Is this charity legal?

aliceshortcake · Nov 23, 2014

To be honest, my question doesn't really have anything to do with story research. It was triggered by something rather strange I've just noticed on a blog belonging to a woman whose ridiculous claims to be an agent/editor made her the subject of a highly entertaining BRBC thread last year.

Here's the info given on the blog:

SISTERS HELPING SISTERS FOUNDATION
DONATE NOW $5.00

Sisters Helping Sisters is a foundation for hair loss. We created this foundation to help women with hair loss, because we understand there are a hundred reasons why women lose their hair. The Foundation creates a 100% human wig for these women. We want to give them back their self confident, and build up the self esteem. The loss of hair causes some women their dignity, and they go into depression. We want to prevent this life style for these women.

Donor -Donation
The Foundation ask all women and men to donate $5.00 to help ship this hair to the applicant-receiver, and we ask the women to donate their human hair to these ladies that need it.

Applicant-Receiver
The Foundation ask Applicant: 1- Provide information on their hair loss 2-Provide information on their income 3- Provide information on their expenses, and 4- Provide information on their family.

We have the power to help these women so please donate your hair and $5.00 to ship the hair.

Sisters Helping Sisters is sponsored by a hair salon owned by the blogger.

I'm fairly sure that a charitable foundation has to be registered, and I'd be amazed if this one is. AFAIK foundations don't solicit donations from the public, as SHS is doing. There are also at least two non-profit organizations with the same or an almost identical name.

Any help would be much appreciated!

shadowwalker · Nov 23, 2014

In the US, it would largely depend on what state it was in as to what the legal requirements are. If you know the state, just google "legal requirements charitable organization [state]".

ULTRAGOTHA · Nov 23, 2014

Since the money is in dollars, is this based in the United States?

The Foundation ask (sic) all women and men to donate $5.00 to help ship this hair to the applicant-receiver

I can't imagine what on earth a person would do with a hank of hair. Donating hair to be sent to a professional wig maker to make a wig or a hair extension, I could understand. But just shipping hair to women going bald? What the heck good could that do?

If this is the US, the 501 area of the tax code governs charities. To be a charity that does not have to pay taxes to the IRS, you have to register with the IRS. To be a charity where OTHER people don't have to pay taxes on their donations you also have to ~~donate~~ register and that's a governed by 501(c)(3) of the tax code.

If the people running this charity are not registered with the IRS, then they will have to pay federal taxes on the money they receive. If they're not registered as a charity in their state, they'll have to pay state taxes, too.

What state are they in, if this is the US? Is there a "Sisters for Sisters" corporation registered in that state?

aliceshortcake · Nov 23, 2014

It's based in Margate, Florida. Apparently the donated hair gets made into wigs by the hair salon staff.

indwig · Nov 23, 2014

I'd be wary of giving money to an organization that couldn't be bothered to write in correct English:

SISTERS HELPING SISTERS FOUNDATION
DONATE NOW $5.00

Sisters Helping Sisters is a foundation for hair loss. We created this foundation to help women with hair loss, because we understand there are a hundred reasons why women lose their hair. The Foundation creates a 100% human wig for these women. We want to give them back their self ~~confident~~confidence, and build up ~~the~~ self esteem. The loss of hair causes some women their dignity ???, and they go into depression. We want to prevent this life style for these women.

Donor -Donation
The Foundation asks all women and men to donate $5.00 to help ship this hair to the applicant-receiver, and we ask the women to donate their human hair to these ladies that need it.

Applicant-Receiver
The Foundation ask Applicant: 1- Provide information on their hair loss 2-Provide information on their income 3- Provide information on their expenses, and 4- Provide information on their family.

We have the power to help these women so please donate your hair and $5.00 to ship the hair.

Is this a translation?

aliceshortcake · Nov 23, 2014

indwig said:
Is this a translation?

It gets better:

The Foundation ask women and men to donate $5 for shipping these wigs out, and for all women that are ready to toss their human to send it to these ladies who are in need of this hair.
http://shawzaehairstudio2.blogspot.co.uk/

For the benefit of those of you who missed Eunice Murray's antics as a literary agent:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249902

Katrina S. Forest · Nov 23, 2014

Isn't this same issue the reason Locks of Love was created?

I'm not sure why anyone would donate to an unknown organization when there's a well-established one already doing the exact same thing.

Maryn · Nov 23, 2014

"Ugh, this chemo's kicking my ass, but it might rain later, so I guess I'd better haul myself out to the mailbox and get the package... God, I need to rest. Okay, that's better. I may be bald and puking my guts out, but I can still get my own goddamned mail. There, only a few more steps. Boy, there's a lot besides this package. I wish they'd come to the door. Toys R Us catalogue, Ulta flyer, bill from the doctor, my college wants a donation, bill from the hospital, PBS wants money--hell, maybe I should be sending out mass mailing!--Signals catalogue, Bits and Pieces catalogue, something from my insurance, a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon because who doesn't need three a week, and this box. Hm, tape's half torn...

