HWDSB foundation shouldn’t be dipping into its reserves

re: School trustees question lack of say on charity changes (March 13)   After reading about the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board’s registered charity being revamped, I can certainly understand why: they spent more than they took in. When I read that most of the money is spent on bursaries and scholarships, I did a little digging around the board’s website. According to them, the money is spent on many other things, such as “breakfast and nutrition programs, computer labs, athletic equipment, playground equipment, library enhancements and poverty reduction initiatives for high needs students.” Now that the HWDSB has hired a professional fundraiser to enhance this program, the board should come back to trustees with a new, more-focused mandate for approval, instead of funding everything under the sun. Going forward, this foundation and its new board of directors, should concentrate on delivering programs and support in a cost-effective way, as spending $82,000 more than you raised — then dipping into reserves to cover it — is not sustainable.   Mark-Alan Whittle Hamilton Mountain

View article...