The nonprofit for at-risk youth founded by former Penn State Football coach Jerry Sandusky -- who is charged with sexual abuse of children from the organization -- plans to cease operations, citing a decrease in fundraising and volunteers.
According to a report in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Second Mile Foundation filed papers today in Centre County, Pa. to shut down the organization and transfer all of its assets to Houston, Tex.-based Arrow Child & Family Ministries. If approved, Arrow would receive nearly $2 million in cash and other assets which would allow the organization to continue running youth programs in Pennsylvania. Current Second Mile camps and other programs would continue during court oversight of the transfer.
The Second Mile experienced a huge drop in fundraising in the wake of the Sandusky scandal. The NonProfit Times reported earlier that the organization had already been experiencing diminished revenue in the years prior to the news about Sandusky. The charity reported contributions of $1.227 million, a combination of donations and special
events revenue, which was down from $3.282 million and $2.272 million,
respectively. The already weak support only got worse after Sandusky was charged with abusing 10 boys, all of whom were being helped by the Second Mile.
Second Mile's board chairman, David Woodle, said in a statement that there is "overwhelming support for the programs, but that there would not be adequate support, including financial, from donors, volunteers and referring social service agencies to continue the Second Mile as its own entity."
Should the transfer take place, Arrow will continue to offer Second Mile's programs for at-risk youth and families. The programs are a natural fit for the organization, which helps children after they are placed in foster homes. The Second Mile's programs would allow it to reach out to children prior to going to foster homes.
Arrow Ministries was founded by Mark Tennant, who is originally from Washington, Pa. He relates to the mission of the Second Mile as he was abused as a child. He said in a statement that he "Felt the need to turn my heart home and be a part of the healing process."
You can read the full story in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Showing posts with label Penn State. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Penn State. Show all posts
Friday, May 25, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
The Second Mile Weighs Options
It's been a little while since we heard any news from The Second Mile, the charity for troubled children founded by former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky. The last time we had some major news to report on the organization, we learned that they had started laying off employees. As we enter the new year, we are learning more about the organization's plans.
The Patriot News reported yesterday that the organization was considering outsourcing some of its services to three charities as 2011 came to a close. But about 10 days ago, two of those charities backed out. The signal was clear: They wanted no part of The Second Mile. Now the troubled charity is deciding how to move forward without its first and second choices.
One of the organizations that pulled out of negotiations is a Volunteers of America (VoA) chapter based in Harrisburg, Pa. Leaders at he organization made up their mind after they decided the distraction of the Jerry Sandusky trial were too big of an issue. The second organization, Centre County Youth Service Bureau, made no comment to The Patriot News on its decision. Arrow Child & Family Ministries is still considering assuming control of some programs.
Second Mile CEO David Woodle said Tuesday that the charity has three remaining options: Continue to operate, run under a different name, or dissolve. With the negative attention the charity has received thanks to the Sandusky scandal, it seems hard to believe it can survive, at least under its current name. A major rebranding effort would need to be happen for the charity to continue operating.
Read the full story in The Patriot News.
The Patriot News reported yesterday that the organization was considering outsourcing some of its services to three charities as 2011 came to a close. But about 10 days ago, two of those charities backed out. The signal was clear: They wanted no part of The Second Mile. Now the troubled charity is deciding how to move forward without its first and second choices.
One of the organizations that pulled out of negotiations is a Volunteers of America (VoA) chapter based in Harrisburg, Pa. Leaders at he organization made up their mind after they decided the distraction of the Jerry Sandusky trial were too big of an issue. The second organization, Centre County Youth Service Bureau, made no comment to The Patriot News on its decision. Arrow Child & Family Ministries is still considering assuming control of some programs.
Second Mile CEO David Woodle said Tuesday that the charity has three remaining options: Continue to operate, run under a different name, or dissolve. With the negative attention the charity has received thanks to the Sandusky scandal, it seems hard to believe it can survive, at least under its current name. A major rebranding effort would need to be happen for the charity to continue operating.
Read the full story in The Patriot News.
Friday, December 2, 2011
The Second Mile Settles Lawsuit
We posted an article yesterday about a civil lawsuit filed against The Second Mile, the charity founded by former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky. It's the first civil lawsuit filed in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, initiated by St. Paul, Minn.-based Anderson & Associates on behalf of an alleged victim who is not one of the eight mentioned in the state Attorney General's grand jury report. While that suit is ongoing, it was reported last night by MyFox Philly that the beleaguered charity has settled another lawsuit by an alleged victim of Sandusky.
