Tickets now available to the Spring Cocktail Party & Auction go to www.familyct.org and click on the purple icon.
Greetings to All,
Usually I speak to the fact Grove Street Cemetery is starting to bud with the idea of Spring and come in an just enjoy a "walk-about" whenever.
But now I would like to endorse another walk - The Connecticut Autism Walk. It is a wonderful walk to assist in the curing of this disease. This year the walk will be on May 3rd (rain or shine) at the Choate Rosemary Hall Athletic Field in Wallingford, CT beginning at 9:30am. This walk is 2.5 miles through the lovely historic area of Wallingford, CT.
It is a real hoot!!!! There will be raffles, flowers for sale, food trucks, contests, music and just a lot of fun for all.
If you need more information, then these truly remarkable persons who have been totally involved with this great project are George and Lisa Carranzo, owners of Grand Apizza at 111 Grand Ave, Fair Haven - 203-624-7646. Or the website is www.ctautismwalk.com.
So there are many walks......the best to all.
Patricia Illingworth
Chief Docent
Grove Street Cemetery
Elm City Montessori School (ECMS) is New Haven’s first public Montessori school designed to serve students ages 3- 13. The school opened in the fall of 2014 as Connecticut’s only local charter school.
We seek a visionary Executive Director committed to Montessori as a vehicle for social justice to work with our Principal and Board in establishing Montessori as an exemplary public education model in New Haven.
The Executive Director reports to the Elm City Montessori School Board of Trustees and oversees external community relations, partnerships, school operations, budgeting, external reporting and fundraising at the school in accordance with the Connecticut State Department of Education’s Charter School standards, policies and regulations. The ED will ethically manage all assets of Elm City Montessori School according to legal standards of the State of Connecticut.
QUALIFICATIONS
The Executive Director will have demonstrated competency in all the areas listed above, plus
PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT
The Executive Director will serve 12 months. Contract for the first year will be a one-year renewable contract. The next & subsequent contracts will be three-year contracts with preset minimum raises.
Salary and Benefits
Compensation Competitive salary, commensurate with experience, and comprehensive benefits package
Responsibilities include:
Organizational Leadership
Personnel
Community Relations & Student Recruitment
Finance and Fundraising
Operations
To Learn More and Apply
Please visit our website at www.elmcitymontessori.org to learn more about Elm City Montessori School. Elm City Montessori School is an equal opportunity employer and people from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. The application deadline is April 10, 2015. Please send resume and cover letter to info@elmcitymontessori.org. A July 2015 start date is preferred.
I have framed these stages to be akin to human developmental stages: infancy, juvenile, adolescence and maturity. My study suggests that boards in their infancy and early juvenile stages tend to pay more attention to operations and management (often being operations and management) and when past this, begin to focus on governing while hanging onto managing in late juvenile and early adolescence stages. Toward the end of adolescence, boards begin to embrace a role more dominated by governing and in a mature state, lead an advanced form of governance that embraces strategy as well as advocacy and fundraising (a form of advocacy I might pose).
That said, when founders "hang-in" and "on" to leadership throughout these stages, the good news in a loyal subscription to the original mission. It's not that later board members don't hang-onto mission but new members often bring shifts and missions can indeed morph if not change altogether without the presence of founders. Clearly, orientation is critical throughout the life of a nonprofit board.
Below is a story about Cuba's Ladies in White. As the Washington Post article notes, this group of women are dissidents seeking human rights and justice for those who have been jailed for speaking out against the government. It should however come as little surprise that a group of dissidents might someday experience dissonance among their ranks driven however not by newcomers specifically but by the daughter of the founder. Laura Maria Labrada Pollan believes the group's leadership has strayed from the way of her mom and she has even created another nonprofit.
This is certainly an interesting study, based of course on limited data, of board life stages in motion. I can't say the group ever really grew past adolescence but one thing crisis does do is to move a life stage away from forward. And so, the Ladies in White must re-think their future and determine first how important is the voice of the founder's daughter, thus presumably the founder.
Here's the story.
