Charities warn about holiday fraud

Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2001 | 8:43 a.m.

The Salvation Army is encouraging people to give generously this holiday season but to be careful that the money they give goes to a genuine charity.

Charlie Desiderio, spokesman for the Clark County Command of the organization that provides shelter, job training and substance abuse recovery programs for the homeless, warns that the Salvation Army never goes door-to-door seeking donations.

"If anyone approaches you asking for donations on behalf of the Salvation Army, it might be wise to check with the Clark County coordinator's office," Desiderio said. That office can be reached at (702) 870-4430, ext. 23.

Last holiday season the Salvation Army had two instances of potential fraud from people seeking money by using the name of the nonprofit organization, Desiderio said.

"We can never be vigilant enough when it comes to donations," said Lt. Col. Jim Sullivan, head of the local Salvation Army branch. "We strive to be very mindful of the reasons donations are made, and that is to assist the neediest of our citizens."

Sullivan said most charities welcome calls to alert them to check on verbal or telephone requests for donations.

Those wishing to donate to the Salvation Army can give their gifts directly to the agency at P.O. Box 28369, Dept. CD, Las Vegas, NV 89126.

Other efforts to help the needy and victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks:

* Longtime advocate for the poor, John 3:16 Cook, is seeking the donation of candy and unwrapped toys for the children of the Willows Glen and Purple Sage mobile home parks at Lake Mead and Lamb boulevards. Cook, whose nonprofit Soup, Soap and Hope organization has been active locally since the early 1980s, said the families of those parks are mostly working poor or welfare recipients who, after paying rent and buying groceries, have little left for toys for their children. Soup, Soap and Hope will be distributing the toys at 1 p.m. on Dec. 23 in the south vacant lot of the mobile home parks. To donate a toy call (702) 396-5525.

* A tribute to area police and firefighters was held Tuesday at the Northwest YMCA. More than 100 public safety officials were recognized by the YMCA, city of Las Vegas and Inner City Games for their dedication to protecting the community.

* The fifth annual Mark & Mercedes in the Morning Four-Corners Food Drive collected a record 417,000 cans of food for the Salvation Army. Mark and Mercedes are the morning disc jockeys for KMXB 94.1-FM.

* More than 2,900 nonperishable food items were donated to St. Vincent's shelter as a result of a food drive of Las Vegas apartment communities by ConAm Management Corp.

* An anonymous gift of 500 turkeys was made to Catholic Charities Lied Dining Room this week. The gift was from the same anonymous person who gave 100 turkeys to the charity before Thanksgiving. The turkeys will provide about 7,000 meals to the needy. Catholic Charities provides 550,000 meals a year to the poor.