The suit, which was filed by "Victim Four" in the grand jury report that laid out the charges against Sandusky, had sought to freeze Second Mile's assets in anticipation of a civil suit. The settlement that was reached Thursday states that the charity must get court approval if it wants to transfer assets or shutdown. The plaintiff also must be informed before any movement of funds. The Second Mile has about $9 million in assets as of Aug. 2010, as we reported in our story yesterday.
You can read additional details about the settlement on MyFox Philly's website.
The suit, which was filed by "Victim Four" in the grand jury report that laid out the charges against Sandusky, had sought to freeze Second Mile's assets in anticipation of a civil suit. The settlement that was reached Thursday states that the charity must get court approval if it wants to transfer assets or shutdown. The plaintiff also must be informed before any movement of funds. The Second Mile has about $9 million in assets as of Aug. 2010, as we reported in our story yesterday.
You can read additional details about the settlement on MyFox Philly's website.
Friday, November 18, 2011
An Unfortunate Case Of Branding
File this one under unfortunate cases of branding.
You probably know by now that Jerry Sandusky, the central figure in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, founded a charity called The Second Mile. It's stated mission is "helping young people achieve their potential as individuals and as community members and providing education and support for their parents and youth service professionals." Worthy goals, no doubt, but that mission has now been tainted by the charges against Sandusky. As a result, a lot of people don't view The Second Mile in a very positive light.
In a recent article on The Huffington Post, we learn about the unfortunate effect the Penn State scandal has had on a Philadelphia-based organization called The Second Mile Center, a nonprofit thrift shop that helps ex-cons get back on their feet. Although it shares a similar name to Sandusky's organization, they are in no way connected. But given the similarity in the two names, people have confused the store with the scandal plagued charity. Since the charges against Sandusky became public, The Second Mile Center has experienced a 30 percent drop in sales.
Ron Lucas, who sits on the board of the nonprofit, told Weeklyxpress.com that they have received countless angry phone calls from people, most of whom hang up before they can explain that they have no connection to The Second Mile. They have even put up signs on its door, one of which reads:
You probably know by now that Jerry Sandusky, the central figure in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, founded a charity called The Second Mile. It's stated mission is "helping young people achieve their potential as individuals and as community members and providing education and support for their parents and youth service professionals." Worthy goals, no doubt, but that mission has now been tainted by the charges against Sandusky. As a result, a lot of people don't view The Second Mile in a very positive light.
In a recent article on The Huffington Post, we learn about the unfortunate effect the Penn State scandal has had on a Philadelphia-based organization called The Second Mile Center, a nonprofit thrift shop that helps ex-cons get back on their feet. Although it shares a similar name to Sandusky's organization, they are in no way connected. But given the similarity in the two names, people have confused the store with the scandal plagued charity. Since the charges against Sandusky became public, The Second Mile Center has experienced a 30 percent drop in sales.
Ron Lucas, who sits on the board of the nonprofit, told Weeklyxpress.com that they have received countless angry phone calls from people, most of whom hang up before they can explain that they have no connection to The Second Mile. They have even put up signs on its door, one of which reads:
"We are not in any way connected to the Second Mile of the Penn State scandal. We are the Second Mile Center."The Second Mile Center has been in existence for 30 years, while The Second Mile was formed in 1977. It would be a shame if the negative attention towards that organization bought down this Philadelphia thrift shop. In the mean time, Lucas and everyone else at The Second Mile Center can only hope people will start to learn the truth.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Conflict Of Interest With Sandusky Judge?
The Penn State child sex abuse scandal is already one of the biggest stories in the news these days. And now another layer of intrigue has been added thanks to a potential case of conflict of interest.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported yesterday that the state attorney general's office, which has charged former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky with 40 counts of sex abuse involving eight children, had sought bond of $500,000 and electronic monitoring. This request was not granted by Judge Leslie Dutchot, who set bond at $100,000 unsecured, which Sandusky later met. Why is this of note? It turns out that Judge Dutchot volunteers for Sandusky's charity, The Second Mile.
According to the Post-Gazette article, this information was listed on the website of the State College law firm Goodell & Yurchak. Judge Dutchot would make no comment on the apparent conflict of interest.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported yesterday that the state attorney general's office, which has charged former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky with 40 counts of sex abuse involving eight children, had sought bond of $500,000 and electronic monitoring. This request was not granted by Judge Leslie Dutchot, who set bond at $100,000 unsecured, which Sandusky later met. Why is this of note? It turns out that Judge Dutchot volunteers for Sandusky's charity, The Second Mile.
