WASHINGTON (Map, News) - A nonprofit organization that provides meals to homebound HIV-AIDS and cancer patients in the Washington region has come under fire for the generous compensation paid to its longtime executive director.

Craig Shniderman was paid $357,000 in salary and benefits last year as head of Food & Friends, and his salary has gone up 4 percent this year. That''''s despite cutbacks in services by the charity, which has cited declining donations and rising fuel and food costs.

There''''s no legal limit to how much tax-exempt charities can pay their executives, but two charity experts who reviewed Food & Friends'''' federal filings at the request of The Washington Post say Shniderman''''s compensation is unusually high for the organization''''s size.

The charity''''s board of directors is defending Shniderman''''s compensation. Board members cite his decades of experience in social services.