Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Albuquerque Indian Center loses $100,000 Navajo Grant

It all began with the posting of a 990 tax form on Facebook by Kenneth Ruthhardt. The Albuquerque Indian Center (AIC) is a non-profit who has to submit the form each year. That form hit the internet with lightning speed showing that the Indian center might be mismanaging funds. The Navajo Nation's $100,000 grant for the Indian Center was vetoed by its' President for 2016. The AIC provides food and other services to the Native American homeless at Albuquerque. 70% are Navajo individuals. 

The AIC lost their annual $175,000 grant from the city back in 2011. That grant instead has been awarded to the "First Nations Community Health Source." The New Mexico Indian Affairs Department tried to get the AIC and "First Nations" to partner up, but the AIC has reportedly refused to do so. 

The "Native American Voices" wanted to help raise funds for AIC back in February of 2016. They contacted the president of the AIC board to hold a meeting to look at AIC's financial records. There was no meeting because of scheduling conflicts by AIC. 

The AIC says that there is an answer for everything including that 990 Tax form everyone had seen online. AIC claims that they have funding until the end of 2016.

Click on the photo for Albuquerque Indian Center News.
http://www.abqjournal.com/790512/abq-indian-center-loses-100k-navajo-nation-grant.html
(Albuquerque Indian Center photo)

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