Washington Post. 10/27/2013. Inside the hidden world of thefts, scams and phantom purchases at the nation’s nonprofits

http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/inside-the-hidden-world-of-thefts-scams-and-phantom-purchases-at-the-nations-nonprofits/2013/10/26/825a82ca-0c26-11e3-9941-6711ed662e71_story.html

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Inside the hidden world of thefts, scams and phantom purchases at the nation’s nonprofits

The American Legacy Foundation’s headquarters in Northwest Washington (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

WRITTEN BYJoe StephensMary Pat Flaherty

PUBLISHED: OCTOBER 26

E-mail the writers

For 14 years, the American Legacy Foundation has managed hundreds of millions of dollars drawn from a government settlement with big tobacco companies, priding itself on funding vital health research and telling the unadorned truth about the deadly effects of smoking.

Yet the foundation, located just blocks from the White House, was restrained when asked on a federal disclosure form whether it had experienced an embezzlement or other “diversion” of its assets.

SEE ALSO: Read about how a trusted bookkeeper wasembezzling money from a nonprofit rowing clubin Virginia, plus how this story was reported.

Legacy officials typed “yes” on Page 6 of their 2011 form and provided a six-line explanation 32 pages later, disclosing that they “became aware” of a diversion “in excess of $250,000 committed by a former employee.” They wrote that the diversion was due to fraud and now say they believe they fulfilled their disclosure requirement.

Cheryl Healton is Legacy’s founding president and chief executive.

Records and interviews reveal the full story: an estimated $3.4 million loss, linked to purchases from a business described sometimes as a computer supply firm and at others as a barbershop, and to an assistant vice president who now runs a video game emporium in Ni­ger­ia.

Also not included in the disclosure report: details about how Legacy officials waited nearly three years after an initial warning before they called in investigators.

“We’re not innocent in this,” said Legacy chief executiveCheryl Healton. “We are horrified it happened on our watch.. . . The truth hurts — we screwed up.”

A Washington Post analysis of filings from 2008 to 2012 found that Legacy is one of more than 1,000 nonprofit organizations that checked the box indicating that they had discovered a “significant diversion” of assets, disclosing losses attributed to theft, investment fraud, embezzlement and other unauthorized uses of funds.

The diversions drained hundreds of millions of dollars from institutions that are underwritten by public donations and government funds. Just 10 of the largest disclosures identified by The Post cited combined losses to nonprofit groups and their affiliates that potentially totaled more than a half-billion dollars.

While some of the diversions have come to public attention, many others — such as the one at the American Legacy Foundation — have not been reported in the news media. And The Post found that nonprofits routinely omitted important details from their public filings, leaving the public to guess what had happened — even though federal disclosure instructions direct nonprofit groups to explain the circumstances. About half the organizations did not disclose the total amount lost.

The findings are striking because organizations are required to report only diversions of more than $250,000 or those identified as having exceeded 5 percent of an organization’s annual gross receipts or total assets. Of those, filing instructions direct nonprofits to disclose “any unauthorized conversion or use of the organization’s assets other than for the organization’s authorized purposes, including but not limited to embezzlement or theft.”

Examples of financial skullduggery abound in the District, throughout the Washington region and across the United States.As part of its analysis, The Post assembled the first public,searchable database of nonprofits that have disclosed diversions, available at ­wapo.st/
diversionsdatabase. Groups on the list were identified with the assistance of GuideStar, an organization that gathers and disseminates federal filings by nonprofits.

A few blocks from Legacy’s offices on Massachusetts Avenue, the nonprofit Youth Service America reported two years ago that it discovered a diversion in 2009 of about $2 million that had been “misappropriated” by a former employee. After The Post asked about the incident, he was charged in federal court and in June was sentenced to four years in prison for theft.

A few blocks in the other direction is the Alliance for Excellent Education, which disclosed four years ago that investment manager Bernard L. Madoff’s Ponzi scheme had wiped nearly $7 million from its balance sheets. In a statement to The Post, officials there called the figure a “paper” loss.

International Rescue Committee (IRC): Central African Republic: Forgotten?