HAVANA — The daughter of a founding member of Cuba’s Ladies in White publicly split with their current leader Thursday in the latest sign of division within the dissident group, which a decade ago was awarded the European Union’s top human rights prize.
Laura Maria Labrada, whose mother, Laura Pollan, was the Ladies’ leader and public face before her death in 2011, criticized Berta Soler’s management and the expulsion of group members.
“I have decided going forward to withdraw authorization for Berta Soler to use my mother’s name or associate it with behavior that goes against the principles she always defended,” Labrada said at a news conference in her mother and stepfather’s home.
She added that Soler is no longer welcome at the house, which traditionally has been the Ladies’ meeting place and headquarters.
Calls to Soler’s cellphone rang unanswered Thursday. Her husband and fellow dissident, Angel Moya, said she was in Miami.
The split came weeks after video surfaced online showing group members allied to Soler shouting down another longtime member, Alejandrina Garcia, during a December gathering at the home.
“Down with traitors!” ‘’She should leave!” and “We don’t want to hear her!” they yelled at Garcia, who had also disagreed with Soler’s leadership.
The scene resembled the “acts of repudiation” in which pro-government counter-protesters sometimes accost Cuba’s dissidents, yelling revolutionary slogans and personal epithets.
“As long as I am alive I will never allow another situation like the one that happened here,” said Hector Maseda, Pollan’s widower.
Some Ladies in White living overseas had called for Soler’s resignation in response to the incident. Soler announced she would submit her leadership to a referendum among members still on the island, a vote which she survived last week.
Labrada alleged that since Soler took over in 2011, members have been mistreated and unfairly expelled. Like Garcia, who was at the news conference, she also criticized the inclusion of men in their protests.
Labrada said she welcomes ongoing U.S.-Cuba negotiations on restoring diplomatic relations and reopening embassies in each other’s countries, in contrast to Soler’s harsh criticism of President Barack Obama after the December announcement.
Labrada said she has the support of 100 Ladies in White who are calling for an election, rather than a referendum, and the reincorporation of ousted members.
She also said she intends to start a nonprofit foundation named after her mother to help needy children, abused women and the elderly.
Wives and mothers of 75 activists jailed in a 2003 crackdown on dissent formed the Ladies in White over a decade ago to press for their loved ones’ release.
They became known for weekly marches along Havana’s leafy 5th Avenue on Sundays after Mass, wearing white and carrying gladiolas.
The last of the 75 prisoners were released in recent years, and nearly all the original Ladies have left the group.
With mostly new membership, they now protest to demand freedom for others they consider political prisoners and for democratic reform.
The government accuses dissidents of being traitors and “mercenaries” who accept money from abroad to undermine the revolution and Cuba’s Communist system.
In 2005 the European Union awarded its Sakharov human rights prize to the group.
___
Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ARodriguezAP
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
POSITION OVERVIEW:
This Development Officer builds and stewards relationships with high net-worth donors and prospects, as well as manage employee giving campaigns primarily in the higher education and legal industry communities in the greater New Haven area. This position also represents United Way at corporate and community functions and recruits volunteers to provide support for initiatives specific to the higher education and legal industry communities.
KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS:
Cultivate, solicit and steward donors in this portfolio of Alexis de Tocqueville ($10,000+) and Leadership ($1,000-$9,999) Society members and move them toward special and major gifts. Increase and retain existing contributions and attract first time donors.
a. The development officer will, as a part of Resource Development Team, develop and build relationships with existing major and leadership contributors and prospects, educating them about United Way and motivating them to maintain and increase their level of participation. This includes personal meetings, engagement opportunities, targeted communications efforts as well as through personal solicitation. Responsible for:
b. Stewardship and solicitation of 200-250 donors each year.
Identify donors and prospects to expand the base of major and leadership givers with a particular focus on individuals working in the higher education and legal industry.
a. The development officer determines donors giving potential, identifies prospects for solicitation and utilizes volunteer or organizational resources most appropriate to initiate and maintain contact. Based on research and on analysis of the existing donor base demographics as well as leads referred by donors or others, the development officer will assess potential for successful solicitation and employ volunteer and organization resources accordingly.
