PEACE4ALL “Hanging in There”

I wish I had permission to use that photo of the little kitten hanging on by his claws.

This one of a woman who just got Christmas presents for her kids they would otherwise not have had will have to do.

A client is hugging Cindy Smith after receiving presents donated by local organizations, mainly local women’s groups you can read about here.

It would epitomize the month-to-month fight for Crystal Lake’s domestic violence and rape prevention organization on Route 14 just north of the West Crystal Lake Avenue traffic light.

PEACE4ALL held a tent rummage sale on Country Club Road in mid-August.

$2,500 was raised.

Despite the fact that only one person is being paid (someone to assist the ones who do the unpaid counseling), it still takes about $3,000 a month to keep the agency open.

The rummage sale allows PEACE4ALL to stay open through September.

Fund raisers are scheduled for October and November.

Wonder why the agency should survive?

Read what it did for one woman:

“Peace 4 All is a Christian organization that has been helping me through the end of this ordeal. I wish I had known about them earlier. 

“They are a free institution.

“They assist and counsel both men and women who have been or are being victimized either physically or emotionally.

“They are non-profit-entirely dependent upon donation organization.

“Their site is www.peace4allonline.org. The site is not very well produced. They are in need of someone to volunteer to develop a better one.)“


Comments

PEACE4ALL “Hanging in There” — 18 Comments

  1. Why continue trying to save a destitute organization that said in a recent Northwest Herald article that they were probably closing? Is it possible that there has been money mis-management? Doesn’t Turning Point already offers these exact same services with over 20+ years in our community based on what was shared in their recent community radio-thon?

  2. Hi Cal,

    I have to go back to one of Mrs. Stockton-Smiths of Peace 4 All comments she made in a newspaper article…”Keeping the secret of abuse allows the abuser to continue”

    The Crises Line and Mental Health Board recognizes such agencies as Turning Point as legit, but I don’t see them recognizing Peace 4 All, so who makes this agency legit?

    I also see someone is helping them out on their website as I noticed that the organization changed its website by removing the ICADV link, as I understood Peace 4 All did not meet their minimal standards and was not a member. If the organization cannot receive a partnership with the Illinois Collation Against Domestic Violence that is based on Illinois Domestic Violence laws when it comes to proper training and credentials, what does this say about the organization?

    Also, its my understanding that the majority of laws that comply with Domestic Violence are State laws…the National Coalition link that has now been added to the organizational website in replace of the ICADV link, has no mandating of laws on a state level. Even still, when I go to this link, I see organizations such as Turning Point but I do not see Peace 4 All.

    I am all for Christianity and charity, but I think people have gotten a bad taste about this particular charity and we are now seeing the cause and effects of, to once again borrow Mrs. Stockton-Smiths words again,
    “Keeping the secret of abuse allows the abuser to continue”

  3. Hi, Cal —
    As Mimi and jg commented, I am wondering why promote this failing organization that is not even a credible organization in the eyes of ICADV and other abuse organizations? My question is, are the volunteers properly trained to deal with abused women and children, particularly at their new childrens abuse center? Does Peace4All have the stellar credentials and reputation that Turning Point has? Something — SOMETHING is wrong with this picture.

    Just because an organization calls itself Christian does not necessarily mean that it operates in such a manner, or does the right things.

    How about interviewing the women who started PEACE4all and have since left? I’d like to hear their take on what is really going on.

  4. Hey Cal,

    I am new here but am leaning towards the above posts.

    I heard of Peace 4 All at a raffle event being held in Gurnee Mills, Shopping Center in Gurnee, IL. Willow Creek Community Church Cars Ministry Director, Mr. Warren Young was selling raffle tickets on a car and in the trunk of the car they were raffling off had some literature about Peace 4 All.

