Attorney general to track Hurricane Sandy-related fundraising and spending of 75 charities
by jmaloni
Press release
Wed, Nov 28th 2012 07:00 am
To promote transparency, A.G. requests info from nonprofits raising
funds for Sandy relief and will report it online
Schneiderman to ensure that funds raised for Hurricane Sandy relief are used
for that purpose
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced Monday that
his office has sent letters to 75 nonprofits requesting information on their
fundraising and relief activities related to Hurricane Sandy. In an effort to
promote transparency and donor confidence, and to ensure that funds raised for
Sandy relief are properly used, the attorney general's charities bureau will
compile this information and report it online.
"Our office commends all of the charities, and their
volunteers and donors, who have come to the assistance of New Yorkers after
Hurricane Sandy," Schneiderman
said. "In light of the importance of the recovery efforts, and the
enormous amount of money raised in such a short period of time, it is critical
that donors know where their money is going, and that funds are spent
responsibly. In the name of transparency and accountability, we must ensure
that funds raised for Hurricane Sandy relief are used for that purpose."
The letter sent to charities asks for certain basic
information, including:
The amount raised and spent to date
for Hurricane Sandy relief;
Whether donations will be used
solely for Hurricane Sandy relief;
The services provided to date to
those affected by Hurricane Sandy;
Whether the charity is providing
funding to other organizations, or making direct financial grants to
individuals, families or businesses;
What the charity plans to do with
any surplus funds.
Information obtained from the responses will be made
available on the attorney general's website. In addition to promoting
transparency, this information will also assist relief organizations in
coordinating their delivery of services.
The 75 organizations that were sent a letter from the
attorney general's office are:
AARP
Foundation
Acupuncturists
Without Borders
Afya
Foundation
All
Hands Volunteers
American
Humane Association
American
Red Cross
American
Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
AmeriCares
Foundation Inc.
Best
Friends Animal Society
B'nai
B'rith International
Breezy
Point Hurricane Sandy Relief
Brooklyn
Recovery Fund
Brother's
Brother Foundation
Catholic
Charities of the Archdiocese of New York
Catholic
Charities Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens Inc.
Center
for Disaster Philanthropy
Children's
Hunger Fund
Church
World Service
City
Harvest
Citymeals-on-Wheels
Convoy
of Hope
Direct
Relief International
Disaster
Chaplaincy Services
Emergency
Children's Help Organization
Empire
State Relief Fund
Episcopal
Relief & Development
Feed
the Children
Food
Bank for New York City
Gleaning
For The World
Goodwill
Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey Inc.
Graybeards
Habitat
for Humanity International
Heart
to Heart International
Hispanic
Federation
Hope
for the Warriors
Hurricane
Sandy Relief Foundation
ICNA
Relief
International
Rescue Committee
Islamic
Relief USA
Jewish
Disaster Response Corps
Kids
in Distressed Situations Inc.
Liberty
Street Relief Fund
MAP
International
Matthew
25 Ministries
Modest
Needs Foundation
Movement
for Peace
National
Firefighters Endowment
National
Urban League
New
York Cares
New
York Communities for Change
Occupy
Sandy
Operation
Blessing International
Rebuilding
Together
Rebuilding
Together NYC
Red
Hook Initiative
Robert
R. McCormick Foundation
Robin
Hood Foundation
Samaritan's
Purse
Save
the Children Federation Inc.
ShelterBox
USA
Staten
Island Strong
Stephen
Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation
Team
Rubicon
The
Humane Society of the United States
The
Jewish Federations of North America Inc.
The
Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City
The
New York City Coalition Against Hunger
The
Salvation Army
UJA-Federation
of New York
United
Methodist Committee on Relief
United
Way of Long Island
United
Way of New York City
Waves
For Water
We
Care NYC
World
Vision International
Additional organizations are expected to be contacted by the
attorney general's office.
The Office of the Attorney General is responsible for
overseeing charitable activities and fundraising in New York. The office's
charities bureau has established a dedicated Hurricane Sandy email address. Any
complaints regarding charitable activities relating to Hurricane Sandy should
be sent to [email protected].
Tips for donors supporting Hurricane Sandy relief, as well
as financial reports of charities, are available on Schneiderman's charities bureau
website at www.charitiesnys.com.