Manage assigned employee giving campaigns particularly in the higher education and legal industries. Organize giving opportunities; maintain year-round engagement through informational meetings, volunteer opportunities, and fundraising. Analyze data from prior campaigns to identify means and methods to increase overall employee participation.
a. Cultivate relationships with key members within the assigned workforce responsibilities.
b. Recruit and train workplace champions to lead the local giving opportunities. Identify giving methods that increase participation.
Serve as member of the West Haven Chamber of Commerce to recruit and engage prospects to enter into an employee giving campaign. Provide assistance with other industry events during campaign season as requested.
a. The development officer will work with volunteers to solicit donors and establish relationships with new prospects. This includes but is not limited to: invitations to Alexis de Tocqueville Society, Leadership, or other events and committees, participating in business development teams, serving as liaison between Chamber members and United Way, serving as liaison between development and Community Impact to create unique volunteer opportunities for major donors, their colleagues and families.
Women’s Leadership Affinity group responsibilities
Manage, recruit, and cultivate relationships within the Women’s Leadership Affinity group. The development officer will help organize tours, draft correspondence and meet special customer service needs of the Women’s Leadership Affinity group as required increasing membership, donations, and community outcomes.
REQUIREMENTS:
To apply, please submit a cover letter and resume to employment@uwgnh.org. No phone calls, please. United Way of Greater New Haven is an equal opportunity employer.
In 2013, New Haven was designated one of the nation's first urban wildlife refuges. With support for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Audubon Connecticut, and many other funders and partners, New Haven has been creating oases for people and wildlife at locations across the city. Now, we are seeking two more sites for restoration efforts. Do you know a corner of our city that needs to be turned into an urban oasis?
Click on the RFP below to learn more and apply!
The Quinnipiac River Watershed Based Plan identifies priority issues for the watershed and provides recommendations to address them.
Although advances and upgrades in wastewater treatment have improved water quality over the past several decades, the water quality of much of the Quinnipiac River and its tributaries remains poor as a result of elevated levels of bacteria and impairments to aquatic life.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) (i.e., a “pollution budget”) developed for the Quinnipiac River and its major tributaries by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP) in 2008 indicates that bacteria loads must be reduced by over 90% for the impaired segments to meet water quality standards and once again support contact recreation.
The plan recommendations include watershed-wide recommendations that can be implemented throughout the Quinnipiac River watershed, targeted recommendations that are tailored to issues within specific subwatersheds or areas, and site-specific recommendations to address issues at selected sites that were identified during the watershed field inventories. Recommendations are classified according to their timeframe and overall implementation priority.
"They sent me a notice that I should send my rent to a bank," said Melvin Howard, 69, a disabled veteran. "And I haven't heard from anybody since."
The housing market crash that began around 2005 - Bucks County's real estate values declined about 25 percent from 2006 to 2011, based on state figures - hobbled many of the nation's affordable-housing nonprofits, experts say.
But most have endured. That may not be the case with Interfaith, one of only a few organizations in Bucks that offers housing to lower-income residents.
The 28-year-old organization said it could not operate much longer without a new business plan. The old one relied mostly on a bullish real estate market and banks that would lend to low-income home buyers.
A former Interfaith executive director said the group should have dissolved years ago. He faults poor management and the county government, which continued to approve much of Interfaith's public funding.
During the real estate boom, the group bought houses, rehabbed them, and eventually sold them to renters, many of whom secured mortgages. Home values appreciated between sales, providing Interfaith with much of its revenue.
But in the last several years, not one Interfaith renter has been able to acquire a loan, as few, if any, houses gained equity.
Three properties are now in foreclosure and set for the April sheriff's sale, imperiling renters in four houses, including the Howards.
Interfaith has been behind on other mortgages. And some of the land it bought with taxpayer money sits undeveloped.
Bucks County also has had a steep decline in the availability of housing for people with lower incomes.
Among the more than 50,000 rental units, a county study released last year found the number renting for less than $1,000 a month fell by nearly half from 2000 to 2010. Rents of $1,000 or more increased by 146 percent.
