Bowls of Hope, art sale, Santa and more at WHAM Dec. 2

The ninth annual Bowls of Hope sale and holiday celebration, raising money and awareness to help eliminate hunger in the West Valley, is 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at WHAM Community Art Center, 16560 N. Dysart Road.
More than 500 one-of-a-kind food safe glazed bowls will be available for sale in an open-air bazaar and art sale in front of the gallery. The proceeds from the sale will once again go directly to local charities including St. Mary’s Food Bank and Eve’s place, Homeless Youth Connect, StreetLight USA, All Faith Community Services and the Valley Vista Community Food Bank.
“We look forward to this event every year,” said Connie Whitlock, Executive Director of WHAM. “We get to showcase the great art made here by local artists and give back to the community on so many levels … including providing great holiday gifts made by local artists.” The price for each bowl ranges from $12 to $15. Other art will also be available for sale. This year’s festival will feature local artists, food trucks, live entertainment, raffles and a visit from Santa, Mrs. Claus and Santa’s Elves. Visit wham-art.org or contact Jennifer Clevenger at 623-584-8311 or David Fudge at 928-380-5465 for more information. # https://www.wham-art.org/bowls-of-hope

 

Since suncityjack mentioned the Bowls of Hope fundraiser, I would like to ask some questions about our Sun City Foundation that is affiliated with RCSC. First of all, let me state that I think the Foundation supports two very worthy projects - the gift cards for Santas for Seniors and helping RCSC Members with their lot assessments when it becomes a financial burden to pay them. The Board members have worked for many years and the names of the individuals they help is kept confidential. That is how it should be and those projects should be continued. I have a lengthy history of work on Foundation Boards in my hometown. In all cases, the financial worth of the Foundation and number of individuals helped or projects supported is disclosed annually.

Does anyone know how many Members the Sun City Foundation helps from Seniors for Santa? I attended one of the Foundation's meetings last year and learned that they had kept over $1,000 worth of gift cards in the RCSC safe for a year. That donation had come from one of the ladies golf leagues and had been turned in after the deadline. Although we were not allowed to ask questions, I wondered why they didn't distribute those gift cards at Easter, 4th of July, or Thanksgiving. I am sure the same individuals, or others, could have used the cards on those holidays. After all, the people who contributed the gift cards wanted them to help people in need, not stored for a year or more. One Foundation Board member asked if they had claimed the $1,000 on their IRS disclosure. I got the impression they hadn't. I think a similar amount was stored in the RCSC safe again this year. I have always bought a couple of the gift cards for Santa for Seniors, but I want them to be used to help people, not stored in a safe.

In this week's Independent, a Foundation Board member wrote an editorial requesting that RCSC not increase the annual lot assessments. That Board member's statements gave me the impression that the Foundation often has to decline helping strapped Members pay their assessments due to the Foundation's rules. Again, does anyone know how many RCSC Members receive help with their lot assessments? Doesn't the Foundation set the rules for paying those? Can't they change their own rules so more people can be helped? I have been told that the Foundation has more money than people who qualify.

Perhaps the information I am requesting is found on the RCSC website, but I have never been able to find it. Can anyone fill me in? The Sun City Foundation's minutes are not found on the website. Again, I praise their Board for the fine work they do, but I would like to know more before contributing again this year. There are many charities that need help.

 

This is the most recent filing available I could locate:
Sun City Foundation 2019 990EZ
EIN:
86-0571093
See Page 5 Additional Data
Part III Statement of Program Service Accomplishments
• 28 payments made in relation to organization for improvement to property
• 29 payments made on behalf of families in need to related organization for annual membership fees for Sun City
https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/860571093_201912_990EZ_2021051418111954.pdf

Financials indicate the Foundation had $180,000+ at end of year! Their revenue was less than $20,000. I think they sit on funds that need to be working for the community more!

Does Cardmember Services actively promote the Foundation to members having hardship paying their assessments??

Are Santa for Seniors exclusively for those members who received Foundation help in that year?

Could it be extended to include other residents in need confidentially identified and suggested by Sun City CAN?

To access 2015 - 2019
IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search
https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/details/

 

How can $180,000 in finances make this organization eligible to file a 990EZ. Revenue less than $20,000 but $180,000 available in bank?

 

Foundations have (or hold) assets - for various reasons; restricted donations, grants pending, lack of applications, etc. The filing form is only based on income. In a perfect world, a foundation grows an endowment/permanent fund, for instance, so that it has a perpetual source of income to provide resources for future needs that other revenue sources may not (or can not) provide. Or a Foundation can create designated funds for specific purposes that residents could donate to. A foundation can be a very powerful community development tool.

 

Well said, Linda. Some prestigious universities have Foundations in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Even they can get additional grants for projects deemed worthy by the donors. However Nia has a point that many in Sun City may wonder. Why isn't the money they have collected being dispersed to the people who need it?

 

In spite of all of the well-intended efforts of the Sun City Foundation, it has never lived up to its potential. Perhaps as fees increase, someone will become mor aggressive in both growth and distribution. I know during my 3 years as president, we could have done better.