By NATASHA COLLINS
Sunnyvale Community Services received a check for $12,000 Dec. 12 after an investigation by the attorney general found a telemarketing group falsely used the SCS name.
A group calling themselves Community Services Foundation made unauthorized pleas for donations to Sunnyvale Community Services, Cupertino Community Services, the Children's Shelter and several other nonprofit organizations. Community Services Foundation raised more than $315,000 between 1991 and 1995 and donated less than $30,000 to charitable groups, according to a suit filed by the attorney general in San Mateo County Superior Court.
"[Community Services Foundation] was calling on behalf of CCS and destroying our sterling reputation," said Mary Ellen Chell of CCS. "We became particularly concerned when people were calling us upset and threatening to never donate to us again."
The Internal Revenue Service Fraud Division also has taken an interest in the case, and is currently investigating Community Services Foundation. A representative from the IRS will be meeting with CCS and SCS next week, according to Nancy Tivol of SCS.
SCS, CCS and the children's shelter each will receive a check for $12,000. The money is coming from one of Community Services Foundation's seized accounts.
CCS and the other nonprofits plan to use the money to help those who will be cut off from public assistance programs when the new welfare reform bill takes effect in January. There are currently 153,000 people on public assistance in Santa Clara County and many will no longer qualify after the first of the year.
"We are going to see a lot of people in crisis," Chell said. "When people are in crisis they turn to us."
The $12,000 was an unexpected and much-needed windfall, but it will not be enough to support the increase in people needing help from her organization and other nonprofit groups in Santa Clara County.
"When welfare reform takes effect, it is going to be up to the nonprofit organizations to pick up the slack," Chell said. "The $12,000 is going to be a Band-Aid until we can get to the root of the problem. We will be going through the $12,000 really quick."
To make donations or help Sunnyvale Community Services, call 738-4321. To make donations or volunteer to help Cupertino Community Services, call 255-8033.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, December 18, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.