The Howards live on fixed income and pay far less than $1,000 a month.
"We don't have the kind of money where we can up and put money down on a place," Melvin Howard said.
Interfaith board members said they hoped the county would help them form a new business model. In the meantime, they're negotiating with the bank to prevent the sheriff's sale.
"Our primary concern is our residents," said Sister Rita Margraff, president of Interfaith's board. "We're making a lot of moves to keep our residents in housing."
The foreclosures stem from Interfaith's failure to develop a $1.5 million housing project in Bristol Township. The county and the township had chipped in a combined $800,000, which included money allotted from federal housing programs.
Interfaith also got a private loan. But it had trouble getting more money to build, and the project stalled.
The nonprofit defaulted on the loan last year. Tied up in the same mortgage was the Howards' home and a multi-unit property on nearby Marie Lowe Drive, leading to their foreclosure.
David Fornal, attorney for the mortgage holder, National Penn, declined to comment on the matter.
Besides the tenants, another concern is the loss of taxpayer money. If the three properties are sold to buyers who fail to meet low-income requirements, Bucks County must pay back tens of thousands of dollars to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
But even more HUD money, about $3.5 million, is invested in nearly all of Interfaith's properties, which face an uncertain future.
Rob Loughery, chairman of the Bucks County Board of Commissioners, said the county had been working with several banks to stabilize Interfaith mortgages, not just the ones in foreclosure. The goal, he said, is to keep low-income renters in all of the homes, even if Interfaith closes.
A new housing advisory board will address the county's lack of affordable housing and Interfaith's future, Loughery said.
"I don't think anything ill of what they were doing," Loughery said of Interfaith. "They probably made some poor decisions. But who didn't [during the housing bubble]?"
Experts say most nonprofits suffered during the downturn. But few relied on a strong housing market to thrive. Liz Hersh, executive director of the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, said, "Off the top of my head, I am not aware of any housing nonprofits for whom [the downturn] was catastrophic. Most have adapted to the new realities."
Chris Auth, Interfaith executive director from 2009 to 2011, said it should have shut down. Before he arrived, Interfaith evicted a few tenants to sell houses for much-needed income. The staff was too large, Auth said, and mortgages went unpaid even then.
The county continued to approve funding, even when Interfaith failed to pay taxes. "Interfaith should have gotten out of business," Auth said. "It could have found a viable nonprofit to have merged with."
Meanwhile, the Howards are considering their options, which are few. The sheriff's sale is in seven weeks.
Melvin Howard said he would like to buy the property, an agreement the county will try to broker. The bank declined to comment.
"I feel hurt and that they have neglected me," Howard said of Interfaith. "It ain't like we're young and can jump up and move."
IRIS- Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services
Job Opening
Operations and Finance Director
March 2015
IRIS – Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (www.irisct.org), a dynamic nonprofit organization in New Haven CT, has an immediate opening for the full-time position of Operations and Finance Director. IRIS helps refugees and asylees—people fleeing persecution in their home countries who are invited to the US by the federal government—to start new lives and become self-sufficient, contributing members of their communities. IRIS currently serves clients from countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Congo, Eritrea, and Sudan.
General Description
The Operations and Finance Director will provide overall management of IRIS’ operations, finances, and human resources. The goal of this position is to ensure a smooth operation of the day-to-day business of IRIS, making it possible for clients to be served effectively; for staff members to function efficiently; and for IRIS to comply with government requirements.
In 2015, the Operations and Finance Director will also provide primary oversight of the operational components of IRIS’s move into a new office, and the current process of IRIS becoming an independent 501(c)3 organization.
The Operations and Finance Director will supervise the Operations Manager and Bookkeeper/Accountant and other staff as appropriate. The Operations and Finance Director will serve on the Management Team, and will report to the Executive Director.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include:
1) Financial and Grants Management
2) Fund Development
3) Organizational Effectiveness and Governance
4) Human Resources
Requirements
The successful candidate will have a minimum of 5 years of experience in a senior administrative position, non-profit experience preferred; experience creating budgets and providing financial management; excellent writing, communication, and organizational skills; and the ability to handle multiple demands and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment. Candidate must be fluent in English. Candidate must have a demonstrated commitment to the mission of IRIS and awareness and sensitivity to multicultural issues. Candidate must be proficient with MS Windows and MS Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Experience with Quickbooks, GiftWorks, Salesforce, and MS Access or other databases a plus.