October 2013

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Forgotten? Photo: Peter Biro/IRC “The rebels stole all our cassava and rice,” says Dieudonné Dounea, the father of two-year-old Nathan, who arrived at an IRC-supported hospital in the town of Kaga Bandoro near death from starvation. The IRC's Peter Biro reports on how we are helping in a country where political chaos and rampant violence threaten millions of people without making global headlines. Photo Story Near anarchy, the Central African Republic is facing a food crisis

Privacy Policy | RSS © 2013 International Rescue Committee

International Rescue Committee (IRC): Syria: Winters Threat

October 2013

Photo: Peter Biro/IRC SYRIA: Winter’s Threat As Syria's civil war rages on, families inside the country and around the region are facing what may be an unusually harsh winter without adequate shelter or enough to eat. "There is a winter from hell coming for millions of people," says IRC president David Miliband. The IRC and our partners are providing emergency support to hundreds of thousands of refugees and displaced Syrians. From the Field Get the latest Syria updates from IRC aid workers and partners Tell Us What would you cook using a Syrian refugee family’s rations?

Privacy Policy | RSS © 2013 International Rescue Committee

Emergency, Disaster, Crisis & Risk Management Information 'One Stop Shopping'

BEMA Network (All):

So much information, so many links to track, so many miles before I sleep.

If there is one internet link\url to keep your situation awareness on local and global communities, try the CBS News Disaster Link at http://www.cbsnews.com/digitaldan/disaster/disasters.shtml as your one stop shopping location for emergency, disaster crisis and risk management site.

Be safe, be prepared.

Black Emergency Managers Association  

1231  Good Hope Road  S.E.

Washington, D.C.  20020

Office:   202-618-9097 

bEMA 

"Leaders don't force people to follow, they invite them on a journey" - Charles S Lauer

UNISDR: Guidance Note on Disability and Emergency Risk Management for Health

http://reliefweb.int/report/world/guidance-note-disability-and-emergency-risk-management-health

Informing Humanitarians Worldwide.

from UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, IFRC, International Organization for Migration, World Health Organization, UN Children's Fund, CBM

Published on 10 Oct 2013 —

Download PDF (1.04 MB)

People with disabilities are disproportionately affected in emergencies and experience particularly high rates of mortality in these contexts. To mark International Day for Disaster Reduction 2013, CBM, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Organization for Migration, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the World Health Organization release today a guidance note to highlight the needs of people with disabilities before, during and after emergencies.

Emergencies can increase the vulnerability of people with disabilities, as people with disabilities may be less able to escape from hazards; may lose essential medications or assistive devices such as spectacles or hearing and mobility aids; or may be left behind when a community is forced to evacuate. People with disabilities may also have greater difficulty accessing basic needs, including food, water, shelter, latrines and health-care services. Following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in 2011, statistics showed that the fatality rate for people with disabilities was twice that of non-disabled people.

Emergencies also create a new generation of people with disabilities due to injuries, poor basic surgical and medical care, emergency-induced mental health and psychological problems and breakdown in support structures and preventive health care. Estimates from some countries suggest that up to one quarter of disabilities before, during and after emergencies may be associated with violence and injuries. It is estimated that for every child killed as a result of violent conflict, three are injured and permanently impaired.

The Guidance note on disability and emergency risk management for health is a short, practical guide that covers actions across emergency risk management, such as risk assessment, prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction. Developed primarily for health actors working in emergency and disaster risk management at the local, national or international level, and in governmental or nongovernmental agencies, the guidance note points out the health-related actions that are required to ensure that both mainstream and specific support are available and accessible to people with disabilities in emergencies.

International Organization for Migration:

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REMINDER: October 24, 2013 Psychological First Aid Training

Reminder:

Upcoming training in PFAT. 

Keep in mind that psychological first aid is not something for implementation to address disaster and traumatic events within the U.S. but is a practice that should and must be practiced internationally as part of disaster risk reduction planning for the mental health and  well-being of communities.

Think of obtaining training, and courses in your community.

BEMA

Subject: RAPID Psychological First Aid Training - October 24, 2013

RAPID~PSYCHOLOGICAL FIRST AID

The Johns Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Learning Center and the DHMH Office of Preparedness and Response are pleased to offer the Johns Hopkins~RAPID Psychological First Aid Workshop. It is a 6-hour, interactive training that provides non-mental health professionals with the concepts and skills associated with Psychological First Aid. Utilizing the RAPID model (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition), this specialized training provides perspectives on injuries and trauma that are beyond those physical in nature. Additionally, the RAPID model is readily applicable to public health settings, the workplace, the military, faith-based organizations, mass disaster venues, and even the demands of more commonplace critical events, e.g., dealing with the psychological aftermath of accidents, robberies, suicide, homicide, or community violence.

