Just a Head's Up for those who rely on Angel Foods Ministries [Archive]

loosechickens

9-8-11, 1:59pm

Sadly, looks like another bunch of folks, under the guise of "religion", have taken advantage of thousands of well meaning volunteers, unpaid folks believing in the ministry, while the ones at the top use and abuse that altruism and sincere desire to help in the people who trust them.

http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/local_news/Angel-Food-Ministries-Lays-off-90-Workers-20110907-pm-pk

excerpt:

"News of the massive layoffs comes amid an ongoing federal investigation into the Angel Food Ministries operations, alleging financial mismanagement at the non-profit.

Sources close to the investigation say a grand jury is meeting this week on the matter.

Two of the charity's board members alleged the family misused the charity's money.

Angel Food Ministries is run by the Reverend Joseph Wingo, his wife and two sons."

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I'm not a religious person in any way, but I hope there is a special place in hell for those who use religion for evil. Angel Ministries was assisted in its program by 5,000 churches, and untold thousands of unpaid volunteers, trying to make life better for their fellow humans.

Unfortunately, there are some who manage to do quite well for themselves under the guise of "doing good". AAARRRGGGHHHHH
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http://blackchristiannews.com/news/2009/03/pastor-joe-wingo-a-rags-to-riches-life-with-some-painful-detours.html

excerpt:

"Two dissident board members of Angel Food told the FBI that Joe, wife Linda and sons Wes and Andy have charged $852,000 on company credit cards, made millions, and used the agency as a personal bank. The FBI and IRS raided Angel Food's offices in Monroe on Feb. 11. A nonprofit spokesman said the agents are looking into one or more unnamed employees' possible financial misdeeds." ......

"To his congregation three weeks ago, he said, "I just feel like God, years ago, showed ... me that these times would come; that donation money, tithe money would dry up."

Wingo told them that times are hard and getting harder.

"And that is why what we [Angel Food] have to do is work very, very hard to make sure we don't waste any money," he said.

The budget-conscious statement contrasts with claims in a lawsuit filed by the dissident former board members, who resigned last week.

"The Wingos have been able to misappropriate significant amounts of money from the ministry, money that was intended and should have gone for food relief," it says.

Wingo and his wife own $2 million worth of property in and around Monroe, including half a dozen houses they rent to Angel Food employees. He rents a suite at Sanford Stadium to watch University of Georgia football games and travels in a private jet."
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and, it looks like he's aready been down this road before, and may end up in prison again......from the above article:

"The affable and garrulous Wingo excelled in sales and socializing. Living in Gwinnett County, he got involved in Republican politics and sold insurance, eventually buying his own agency. His political connections landed him a position with the Gwinnett Hospital Authority.

In 1989, he approached a surgeon and offered him inside information and political influence in return for $80,000. They could both get rich, Wingo told the doctor, who contacted the FBI.

Wiretapped phone conversations caught Wingo describing himself as a "bull---- artist." He talked of wanting to pay off his house and live the country-club life.

Wingo contritely told a federal judge he was under a financial strain. He was caring for elderly parents and had given money to a friend's failing business.

The contradictory nature of Wingo's relationship with money came out in dozens of letters friends wrote the judge, asking for leniency. They told stories of Wingo giving, even when they knew he could not afford it.

"He has always been an 'easy touch' for friends and acquaintances who are in need financially," wrote Thomas Anderson, a Gwinnett County attorney.

The judge sent him to prison for a year."

iris lily

9-8-11, 9:06pm

That whole Angel Ministries thing kinda smelled bad to me from the first time I heard of it. When a friend urged it on me, I declined. I didn’t trust that

1) the food items really were sold at a “good “ price or I'd get anything that I really needed

2) the ministry was really “helping” anyone

I just couldn’t grock where the profit was coming from, it didn’t add up.

Now, all of that said, it’s pretty common for heads of non-profits to be charged* with sloppy money handling. How often does that money, sloshing around in a pot, slop over into the leader’s own pot, hmmm? Pretty often I’d say. I would bet that not many governing Boards insist on crystal clear accounting. They are usually in thrall with the charismatic leader and are unwilling to push the point of good accounting practices.

That darling of the left, the Three Cups of Tea guy Greg Mortenson is pretty much on a par with the Wingo wacko in fooling a lot of people for a long time including our President of the United States .

On a local level, one of my doggie friends deeply involved in rescue work claims that our town’s head of the biggest stray rescue org regularly mishandles money with at least some of it going up his nose.

It's too bad, how common are the financial shenanigans in the non-profit world.

*Charged: not always legally by any means, usually, there is not legal action