To apply, send an email to Executive Director Chris George, at humanresources@irisct.org by March 23rd with the following:
Greetings To All,
Well, Grove Street Cemetery has been truly asleep this past two months. But hopefully we will be seeing a wonderful spring thaw very soon.
But as a gentle reminder the season will begin formal touring season for everyone May 2nd (Saturday) and May 3rd (Sunday) until the end of November. If you require any information for public/private/special tours, please contact Patricia Illingworth, Chief Docent, at 203.389.5403 or email p.b.i.newhaven@att.net.
Hoping to see and make new friends in this coming year.
All the best,
Patricia Illingworth
All Our Kin seeks a dynamic social entrepreneur to maximize the effectiveness and impact of its New Haven operations. This role requires exceptional leadership, management and critical thinking. Reporting directly to the leadership team, the Director of All Our Kin-New Haven leads a high-performing staff in transforming the quality and sustainability of early childhood education in New Haven and the region.
Key responsibilities include:
Management and supervision of New Haven staff and programs
Mentorship and educational leadership
Local impact and strategic growth
Candidate Requirements:
Education and Experience
Skills, Traits and Beliefs
Candidates must:
Compensation and Benefits
Commensurate with experience.
About All Our Kin
All Our Kin, Inc., is a nationally-recognized, Connecticut-based nonprofit organization that trains, supports, and sustains community child care providers in order to ensure that children and families have the foundation they need to succeed in school and in life. We invest in children’s first teachers, offering a teaching and learning model that supports child care providers at every stage of their development, from parents and caregivers to professional educators and businesspeople. Through our programs, child care professionals succeed as business owners; working parents find stable, high-quality care for their children; and our youngest and most vulnerable children receive the early learning experiences that prepare them to succeed in school and in life.
All Our Kin is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes that diversity and opportunity are fundamental to children’s lives and to our work.
To Apply: Send resume and cover letter by mail: All Our Kin, P.O. Box 8477, New Haven, CT 06530-0477, by fax: 203-772-2386, or by e-mail: christina@allourkin.org.
All Our Kin seeks a Full-Time Quality Program Director to begin immediately after hire. The Quality Program Director will design and coordinate All Our Kin’s Quality Showcase Program, which aims to support quality enhancements in family child care programs. The Quality Showcase Program will significantly enhance the quality of family child care in New Haven by providing training, technical support, quality enhancement funds, and tangible incentives for improvement. The Quality Showcase Program will also provide parents with easily understandable and accessible information about the quality and availability of family child care as well as give family child care providers opportunities to highlight their programs for parents and the New Haven community.
We are searching for an enthusiastic team player who is looking to make an impact and are excited about being a part of an effective, growing and dynamic non-profit organization. We offer competitive salary and benefits and a flexible schedule. The Quality Program Director will primarily work from our New Haven location.
About All Our Kin: All Our Kin first opened its doors in a New Haven housing project in 1999 with two staff members, six mothers, six children, and one core belief: all children deserve access to high-quality early learning opportunities. As Connecticut explores ways to sustain high-quality child care in a time of great economic hardship, communities and agencies throughout the state seek to learn from and build on All Our Kin’s best practices. In response to this demand, All Our Kin expanded beyond New Haven, and is currently serving Bridgeport, Norwalk and Stamford as well. Today, we serve over 300 family child care providers; these parents and educators in turn serve over 1,500 children in our community. To learn more about our work, please visit www.allourkin.org.
Responsibilities of the Quality Program Director include but are not limited to:
The ideal candidate:
Benefits of Working at All Our Kin
All Our Kin’s small size, focus on innovation, and collaborative model of program development make it possible for staff members to get a close look at the workings of a small, high-impact nonprofit organization at the cusp of two critical issues: job creation and child care. The organization’s commitment to mentorship and professional development guarantee that the Quality Program Director will receive individual time and attention, and will serve as an integral member of our highly skilled and mission-driven team.
