made clearer, especially financially.

I do not think this is her fault nor that they have done anything wrong. I think that we as a country need to clarify the distinctions between things like this to avoid confusion. I am not trying to shut down ministries or keep ministers poor.

However, I do wonder: where is all the money going?

They say they train churches to start a disability ministry of their own, and they do help families with developmentally disabled children. I’m not saying they are not helping anyone, just that I did not find them helpful for my type of disability, at least, not so helpful that anyone should be donating money.

Telling someone to go to your church or social security is good advice but it is advice anyone should know and can be found anywhere online.

I don’t see how that type of help justifies asking for donations.

I am not saying they don’t deserve donations. I don’t know.

And I’m wondering where the money goes? Who is actually helped and how?
Joni and Friends ministry is highly rated by a charity rater so I’m not saying they are doing anything wrong or illegal. Not at all.

I’m not saying we should not have non profits or ministries or that they should not appeal for funds. However I do think some clearer guidelines would be helpful.

If I”m a disabled person with an income of less than a thousand dollars a month,
how is this ministry helping persons like myself? Not that they have to help everyone since every ministry and non profit has a niche. But I wonder. Shouldn’t they be trying to help me?

If they are appealing for funds, should not at least some of those funds go to actually helping disabled people? Perhaps the donations do that, perhaps they only help
certain type of disabled people.

I certainly wasn’t impressed with the help offered to me and my type of disability.
And it makes me wonder just who is being helped? And how? Where are the donations going?

As far as Joni’s personal income that her right just like any other American who
writes successful books, etc.

But remember she is selling herself as someone who has disability and who is
in some ways speaking for, or helping others, with disabilities. A new Bible
is coming out in the Fall addressing this. However she is paid and probably very
well for her books, conferences, as CEO or head of this non profit Ministry.

I’m not saying that is wrong. But how is it helping the disabled? Or which ones?

Some large Christian ministries and other non profits do help people, but there is always a temptation to turn these into money making scams. Even if the persons running them are sincere, if the services or help they offer is questionable, then people who give to these non profits must do their own research to ask themselves whether they should be supporting these ministries or not.

I have to admit I got a bad impression when I sent the ministry a letter asking for help and all I got was a form letter/info telling me how I could give money to them with no type of help at all offered. That was years ago and hopefully they are helping people. I just don’t know.

Joni has been promoted by Christians as representing a disabled person who has, with the help of God and the Bible, worked with, survived and thrived. I don’t know if she promoted herself or others promoted her. I think there needs to be a separation between what is being done to help others and what is being done more as a business to
help herself financially. And it is the responsibility of those who support such non profits and ministries to ask themselves these questions, also.

I can see where her books encourage others. Hopefully she can earn a good income from these; I don’t know.

I don’t really see how the ministry “Joni and Friends” is helping anyone and I could just be ignorant. I think it’s a valid question, though. If I’m promoted as someone who cares for the disabled, hurting or poor and want to help them, it’s not wrong if I’m getting rich but I think morally we need to be careful to avoid the possibilty of anyone getting rich off
of the problems or hurts of others in the name of helping them if they are not actually being helped. That’s always a risk and a balance with ministries. They do need to prosper as they have expenses and want to expand. They often do help people and often offer some free resources.

It’s someone’s free choice whether to donate money or purchase paid items.

I just think it’s unusual that I don’t really find any free thing to help anyone…Mabye
I’ve missed it because I haven’t reviewed her website in great detail…..

So I believe there should be a separation between earned business income (anyone’s right) such as from writing books, etc. but the problem is usually there is a blur and the person takes their reputation etc into the non profit arena….in the non profit arena,
what justifies that non profit or ministry in asking for donations? How are they being used? Who is being helped?