Publicly-funded Baltimore Youth Fund wastes $100K on adult trip

[Anonymous]

Baltimore is so corrupt! This kind of thing happens decade after decade in Baltimore.

And the real victims are the poor and forgotten kids in Baltimore city.

The BCYF, (Baltimore Children and Youth Fund) spent roughly $100,000 in taxpayer money on a trip for adults to Alabama last year. This is according to The Sun newspaper, who obtained documents only after filing multiple public information requests.

When will Baltimore’s government be held accountable?

[Anonymous]

Link to reporting:

https://foxbaltimore.com/spotlight-on-maryland/baltimore-youth-fund-spent-100k-on-trip-to-alabama-for-adults

[Anonymous]

That’s pathetic. Not shocking, sadly.

[Anonymous]

I don't even understand how it could cost that much for any reasonable number of adults to take a trip to Alabama. Wtf!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't even understand how it could cost that much for any reasonable number of adults to take a trip to Alabama. Wtf!

Apparently it was 90 people so not that crazy. It was basically the equivalent of a professional development conference not a vacation. But I think it’s reasonable to ask whether it was an effective use of funds and whether it was permissible under the terms of the org’s grants.

[Anonymous]

From the article:

"Additional documents obtained in public information requests revealed specific BCYF expenses during the Alabama trip. This included $3,600 for three yoga sessions and one “short breathing exercise,” a $9,800 dinner at the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery, and more than $4,000 in catering at Pannie-George’s Kitchen."

[Anonymous]

$3600 for yoga and a short breathing exercise? I'll offer it for $100!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$3600 for yoga and a short breathing exercise? I'll offer it for $100!

For 90 people?

[Anonymous]

This feels like a non issue. They spent half a percent of their budget on the kind of training and team building trip that is common for businesses and non profits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This feels like a non issue. They spent half a percent of their budget on the kind of training and team building trip that is common for businesses and non profits.

If you think that I want to audit any nonprofit you’re affiliated with. This is shameful stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This feels like a non issue. They spent half a percent of their budget on the kind of training and team building trip that is common for businesses and non profits.

If you think that I want to audit any nonprofit you’re affiliated with. This is shameful stuff.

Oh please. This year alone, Trump paid $20 billion of your tax dollars to bail out Argentina and has spent hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax dollars on aid to Israel's military. I am not going to clutch my pearls about a non-profit spending $1200 per adult on a teacher development trip/training.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This feels like a non issue. They spent half a percent of their budget on the kind of training and team building trip that is common for businesses and non profits.

If you think that I want to audit any nonprofit you’re affiliated with. This is shameful stuff.

I'm on the board of a non profit and we're audited regularly without issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This feels like a non issue. They spent half a percent of their budget on the kind of training and team building trip that is common for businesses and non profits.

If you think that I want to audit any nonprofit you’re affiliated with. This is shameful stuff.

Oh please. This year alone, Trump paid $20 billion of your tax dollars to bail out Argentina and has spent hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax dollars on aid to Israel's military. I am not going to clutch my pearls about a non-profit spending $1200 per adult on a teacher development trip/training.

First of all, it wasn’t “teacher training.” Second, I don’t feel one bit better about government waste because there is other government waste you can point to. This is gross and bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This feels like a non issue. They spent half a percent of their budget on the kind of training and team building trip that is common for businesses and non profits.

If you think that I want to audit any nonprofit you’re affiliated with. This is shameful stuff.

Oh please. This year alone, Trump paid $20 billion of your tax dollars to bail out Argentina and has spent hundreds of billions of dollars of our tax dollars on aid to Israel's military. I am not going to clutch my pearls about a non-profit spending $1200 per adult on a teacher development trip/training.

First of all, it wasn’t “teacher training.” Second, I don’t feel one bit better about government waste because there is other government waste you can point to. This is gross and bad.

It was professional development, as you would know if you read the story link posted in the OP. You can ask why they needed to take so many of their grantees, staff and board members on this trip, but it's not like they were embezzling funds or taking a week to gamble in casinos.

“In 2024, Baltimore Children and Youth Fund (BCYF) took nearly 100 grantees, staff members and board members to Alabama to visit The Legacy Sites, a museum and memorial that document our country’s history of racial inequities and injustice, as part of our professional development program, the learning lab, in preparation to complete our biennial Racial Equity audit which is required by BCYF Bylaws,” a BCYF spokesman told Spotlight on Maryland.

This experience, like our other plenaries, consisted of long, immersive days that require constant engagement, reflection, and discussions on how the lessons we learn can be brought back to Baltimore and make tangible change in our community and in the lives of young people,” the spokesman continued. “This kind of professional development and training, which is a significant part of BCYF’s mission, strengthens these organizations and creates sustainable programs for generations to come. Our payment to Hemisphere Educational Travel included the cost of flight and lodging accommodations, as well as bus transportation for our attendees.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the article:

"Additional documents obtained in public information requests revealed specific BCYF expenses during the Alabama trip. This included $3,600 for three yoga sessions and one “short breathing exercise,” a $9,800 dinner at the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery, and more than $4,000 in catering at Pannie-George’s Kitchen."

Across 90 people, that $108/person. You have to assume a 20% gratuity, so $87/person. You literally have these people eating gruel.