All Our Kin is an equal opportunity employer and recognizes that diversity and opportunity are fundamental to children’s lives and to our work.
To Apply: Send resume and cover letter by mail: All Our Kin, P.O. Box 8477, New Haven, CT 06530-0477, by fax: 203-772-2386, or by e-mail: christina@allourkin.org.
Join The Community Foundation for a discussion with Felicia Escobar,
Special Assistant to the President for Immigration Policy
President Obama’s Executive Action of November 2014 will offer the opportunity for undocumented immigrants to stay in the country temporarily, provided they have been living in the U.S. for more than five years, have children who are U.S. citizens and meet other requirements. It will deploy more resources to the southern border of the U.S. and prioritize deportation for criminals and undocumented immigrants who crossed the border recently. The Executive Action will also streamline the legal immigration process by expanding work authorization for high-skilled workers already in line for a green card.
Ms. Escobar develops the President’s strategy for building a 21st century immigration system. This work involves coordinating efforts across the Executive branch to strengthen the current system and working toward passage of meaningful, comprehensive immigration reform legislation. She previously served on U.S. Senator Ken Salazar’s legislative team, working with him to develop his legislative agenda on a host of issues including labor, civil rights, judicial nominations and immigration. She advised Sen. Salazar during the comprehensive immigration reform debates of 2006 and 2007 in which Sen. Salazar was a key member of the bipartisan group pressing for reform.
Prior to this, Ms. Escobar was Associate Director of the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee. In this role, she helped cultivate relationships between Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and key stakeholder groups, including Latino, immigration and education advocacy groups. Ms. Escobar started her career as a State Policy Analyst working for the National Council of La Raza. She represented NCLR and its network of affiliates in the Texas State Legislature, testifying before legislative committees to advocate for education, immigrant access to benefits, and hate crimes legislation. She is a native of San Antonio, TX.
Ms. Escobar received an undergraduate degree from Yale University, a Masters in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law.
Immigrant integration is an important priority for The Community Foundation. In 2015, The Community Foundation’s work will include dedicated grantmaking and other support for nonprofits working in this area, including support for advocacy efforts on State and Federal immigration policy, efforts to identify and support emerging leaders in the immigrant community, and public education and other efforts to enhance the community’s understanding of the social, cultural and economic benefits of immigration for Greater New Haven.
Outstanding healthcare opportunity! Fair Haven Community Health Center is a leader in health care in Connecticut. We are proud to have a diverse and motivated team of professionals who are constantly seeking ways to enhance and improve the health and well-being of all patients.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Requirements
Please e-mail resume to b.pace@fhchc.org or fax to (203)777-8506 Attn: B. Pace
There are times when it can really matter that a nonprofit's board and staff step-out to support legislation that supports its mission. When nonprofits sit on the side-lines of political discussion, unlike the AARP or similar member organizations, bad things can result for nonprofits.
Take for example the bins that are used by Salvation Army and Goodwill. These recycling collectors have pretty much defined the industry where folks can donate their goods for cause. Well, the for-profit sector thinks there's may be opportunity here and have set-up competing bins in New York and Philadelphia and elsewhere. The unknowing public, trusting what Salvation Army and Goodwill have established might just presume their "contributions" follow the same path. But, as the following Philadelphia Inquirer article illustrates, not so.
But the point of today's blog: nonprofits don't have to sit by when threats reduce mission effectiveness. The boards and staff can legitimately take action to educate the public and speak actively to their legislators about rules that can support them and the public.
TRICIA L. NADOLNY, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
POSTED: Monday, February 16, 2015, 1:07 AM
The clothing donation bin appeared on the North Philadelphia street corner without warning, a metal box caked with bubble-gum pink paint and rust.
Stenciled on the side in small blue letters was this message: "Through your donations we provide money to charities & give employees occupation."
Jay Butler, who owns the adjacent property near Erie Avenue and 21st Street, didn't think much of it. Until the bin filled up, and clothing - along with a mattress, a broken television, and an empty bottle of brandy - littered the sidewalk. He went to the police station.
