As Paul Harvey would say, "Here is the rest of the story."
5/10/2013
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20130510/NONPROFITS/130519985
The God Bless America Fund has withheld a donation because of gay ban.
The Greater New York Councils, Boy Scouts of America has lost a long-time supporter because of its national organization's ban on gay youth and leaders.
The God Bless America Fund, which controls the royalties of its famous namesake song, withheld funds in December because it did not receive adequate assurances from the NYC Boy Scouts' leadership that it was not discriminating against gay scouts or leaders. The fund generates between $100,000 and $200,000 a year, which is usually split between the NYC Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Greater New York.
Bert Fink, a spokesman for the God Bless America Fund, couldn't immediately say how much money was withheld from the NYC Boy Scouts but noted it was in the five-figure range. The NYC Boy Scouts did get a check last June. Mr. Fink said that the fund has always been very concerned about the Boy Scouts of America's ban against gay individuals but was confident the local chapter wasn't discriminating. However, he said that over the summer the NYC Boy Scouts' leaders "couldn't unequivocally say that they do not discriminate," so the fund withheld its donation.
He said the group will reconsider the decision after the outcome of a vote slated for May 23 by the Boy Scouts of America on whether to allow gay scouts. The group would still ban gay leaders.
"We are truly grateful for the generous support of the God Bless America Fund, which has been transformative in our work, enriching the lives of hundreds of thousands of New York City children," said a spokesman for the NYC Boy Scouts, in a statement.
He added that, "The Greater New York Councils, Boy Scouts of America continues to practice non-discrimination here in New York City and strongly believes that both gay adults and youth must be welcomed in scouting. We support the proposed change in policy as a meaningful step in the right direction, and share the God Bless America's Fund's commitment to advocating for total inclusion."
The anti-gay policy has caused numerous donors, including Intel Corp. and UPS, to stop funding the Boy Scouts of America. And even though the NYC Boy Scouts said it doesn't follow the lead of its national organization, its funding has suffered, according to sources. Tax records show that in the five years ended in 2011, donations, grants and membership fees fell 36% to $7.2 million.
But the God Bless America Fund had been a stalwart supporter of the NYC Boy Scouts. Irving Berlin wrote "God Bless America" to boost the country's spirits during WWII but didn't want to take any royalties from it. In 1940, he established the God Bless America Fund and said that royalties should go to support America's youth. Funds were distributed to girl and boy scout troops around the country. However, since the 1990s, the royalties only flowed to the New York City chapters of each organization.
In the 12 months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the fund generated $800,000, or $400,000 for each group. If the NYC Boy Scouts received at least $50,000 from the fund annually since 1990, plus the $400,000 in 2001, that would total about $1.5 million for the NYC Boy Scouts. Former communist David Horowitz said that all the commies from the 60-70s took the "long march through the institutions" to collapse the republic from within. Horowitz said that over half of the charitable non-profit foundations founded by successful, dead, white, male, capitaltists have had their board of directors undermined from within and take over by the progressives from the 60-70s. This is where so many of the leftist causes find their money - grants.
They don’t give up, do they?