By: Diane Benjamin
The email below shows where the problems started. PATH was not equipped to continue required paperwork after the death of their CEO. It appears no one was cross-trained to prevent the disaster that resulted. Many people lost their jobs when the paperwork to continue 988 service wasn’t submitted on time. Non-profits who rely on funding, like Recycling Furniture for Families, suffer because of PATH failures. The situation has been continuing for over a year.
Unraveling the problems PATH created is ridiculously hard because the money comes from the Federal Government with a ton of strings and paperwork attached. I could bury readers with copies of emails, but I won’t. This post is ONLY to clarify the problems with PATH. Outsourcing jobs to people who can not be held accountable leads to disaster.
Note the date on this email is 8/24/2023. The City of Bloomington used to handle HUD Continuum of Care grants before responsibility was transferred to PATH. This is not the same as CDBG Funds. Note the organizations this email was sent to. I bet they haven’t received the promised grant money either.
The email below is from the PATH Board President to the head of Recycled Furniture For Families, Frank Downes. Note the date – April 17, 2024 at 11:51 AM.
Email on the same day – this time from the new CEO of PATH to Frank Downes at 4:37 PM:
This email is the response from Frank Downes. It was written the same day at 6:53 PM. The $30,000 is just for 2024, it doesn’t include the grant money they never received in 2023. The dollars owed are now much higher. RF4F has received zero this year.
Is Adam the one who dropped the ball? If not, I wonder who is responsible for this epic fail?
The former CEO who died.
You can also blame the former board for lack of oversight
outsourcing and “managed services” agreements if any type are never good or end up well for any org including state, local (B-N)/Central Ill. and fed gov. bodies.
Big $ grab and process/ system and service exploit generally and historically
IT and projects/services are not what they are sold as when you look deeper.
$$$
why can’t anyone even mention the names of the other PATH leadership and employees that just sat taking a paycheck while everything fell apart?
these social service agencies are so often just a revolving door job program for like minded progressives.
There was an individual responsible for some of the organization’s troubles who was publicly reported on eight months ago: https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2024-01-18/bloomington-nonprofit-path-seeks-to-reestablish-itself-under-new-leadership
I think there was a person between Workman and Carter who failed miserable. PATH didn’t cross train anyone, Workman failed to delegate.