"They told me that I can get rid of it," Butler said. "Well, what am I going to do with it?"
What he didn't know was that a half-mile away was a nearly identical bin. And another one a block from that. And one about 500 feet from there. And a half-dozen more along nearby Broad Street.
All have appeared within the last six months.
All bear a New Jersey phone number connected not to a charity, but to a for-profit company. That company, Viltex USA, is causing a headache in New York City, where officials are scrambling to push the bins out.
Viltex, it seems, is pushing south and finding a new market in Philadelphia. It's one of several for-profit textile-recycling companies expanding in the city.
"These recyclers are aggressive," said Mark Boyd, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Southern New Jersey and Philadelphia. "They are, as far as I'm concerned, taking revenue from Goodwill."
Textile recycling is a nearly billion-dollar worldwide business, industry officials say. Of the clothing discarded in donation bins, much is resold in bulk, often overseas, where used wares are at a premium because consumers can't afford new items. The rest is recycled into wiping rags, carpet padding, even car-door insulation.
Donations left in Goodwill or Salvation Army bins are often sold to fund services such as employment training and alcohol-treatment programs.
Donations left in Viltex's bins? No one really knows.
Viltex's sparse website says the company is a for-profit entity "that works hand in hand" with nonprofits and charities. None are identified by name.
The company's phone number goes to voice mail; Viltex officials could not be reached for comment. Viltex filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November, saying in court filings that its liabilities were equal to its assets, about $550,000.
Viltex's attorney, David Stevens, did not return a call or e-mail seeking comment.
The company's presence in Philadelphia is unavoidable. A quick drive through the neighborhoods of Nicetown, Logan, Hunting Park, and North Philadelphia turns up scores of blue and pink Viltex bins, many tagged with graffiti and surrounded by trash. Nearly all are in poor areas and set in front of vacant lots.
Councilwoman Cindy Bass, whose district encompasses those neighborhoods, noticed the trend.
"You begin to wonder about the predatory nature of what these bins really are," she said.
This month, she introduced a bill to ban for-profit donation bins and require all bins to be licensed. Separately, Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. last month revived a bill he introduced in 2013 that would require bins to be licensed. (Bass said the two measures would likely be combined.)
Jones and Councilman Bobby Henon, whose districts cover much of Northeast and Northwest Philadelphia, said they had seen an influx of bins, including some installed without the permission of property owners.
Many of those, unlike Viltex's, identify a benefiting charity on the bin. But they operate under a hybrid nonprofit/for-profit model that has come under fire from groups like Goodwill.
For example, several bins operated by A&E Clothing indicate proceeds benefit the Retired Peace Officers, a New Jersey nonprofit. That's true. But the nonprofit gets a flat $25,000 check each year and A&E Clothing keeps the rest, according to Anna Jaruga, an A&E employee.
Boyd, of Goodwill, said most people who throw used clothes into a donation bin assume the charity is the only benefactor. He and Maj. Kevin Schoch, who oversees the local Salvation Army's donation bins, said the influx of for-profit bins was cutting into their donations.
Schoch said the Salvation Army had only 20 bins in the region, but he was looking to add 200 more.
"It's about the visibility," he said. "We, for lack of a better way to say it, need to be competitive."
Others believe there is no need for a rivalry.
More than 80 percent of fabrics end up in a landfill, according to Jackie King, executive director of the Secondary Materials and Recycled Textiles Association, an international trade group for the for-profit sector. For-profit companies are diverting that waste, she said.
King, who has asked Bass to reconsider her legislation, said her association's 160 members all pledge to clearly state their relationship with any charity on each bin.
"It's a matter of making it convenient for people to recycle," King said. "There's plenty of clothing and textiles to go around."
Forcing for-profit bins out of Philadelphia may be easier said than done.
In New York City, where it is illegal to put donation bins on the sidewalk, the city handed out 2,093 citations in fiscal year 2014, up from about 600 the year before. Officials said many companies remove bins within the 30-day warning period, only to drop them elsewhere, restarting the clock.