According to the Post-Gazette article, this information was listed on the website of the State College law firm Goodell & Yurchak. Judge Dutchot would make no comment on the apparent conflict of interest.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Paterno, Penn State President Out
UPDATE, 11/14/2011: It was announced this morning that The Second Mile board of directors have accepted the resignation of Jack Raykovitz. He had been CEO of the organization for 28 years. Read more about this breaking story on our website.
***
No doubt you have heard of the shocking child sex abuse scandal that has come out of Penn State. Although it was former defensive coordinator, and founder of the charity The Second Mile, Jerry Sandusky who has been charged with allegations of sexually abusing children, much of the discussion has centered around top Penn State officials. Two officials, Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz, have already been charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse. But much of the questioning has been directed towards legendary football coach Joe Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier. And late last night, those two men became the first two to take the fall in this scandal, as the Board of Trustees at Penn State voted unanimously to relieve them of their duties.
The news broke late last night, only hours after Paterno announced he would retire at the end of the season. The man affectionately known as "Joe Pa" said he was "devastated" by the developments and urged the Board "not to spend a single minute discussing my status." Apparently they didn't take too kindly to that suggestion.
For Paterno, it's an unfortunate ending to a career that spanned 61 years. He is the winningest coach in major college football history, leading Penn State since 1966 and turning it not only into a successful football team but an iconic brand in the sports world. Even if you aren't too familiar with college sports, you probably have heard about Joe Paterno
All of this discussion about Paterno, Spanier, and other Penn State officials obscures the serious crimes for which Sandusky is being accused. Reading the Grand Jury testimony (WARNING: Contains graphic descriptions) from wide-receiver coach Mike McQueary, who alleges to have witnessed Sandusky molesting a young boy, is chilling. What's even more disturbing is that because this went unreported to the police, Sandusky wasn't barred from activities with children at his charity until 2008. That's when he informed them he was under investigation. And even then, he didn't officially leave the organization until he retired in 2010.
In yesterday's report on The NonProfit Times, we reported on The Second Mile's tax filings and annual report. They indicated that the organization experienced a $228,000 operating deficit last year. In addition, revenue fell to $2.1 million, from $4.1 million in 2008. The 12-page annual report cited overall giving to charities being down 11 percent last year as the organization’s board used a “rainy day fund to provide needed services” as it “received more requests to help children and teens than ever.” With these revelations about Sandusky's alleged crimes now coming to light, it's unclear how much longer the charity will be able to operate.
This story will undoubtedly continue to evolve over the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned to The NonProfit Times for any new information that comes out on the case or the future of Second Mile.
***
No doubt you have heard of the shocking child sex abuse scandal that has come out of Penn State. Although it was former defensive coordinator, and founder of the charity The Second Mile, Jerry Sandusky who has been charged with allegations of sexually abusing children, much of the discussion has centered around top Penn State officials. Two officials, Athletic Director Tim Curley and Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz, have already been charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse. But much of the questioning has been directed towards legendary football coach Joe Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier. And late last night, those two men became the first two to take the fall in this scandal, as the Board of Trustees at Penn State voted unanimously to relieve them of their duties.
The news broke late last night, only hours after Paterno announced he would retire at the end of the season. The man affectionately known as "Joe Pa" said he was "devastated" by the developments and urged the Board "not to spend a single minute discussing my status." Apparently they didn't take too kindly to that suggestion.
For Paterno, it's an unfortunate ending to a career that spanned 61 years. He is the winningest coach in major college football history, leading Penn State since 1966 and turning it not only into a successful football team but an iconic brand in the sports world. Even if you aren't too familiar with college sports, you probably have heard about Joe Paterno
All of this discussion about Paterno, Spanier, and other Penn State officials obscures the serious crimes for which Sandusky is being accused. Reading the Grand Jury testimony (WARNING: Contains graphic descriptions) from wide-receiver coach Mike McQueary, who alleges to have witnessed Sandusky molesting a young boy, is chilling. What's even more disturbing is that because this went unreported to the police, Sandusky wasn't barred from activities with children at his charity until 2008. That's when he informed them he was under investigation. And even then, he didn't officially leave the organization until he retired in 2010.
In yesterday's report on The NonProfit Times, we reported on The Second Mile's tax filings and annual report. They indicated that the organization experienced a $228,000 operating deficit last year. In addition, revenue fell to $2.1 million, from $4.1 million in 2008. The 12-page annual report cited overall giving to charities being down 11 percent last year as the organization’s board used a “rainy day fund to provide needed services” as it “received more requests to help children and teens than ever.” With these revelations about Sandusky's alleged crimes now coming to light, it's unclear how much longer the charity will be able to operate.
This story will undoubtedly continue to evolve over the coming weeks and months. Stay tuned to The NonProfit Times for any new information that comes out on the case or the future of Second Mile.
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