DATE:  October 24, 2013
TIME:  9:00am - 4:00pm (registration begins at 8:00 am)
LOCATION: Best Western Grand Venice Hotel, Hagerstown, MD 21740

ACCOMMODATIONS:  For those requiring overnight accommodations, a room rate of $65.90 is being offered.
REGISTRATION:  https://trams.jhsph.edu/trams/index.cfm?event=training.catalogDisplay&trainingID=660
Additional Details Can Be Found Here:  http://www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-center-for-public-health-preparedness/training/calendar/index.html

CONTACT INFORMATION:  Katurah Bland, 443-287-6735/kbland@jhsph.edu

Cultural Compentency\Knowledge and Perspecitives. Morgan State University School of Global Journalism

Black Press Business/Economic Feature                              Week of October 14, 2013

BUSINESS EXCHANGE

By William Reed

Take Note of this Black Institution

"We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us." – Samuel Cornish and John B. Russwurm

That’s the sentiment of individuals at Morgan State University's (MSU) School of Global Journalism and Communication. When Cornish and Russwurm wrote these words nearly two centuries ago in Freedom's Journal, they started America’s Black Press. Founded as a New York City weekly on March 16, 1827, Freedom's Journal was established the same year that slavery was abolished in the state of New York. The paper served to counter the mainstream press on racial issues and interests. Cornish and Russwurm worked as senior and junior editors, respectively.

Richard Prince’s online news on journalism diversity issues, Journal-isms, was first to report that DeWayne Wickham, USA Today and Gannett Company columnist “was set to create a school of communications at Morgan State University.” Nowadays, Wickham is saying: “Morgan has given me the honor of conceptualizing this school and serving as its founding dean.” Kweisi Mfume, chairman of the Morgan State University Board of Regents recently introduced its new School of Global Journalism and Communication, located at 4905 Perring Parkway in Baltimore, during a ribbon cutting ceremony and Civil Rights and Media Symposium.

For Blacks seeking success and advancement in journalism, Wickham is well-suited to be dean of MSU’s School of Global Journalism and Communication to prepare Black students. A National Association of Black Journalists’ Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Wickham is a visionary in the field. His reach and ability to “conceptualize” were evident in the school’s recent presentation. Having ABC News Anchor and Chief National Correspondent Byron Pitts moderate the symposium on the Media and the Civil Rights Struggle in 1963, the most tumultuous year of the Civil Rights Movement was Wickham’s doing. Pitts led a panel of distinguished journalists analyzing coverage of events such as the March on Washington, the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Medgar Evers, the Birmingham Children’s Crusade and the 16^th Street Baptist Church bombing.

There are some among contemporary African Americans of the “white is right” mentality and who seek “mainstream institutional” education. They should go elsewhere, but in reality, Wickham plans to help students “plead our own cause” and ensure that they receive the education, skills and experiences needed to become successful journalists in the 21^st century. The opening of MSU’s School of Global Journalism and Communication makes that institution the nation’s only historically Black College with a primary mission to train the next generation of journalists and mass communicators to compete in a global environment.

During the 180 years since the appearance of Freedom’s Journal, the Black Press has chronicled and commented upon events as they have occurred and affected African Americans. Throughout his distinguished career, Wickham has stayed true to our culture. Wickham has already left an indelible mark on the Black Press and made arrangements for some MSU students to intern with the Afro newspapers. He’s co-founder of The Trotter Group, an organization of Black columnists, and a National Association of Black Journalists founding member and former president. Wickham’s contributions in public policy, politics and civic engagement are unparalleled. He has also worked for Black Enterprise magazine and as executive editor of BlackAmericaWeb.com.

At the symposium, Paul Delaney, a retired New York Times editor and national correspondent, chronicled the role of the Black Press in the Civil Rights Movement as a reporter for the Atlanta Daily World. The symposium provided a platform for Black reporters like Delaney to recount the outstanding coverage that the Black Press provided during the Civil Rights Movement’s most important events. The  symposium special included video interviews with Simeon Booker who led JET magazine’s Civil Rights coverage and Moses Newson who risked his life covering major events such as the Till murder trial, and Freedom Rides in 1963.

Wickham’s influence on students can be significant. His venture with MSU can set the standard for Blacks. Wickham can become a beacon for Blacks in journalism going forward.  