    I once attended Willow Creek Community Church with my brother and his family and was at first taken back that a Church of this size and stature supported such a lottery. Mr. Young said it was for a good cause, as a portion of the proceeds went to Peace 4 All. As with all lotteries and chance drawings that tie a portion of the proceeds into a charity, I wanted to do some research on the non for profit and Mr. Young. I found out that Mr. Young was not only on staff as the Car Ministry Director for Willow Creek Community Church, but he also sits on the Board of Directors for Peace 4 All. When I dug a little deeper, I found that Mr. Young is behind Warren and Jolene Young Ministries and they have been soliciting donations to remodel his personal home to house victims of domestic violence, however, I understand that donations have been solicited for over a year now, and the last I heard, the addition to his personal home is still not complete and no one has yet to be served.

    When I went to the Illinois Attorney Generals website and looked up Peace 4 All, I only found financials on Peace 4 All for the year June 2005. I didn’t find anything listed on Warren and Jolene Young Ministries. Where are the timely disclosures of the organizations financials on the IL Attorney Generals website?

    I now read that Peace 4 All is barely hanging on and perhaps close to closing its doors. I recently heard that staff has been told that the Executive Director Cindy Stockton Smith may be closing her doors and working out of her home. So I guess if that happens that would be another home organization asking for donations?

    I have to really question how an organization that can’t support itself and its staff can sustain a children’s center. Most everyone’s heart and pocket books opens to help children, perhaps that is why the organization uses a possible children center to solicit funds, but how can they help the children if they can’t first help themselves to stay open? Does anyone know where this center is supposed to open? And I too have to ask, who is qualified to help children out of this organization? Is it the Executive Director, Cindy Stockton Smith who I understand has her degree in Human Resources per an article I read about her college credentials? Is she qualified to help children of domestic violence or for that matter, any woman/man of domestic violence?

    Cal, your article suggests the organization still plans on being open in October and November for fundraisers, but it also states that the rummage sale only allowed them to be open through the end of September. So where does the money go in October and November if they aren’t open for business?

    Since Mr. Young sits on Peace 4 Alls Board, I would really have to question the possible conflict of interest into Mr. Young’s private home ministry that hasn’t served any interest but his own personal property value with his personal home remodeling project, especially since Peace 4 All is now talking about the possibility of closing its doors.

    I too would have to question along with the above posts why Peace 4 All cannot meet the basic qualifications and credentials to be in the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence or be recognized from such respected organizations such as The Crisis Center or the Mental Health Board. Perhaps a Human Resource Degree isn’t enough under their guidelines?

    And what happened to all the volunteers and staff that once worked for this organization? Why did they leave? Does anyone know?

    In these times where money is tight, I think anyone that is thinking about donating to this organization would do some homework on the organization and not just hand over money because they say they want to help children. Perhaps people have and that is why the organization is folding its operations?

  5. Cal,

    Maybe some investigating needs to be done regarding Peace4All. This last post, regarding the remodeling of the home of Mr. Young for victims of abuse, sounds rather fishy, if true.

    Some investigative reporters on this situation in a time of poor economic times seems prudent.

    Watching the rise, fall and demise of Peace4All, and now supposedly wanting to rise again, in addition to remembering several letters to the editor, as well, makes one believe this is a fly-by-night operation. How can they be claiming to shut down by September, and at the same time claim they are opening a child abuse center? I would like to see qualifications for those working in, or volunteering in the child abuse center. This not-for-profit seriously needs to be audited.

  6. Cal / Jess,

    You can find the application to Hud online using the following address link:

    http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/Common/CountyBrd/MtgDocs/2006051606ctybd/051606bd14.2g(03).pdf

    SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION TO U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FOR 2006 HOMELESS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM GRANT FUNDING

    Warren and Jolene Young Ministries/Peace 4 All

    Warren and Jolene Young Ministries/Peace 4 All is asking for funding for a new project which will provide transitional housing to homeless victims of domestic violence. Funds are being sought for renovation and administration.

    If the renovation is above board, there should be a record of permits that were drawn for this renovation project to Mr. Young’s home.

    It would also be interesting to know where the money from the raffle went? Did it go to Willow Creek Community Church? Peace 4 All? Warren and Jolene Young Ministries? Or somewhere else?

