Regarding Fund-Raising by Heritage for the Blind

A2012-02: Regarding Fund-Raising by Heritage for the Blind

Adopted In : 2012

Topics : Fundraising

WHEREAS, Heritage for the Blind, an organization headquartered in Brooklyn New York, has been soliciting car and other property donations throughout the state of minnesota, advertising  over radio stations 93X FM, KROC in Rochester, and other stations, and giving the impression that such donations help blind Minnesotans; and

WHEREAS, Heritage for the Blind offers the donors of cars, boats, and similar property a two night hotel stay in a city of their choice (subject to limitations), a scheme that may make donors ineligible for a deduction under IRS rules, or severely limit the value of any tax deduction allowed; and

WHEREAS, Heritage for the Blind has failed to provide information to the Better Business Bureau, is currently under investigation by the State of New York, and is not registered with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office; and 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota has no knowledge of any blind Minnesotan having received services from Heritage for the Blind, leading to the conclusion that it may be just a scam, exploiting sighted individuals' compassion toward the blind; now therefore

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota in convention assembled this twenty-eighth day of October, 2012, in the city of Duluth, Minnesota, that we call upon Heritage for the Blind to cease all fundraising in Minnesota until it registers with the Minnesota Attorney General's office and demonstrates to this organization's satisfaction that it actually provides useful services to blind Minnesotans, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon Minnesota radio stations and other media outlets to cease advertising for Heritage for the Blind until it meets the above conditions.

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