What the hell!?! It's a freakin' box of hair! Gross."

Maryn, performance artist

Pyekett · Nov 23, 2014

aliceshortcake said:
For the benefit of those of you who missed Eunice Murray's antics as a literary agent:

http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=249902

Good god.

I mean ... good god.

aliceshortcake · Nov 23, 2014

The Solicitation of Contributions Act requires anyone who solicits donations from people in the state of Florida to register with the department and renew annually. This applies to charitable organizations, sponsors, professional solicitors, as well as professional fundraising consultants. The department collects registration fees and has authority to impose penalties for non-compliance.
http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Div...es/Business-Services/Charitable-Organizations

There's no mention of a Sisters Helping Sisters Foundation on this list of charities in Margate, Florida.

http://www.charity-charities.org/charities/FL/Margate_6.html

The funny thing about this - if it isn't on the level - is that Murray works as managing paralegal at Justice For All Legal Services, and SHS is mentioned on the company's blog!

http://justice4alllegalservice.blogspot.co.uk/

Pyekett · Nov 23, 2014

To heck with whether the charity is legal; I wonder if the "legal aid service" is legal.

indwig · Nov 23, 2014

The Foundation ask women and men to donate $5 for shipping these wigs out, and for all women that are ready to toss their human to send it to these ladies who are in need of this hair.

Well, I've tossed a human before, but it didn't have anything to do with hair.

cornflake · Nov 23, 2014

Katrina S. Forest said:
Isn't this same issue the reason Locks of Love was created?

I'm not sure why anyone would donate to an unknown organization when there's a well-established one already doing the exact same thing.

Just FYI, because it bugs the crap out of me that they have this reputation, Locks of Love doesn't generally make wigs out of donated hair. They either throw out or sell the hair.

Here -

Locks of Love, a charity that makes wigs for children with alopecia and cancer, has become entangled in a dispute with a self-appointed watchdog that claims the charity is wasting millions of dollars worth of donated hair.

Nonprofit Investor claims it has tried to comb through the records of Locks of Love but has found few documents.

It therefore estimated that the charity accepts 104,000 hair donations per year, enough for more than 2,000 hairpieces, but made only 317 custom wigs in 2011. Nonprofit Investor calculated that a hair raising $6 million worth of donations were wasted or not being used.

and here (among other places; I picked two reputable outlets with different stories.) -

But although charities have been highly effective at stirring the passions of donors, they have been less successful at finding a use for the mountains of hair sent to them as a result. As much as 80 percent of the hair donated to Locks of Love, the best known of the charities, is unusable for its wigs, the group says. Many people are unaware of the hair donation guidelines and send in hair that is gray, wet or moldy, too short, or too processed, some of which is immediately thrown away. Even hair that survives the winnowing may not go to the gravely ill, but may be sold to help pay for charities’ organizational costs.

At the headquarters of Locks of Love in Lake Worth, Fla., the hair deluge — up to 2,000 individual donations a week — can be daunting for the small staff of six employees and 10 to 15 volunteers.

“We created this monster because people get so much from it,” said Madonna Coffman, the president of Locks of Love. “They get the attention. They get a warm and fuzzy feeling. They feel they’re going to help a child.”

Locks of Love sends the best of the hair it receives to a wig manufacturer, Taylormade Hair Replacement in Millbrae, Calif., which weeds through the selection still further, rejecting up to half.

“We hate throwing it away but ultimately we have to clear the place out,” said Greg Taylor, the president and owner of Taylormade. “There is a disparity between the hundreds and hundreds of braids and ponytails and the number of hairpieces we’ve produced.”

Sorry for the derail, I just can't stand their lying pr. The latter article notes other charities that actually do what people think LoL does, but that don't get near the donations or $.

mccardey · Nov 23, 2014

Nonprofit Investor claims it has tried to comb through the records of Locks of Love but has found few documents.

heheheh.

aliceshortcake · Nov 24, 2014

I'd heard that Locks of Love has to throw most donated hair away because it isn't suitable for use in wig-making. That's what made me wonder about Murray's "foundation" - she doesn't provide any guidelines about hair length, condition, colour etc. Quality wigs are very expensive because they're time-consuming to make. How many of them can the staff of a small hair salon reasonably expect to produce for free? Will $5 even cover the cost of sending the wig to the recipient? If the donor's hair is unusable will Murray return the donation, which she states specifically is to cover shipping costs? None of this makes any sense to me.

