If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Families claim foundation solicited often
http://cgi.citizen-times.com/cgi-bin/story/40615
Families claim foundation solicited often By Jennifer Brevorka, STAFF WRITER Aug. 23, 2003 11:11 p.m. ASHEVILLE - Uncovering corruption and fraud was expensive, and the Children's Legal Foundation-Justice Coalition needed money for its work. "What Alan [Beal] would do is say, `I don't have enough money to get back to Charlotte,'" said Chuck Miller, a parent who sought the coalition's advice with a DSS case. "Or he would lay a guilt trip on you about how the foundation was short on cash." The Millers were one of several families who handed over cash to Jay Gell or Alan Beal for the foundation. Families' contributions to the foundation ranged from $50 to $4,000 and all were told their donations were tax deductible, according to the seven families interviewed for this article. Neither Jay Gell nor Alan Beal, who are salaried employees of the foundation, has another job, Gell said. The men donate their income from savings to the foundation. "At almost every meeting we held with [Beal] there was at least 15 minutes spent on donations," said Sue Dhermy, who said her family donated about $4, 000 to the foundation. "He asked people for money for gas, food and other expenses. And he usually got it in cash, no one got a receipt." Gell disputed some claims about specific donations, saying people gave less or didn't specify money for their case fund. When verifying other donation claims, Gell said he couldn't confirm figures because the financial records were with Beal. "Your local area investigation started long before you think," Gell said in an e-mail responding to questions for this article. "I refused any donations, contributions, or compensation from anyone in this area until this year. During the course of my involvement I, personally have paid expenses and cost (sic) over $3,000 excluding my time and transportation." In response to questions asking how many people donated to the foundation, Gell said that families in 12 out of 235 cases donated money. The foundation hasn't registered with the IRS for 501(c)3 status, a necessity for federal tax exemptions and for contributions to be considered tax-deductible. But the two men repeatedly told families donations were tax-deductible, a violation of IRS regulations, according to the IRS Web site and Asheville tax attorneys with the Van Winkle Law Firm who were interviewed for this article. Gell also works with a second foundation, Preserve our Prosperity, which aims "to remove courts from our marriages" and "stop the legalized financial exploitation and rape of American Families," according to its Web site. While that foundation has recently received $40,000 in grants, Gell said in an e-mail, the children's legal foundation is struggling for cash. "One of our funding sources has temporarily withheld a $24,000 grant from us," Beal wrote in a recent e-mail to a supporter. "We are financially destitute at the moment. Money for traveling and basic operating expenses is not there and I am working on other sources of funding as we speak." Contact Brevorka at 232-2938 or . © 2003 ASHEVILLE CITIZEN-TIMES |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
DCF CT monitor finds kids *worsen* while in state custody | Kane | General | 8 | August 13th 03 07:43 AM |