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.The suit claimed the Wingos took over $2.7 million from the organization in the form of credit card purchases, a $600,000 “housing allowance” for Joe and Linda, and “tithe” from AFM to a church that Joe and his wife founded.
AFM is on Ministry Watch's 2010 list of donor alerts, which is designed to warn donors of charities operating with “questionable practices.” Ministry Watch also informed donors of a lawsuit and allegations of a settlement violation involving former board members and the ministry's top leadership.
Angel Food Ministries is run by the Reverend Joseph Wingo, his wife and two sons.
The Georgia-based organization, which was serving about 500,000 families nationwide, recently posted a message on its website saying September deliveries would not take place.
"Like the thousands of businesses in America that have endured one of the worst recessions in the past 100 years, we too have faced operational and financial challenges," the message states. "We have every intention to continue offering great food at great prices in the coming months and are considering ways to reorganize or restructure our Ministry."
People involved with local churches and service organizations, which provided volunteers to help distribute boxes of food to people who ordered it, expressed hope the ministry will return soon. Churches have been instructed not to accept September orders and to refund money for any orders already received. Angel Food Ministries can assist churches with food stamp refunds. Refunds for online orders are already being processed. source here!
