[WardFive] Fw: Children Performing Fundraising in Severe Weather Alert

Just sent this out on 4D's listserv.

 

Albrette "Gigi" Ransom

___________________________

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Gigi Ransom <gigir1829@yahoo.com>
To: MPD 4D Group <mpd-4d@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2012 12:17 PM
Subject: Children Performing Fundraising in Severe Weather Alert

This morning, Sat, 12/29/12, about 10:20am I called 911 to have a patrol unit sent to the 7-11 strip mall in PSA 405.  There were 3 youths, ages 8, 14, and 17 out front of one of the stores selling candy as a fundraiser for their program, "the Future Leaders Mentors Program (FLMP)."  As we are all aware, there is a severe weather alert for the DC area.  These youth were somewhat dressed for the weather, however, the 8 & 14 year old didn't have any gloves.

 

Why am I concerned about this and these children being out in this kind of weather?  About 3-4 weeks ago, on a Saturday, there was another group of youth with an immature 22 yr old also at this location doing what they called fundraising for this program.  There have been other DC schools and Girls Scouts chapters who from time to time also do fundraising at this popular location, however, the difference is that these other groups are accompanied by a mature adult(s) and only stay out there for a few hours.  Don't recall any of these other groups doing fundraising in the winter, only Spring, Summer and sometimes in the Fall. The FLMP are out there all day, into the night.  The group weeks ago were out there from about 9am-8pm in very cold weather.  Kind customers from the stores brought them food, etc.

 

Also from the group a few weeks ago, the 22 yr old had problems with me asking questions about whether they were a non-profit and their registration for licensing to solicit funds in DC which is required by law.  They do wear a badge which identifies them in MD and allegedly in DC, but the claimed permit# didn't match what I had previously seen for DC solicitation.  I was able to speak with someone who said he was a manager with the program.  He was also defensive, but when I told him who I was and what I was aware of about the licensing/permitting, he calmed down.  He directed me to their website, which I researched but still didn't find anything about a confirmed DCRA registration. 

 

This program is based in Temple Hills , MD.  The children out there today said they live in MD.  Not discriminating, but truly concerned as to how in these types of weather conditions, how anyone, parents or otherwise, supposedly in their right minds would send children out to do fundraising in these conditions. 

 

Their website has been down since 12/23/12.  There are other links which include this program but on most they are listed as having a 501(c)(3), but on the most recent page they are non-profit status pending. From a listing on a volunteer's website, the FLMP's rules stated that by State law which I'm assuming is MD, a child under 12 needs written approval from a parent(s) or guardian.  For students under 9 yrs old, they must be physically accompanied by a parent or a person at least 16 yrs old.  In my opinion, there is a big difference in a parent, who could provide the needed nourishments to these children, as opposed to a 16 yr old with no money.  I could not locate DC's laws on this matter.

 

The officer did arrive and said there is nothing he could do about it.  I accepted that. However,  there is some common sense to this, another gut feeling that came to mind which is due to the weather conditions, what was so important/the urgent need that a program would risk the health and well-being of these children to raise money for this program; and are the funds raised actually being used to provide the program's services, or to provide salaries for those allegedly providing the services by using these children?

 

I don't know if the FLMP has other children out in DC areas fundraising in this weather, however, I rather be proven wrong in my thinking about this program, rather than just looking the other way.

 

Albrette "Gigi" Ransom

Commissioner, ANC 5C12