Katrina S. Forest · Nov 24, 2014

cornflake said:
Sorry for the derail, I just can't stand their lying pr. The latter article notes other charities that actually do what people think LoL does, but that don't get near the donations or $.

Wow. Thanks for the info. I'm actually growing out my hair for the specific purpose of donating it. I may re-think which organization the donation goes to.

aliceshortcake · Nov 24, 2014

Pyekett said:
To heck with whether the charity is legal; I wonder if the "legal aid service" is legal.

Get a load of this:

If you have property that is secured by a loan such as a car or home, and your are current on the payments and the equality is covered by your exemptions, you may elect to keep making payments on the loan, and keep the property through bankruptcy. If all equality is not covered by your exemptions, the trustee may elect to liquidate and distribute the proceeds. Generally, in this case you will be entitled to the value of your exemptions in the exemptions of your access, in laymen turn, you will keep your property.
http://justice4alllegalservice.blogspot.co.uk/?spref=fb

Equality? Doesn't she mean equity?! And..."in laymen turn", which is presumably Murrayspeak for "in layman's terms"?

Becky Black · Nov 24, 2014

aliceshortcake said:
I'd heard that Locks of Love has to throw most donated hair away because it isn't suitable for use in wig-making. That's what made me wonder about Murray's "foundation" - she doesn't provide any guidelines about hair length, condition, colour etc. Quality wigs are very expensive because they're time-consuming to make. How many of them can the staff of a small hair salon reasonably expect to produce for free? Will $5 even cover the cost of sending the wig to the recipient? If the donor's hair is unusable will Murray return the donation, which she states specifically is to cover shipping costs? None of this makes any sense to me.

The idea of just sending them doesn't sound right anyway. A proper wig has to be fitted to the wearer. You can't just plonk them on like you're going out trick or treating. It's a specialist job, and when it's being done for medical reasons it requires not just skill but sensitivity to the feelings of people at a vulnerable time in their lives. And hairdressers aren't wig makers. It's not remotely the same job. This all sounds very dubious to me and bound to lead to disappointment for women who are already having a rough time.

My sister in law had alopecia a few years ago. Her lovely long dark hair came out in clumps leaving her with bald patches all over. it was naturally very upsetting for her. She never got to the point of losing all her hair and she never needed a wig, she managed with scarves and hats until her hair fortunately started to grow back. She's been lucky in that she's recovered after treatment. But if she'd been one of the many people who don't recover and do lose all their hair permanently I don't think some dodgy wig showing up in the post would have answered the case.

aliceshortcake · Nov 24, 2014

Becky Black said:
And hairdressers aren't wig makers. It's not remotely the same job.

From the Shawzae blog:

We create a100% custom human hair wig for women who suffers hair loss.

From the price list:

Make a wig.................$50 and up

I hope she means way, way up, because I dread to think what a human hair wig costing $50 would look like!

Here she is on YouTube with a wig she claims to have made herself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba_ecUGMa64

And Murray also treats alopecia (or "alocephia):

Alocephia is hair loss, we have a growth treatment, that also stop hair loss. We have develop a infusion that can trigger hair growth, one of the herbs that's used is called Saw Palmetto. This herb can be used as a tea and drank 2x a day. We have also created a formula that can be used in shampoo to stimulate growth, by using 8 drops into the shampoo.
http://shawzaehairstudio2.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/join-hair-queen-community.html

aliceshortcake · Nov 25, 2014

A result:

Monday, November 24, 2014

UPADATE FOR SHAWZAE HAIR STUDIO
Sisters Helping Sisters Foundation has been postpone for now until we get it set up properly. I appreciate the help that someone sent to me, by sending someone of authority that can give me the information on this program, and how to set it up. The person that came to me offer to help me, so I am sure we will be moving forward later this year.
http://shawzaehairstudio2.blogspot.co.uk/

A little bird tells me that person was either a member of the Margate Police Department or someone alerted by the Margate Police Department.

Don't ask me how I know this.

Cath · Nov 25, 2014

If you want legal advice, go to a lawyer. This is not the place for this question.

Is this charity legal?

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

shadowwalker

empty-nester!

ULTRAGOTHA

Merovingian Superhero

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

indwig

I stole your cheeseburger

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

Katrina S. Forest

Maryn

Baaa!

Pyekett

I need no hot / Words.

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

Pyekett

I need no hot / Words.

indwig

I stole your cheeseburger

cornflake

practical experience, FTW

mccardey

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

Katrina S. Forest

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

Becky Black

Writing my way off the B Ark

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

aliceshortcake

Wilde about Oscar

Cath

The mean one