The City Council there recently passed legislation allowing the Sanitation Department to remove bins immediately.
When Butler asked Philadelphia's Sanitation Department to clean up the mess around the bin at 21st and Erie, he said a crew hauled away the mattress and the television but left the rest. Last week, he contacted Bass' office. On Wednesday, a city crew cleared away the rest of the debris.
But not the bin.
"I'm just a little concerned that it's only going to continue," Butler said. "Until they get rid of this stupid thing."
In March 2010, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven (NHS) launched its first annual Resident Leadership Program.
Based on a curriculum developed in conjunction with our national partner, NeighborWorks® America, the program consists of five units. The primary goals of this program are to transfer concrete leadership skills to residents, create a space for participants to share their experiences with one another, and increase residents’ sense of being agents of change. One key to achieving these goals starts with the fundamental belief that participants and the communities they represent are assets.
Too often, leadership programs are built to fill in the “missing gaps” in emerging leaders, rather than hone the skills they already possess or allow time to build confidence and skills. This program aims to change that paradigm.
NHS is pleased to announce that registration is now open for our 2015 Resident Leadership Program. We are featuring a fresh lineup of workshops for this year’s program, but they continue to focus on helping resident leaders to build tangible skills and effect positive change in their communities.
This year's classes are:
March 31 - Building Winning Teams
April 7 - Tips for Effective Communication
April 21 - Staying Strong through Recruitment and Retention
May 5 - Using Planning to Create Action
May 19 - Effectively Using Community Resources
Registration deadline is Tuesday, March 17. A $25 registration fee is required upon acceptance into the program.
The 2015 Resident Leadership Program Application can be found here.
To read more about our program, including past facilitators and workshop topics, please click here.
About Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven:
Incorporated in 1979, Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven, Inc. (NHS) positions neighborhoods to succeed by increasing homeownership; providing pre- and post-purchase homebuyer education and financial coaching; making homes beautiful, energy-efficient, and affordable; and helping residents take charge of their neighborhoods. In 2001, NHS opened the New Haven HomeOwnership Center, which provides homebuyer education and financial assistance to individuals and families who are purchasing and rehabilitating homes throughout the Greater New Haven area. The HomeOwnership Center is also a leading provider of foreclosure intervention services to clients throughout Connecticut. NHS is a chartered member of the NeighborWorks® America network. (www.nhsofnewhaven.org)
I think it can be safely said that nonprofits that have revenues and equally important, savings, have an enhanced ability to pursue mission. It of course is worth saying that volunteers and donated goods and services matter and matter a lot, but unrestricted assets and income equally matters and often are a game changer for a nonprofit's pursuit of ission.
So what happens if, in a moment, assets dissapear? Impossible you say? Not really as I reagularly feature events when internal thefts wipe-out the short-term ability of some nonprofits to operate. Greenpeace India on the other hand has experienced a real stoppage of the use of its money. The India Reserve Bank put a freeze on Greenpeace's (and five other nonprofit's) financial assets. Greenpeace activities in the pursuit of mission have actually begun to do their job and the government has retaliated - pretty much a tit-for-tat event. The courts have told the India Reserve Bank it has to un-freeze the assets so Greenpeace's temporary crises is pretty much over.
I'm pretty confident that Greenpeace's board, like the other nonprofit boards, dedicated to what the believe is right for the public and the earth, knew what to expect from the government it was holding accountable. This board understood the financial risks but proceeded to act. I'm also believing that the board had a plan in the event of government action - use of media, other partners ready to jump-in, perhaps even other methods for paying for its expenses.
I offer that this is good and responsible governance. Noting that during this week we have recognized and honored the work of Martin Luther King and the nonprofit boards who stood beside him, kudos to Greenpeace and its sister organizations and to all nonprofit boards who have pursued mission regardless of the risks.
To learn a bit more about the Greenpeace situation, check here.
Until recently, the system for dealing with homelessness had been a patchwork of shelters and service agencies working independently to help people get back on their feet. Every agency had a different screening and application process that frequently required difficult to obtain documentation and confusing forms. That approach is changing.
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