William Reed is publisher of “Who’s Who in Black Corporate America” and available for projects via the BaileyGroup.org.

A global challenge: aiding those with disabilities

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/21/opinion/sonenshine-disabilities-disasters/

By Tara Sonenshine, Special to CNN

updated 7:45 AM EDT, Mon October 21, 2013

Disabled residents wait for help after being rescued from their nursing home during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 in New Orleans.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tara Sonenshine: In disasters, the needs of those with disabilities should be in forefront
• She says Hurricane Katrina, Japan and Haiti earthquakes demonstrate the problem
• U.N. report says needs of a billion people are not being woven into disaster planning

Editor's note: Tara Sonenshine is former undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs and currently a distinguished fellow at George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs.

(CNN) -- Imagine not being able to hear a siren during an emergency or to see a warning sign to evacuate. Imagine navigating knee-high mud in a wheelchair or trying to explain to a child with Down syndrome why he or she must seek higher ground. Those are just some of the challenges facing those with physical and cognitive disabilities -- people often least prepared to face a natural disaster.

A largely overlooked report issued this month by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction found that the crucial needs of about 1 billion people living with physical and mental disabilities around the world are not woven into the disaster planning and emergency response plans of governments and civil society groups.

The result is that a disproportionate number of disabled persons suffer and die in disasters because of a lack of attention to their needs. Emergency response systems and shelters are poorly designed to handle their requirements. According to the report, 70% of those with disabilities who responded to the survey in over 100 countries said they did not know how to tap into any existing emergency response system in their communities. They become largely dependent on the good will of families and neighbors.

Tara Sonenshine

The report confirms the experience from recent catastrophes like the 2010 earthquake in Haiti -- where deaf victims were trapped underneath rubble, unable to hear the sounds of rescuers drilling above -- and the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, where victims in wheelchairs could not board evacuation buses or get into temporary housing that had no ramps.

And we have seen in the U.S. during Hurricane Katrina and other major storms how those with disabilities suffer. In a post-Katrina study of survivors, reports found that people with physical or cognitive disabilities faced considerable barriers to transportation, evacuation, and housing. Dozens died in nursing homes and medical centers. Many of the disabled survivors did not have jobs, making post-crisis transition even more challenging.

It is tempting to presume that people with disabilities are small in number. The reality, however, is that roughly 15% of people in the world live with a physical or cognitive disability -- many of them in developing countries that cannot afford care and inclusion.

In the United States, 37.2 million Americans have some form of disability. Despite the success of programs like the Americans with Disabilities Act, there are millions of people left without meaningful employment, education, and services before, during, and after a crisis.

The United States has a global imperative to address the needs of the disabled today -- especially in difficult fiscal times. Leaving aside the moral obligation, there is an economic driver at work. Worldwide, people with disabilities have higher unemployment rates than those without disabilities. In developing countries, 80% to 90% of persons of working age with disabilities are unemployed, whereas in industrialized countries the figure is between 50% and 70%. Their exclusion from the workplace deprives societies of an estimated $1.4 trillion in gross domestic product.

As we plan for disaster relief, as well as routine development and assistance, it is vital that America lead with a sustained commitment to those with disabilities. The U.S. failure to ratify the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities -- a convention signed by 155 nations -- reinforces a perception that America does not care about the disabled.

Yet despite the failure to ratify the convention, America has a good story to tell on inclusive development and disabilities. The U.S. Agency for International Development has led the way on supporting principles of universal design that not only fund specific programs to address the targeted needs of disabled citizens, but integrate disabilities into generalized programs that improve job training, education, quality and accessibility of care.

Over 75% of U.S. missions and USAID offices report activities and programs that specifically include people with disabilities. The U.S. State Department has a special adviser for international disability rights and has made enormous progress in expanding the range of U.S.-funded exchange programs to include more participants with disabilities and to convene international experts around the issue.

Recently, a major conference took place in Washington, with leaders on disability rights from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, the Philippines, Tajikistan, and Uganda and representatives from NGOs, universities, and government offices in the U.S., to address challenges facing persons with disabilities in their home communities. The U.S. sent the first-ever official team of disabled sports envoys to China to promote inclusion and equality for persons with disabilities.

This month we celebrate the 25th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month to pay homage to our own citizens with disabilities. The October campaign theme is "Because we are EQUAL to the task." This is a good time to think about those at home and overseas who are marginalized and excluded because of disabilities and make sure we are doing our part.