    I understand they sold some 40,000 tickets and at $20.00 a pop, some $80,000 went somewhere in February 2008.

    Per Peace 4 Alls website, the drawing was held February 1 2008.

    Another link of interest: http://www.jacnsue.com/Chevelle/index.htm in which I read that the car was given away. Pictures attached to this link show both the drawing and the car that was raffled off.

    Who is the watchdog over these agencies and are they watching?

  7. No, Turning Point does not offer the exact same services. Turning Point does not offer transitional housing nor do they do sexual assault recovery counseling. Furthermore P.E.A.C.E. 4 All offers a much more extensive children’s program for ages ranging from 3-17. I am the one working with the children and will the one running the children’s center which is greatly needed in our community. I have my early childhood degree from NIU and am currently pursuing a psychology degree which should be completed by June 2009. I have completed the state required 40 hour domestic violence training as well as the required 50 hours of supervsion and am in the process of recieving my sexual assault training.

  8. Apologies for any confusion, I the agencies generic username, instead of my own. I, Rhianna, wrote the above post. I also want to add that as advocates of domestic violence we are not required to be mental health professionals, because we don’t do mental health counseling. We provide educational and prevention advocacy. With that said, we are supervised by a mental health professional and refer any suspected mental health issues to those qualified in that field.

  9. Cindy-pEACE4ALL: You do not answer the questions that people have asked on this blog.

    • Why aren’t you a member of ICADV?
    • Who are Warren and Jolene Young Ministries? Are they really getting HUD money for an addition on their home to house abused families, and if so, why not post how much it is costing, post photos of the progress, when will it be available for use? Will they be exempt from real estate taxes?
    • Why were you ready to close your doors this month but now are opening a children’s center?
    • Where did the money come from that made this big change in plans, where will the children’s center be, and how much is being spent on it?

    As members of the community, and possible donors to such a cause these are questions that should be answered to the public.

    Put on your website your credentials, abuse organizations you belong to. If you are indeed competition with Turning Point, I would think that you would try to have the same credentials that they do.

  10. I have some additional questions for Cindy, Rhianna, Mr. /Mrs. /Miss/Ms. Generic or whomever the Peace4All representative is that posted the two responses above Jess’s recent post.

    You stated that you have completed the “state required 40 hour domestic violence training”.
    • Who provided you the 40 hour training?
    • Was your training State Certified and recognized by ICADV (Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence)? If Not, who are they recognized by?

    You stated that you have had 50 hours of supervision.
    • Who provided your 50 hours of supervision?
    • Was your supervision completed by a person that worked with an outside agency and who is recognized by ICADV and is State Certified?

    You stated that you are “supervised by a mental health professional”
    • Who is this person?
    • Is he/she on your staff?
    • How long has he/she been associated with your organization and what is his/her qualifications, education and background?

    Are you the only person that is or will be working with children?
    • If there are others, who are they and what are their credentials, as it sounds like you want to open a center for children and I don’t think you are doing this alone, are you?

    You stated that your organization is set up to provide “educational and prevention advocacy”.
    • How many children come to your organization only needing educational and preventive advocacy?

    You stated you are not required to do mental health counseling, as if that must be the reason the Mental Health Board doesn’t recognize your organization (even though you stated you have mental health professionals supervising you), but to the point I want to make and that is, without any real professional experience in mental health, how can you properly assess a child and his or her needs if he/she needs more professional help, since you claim you are just an educational and prevention advocate group?

    You further stated when you compare Peace4All with Turning Point that your organization provides sexual assault recovery counseling.
    • How can you provide sexual assault counseling if, as you claim, you are not a mental health professional?

    Educational + Prevention Advocacy without the proper credentials does not equal Sexual Assault Recovery Counselors.

    By what licensed authority do you have that says you are appointed to be able to do all these things?
    • What organizations recognize you as being legitimate in the fields of domestic violence and sexual assault?

    Does ICASA (Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault) recognize your agency as being legitimate? I do not see your organization being listed on their website.

    Since your organization has posted several articles through the media and each of these postings requested money because you are so close to closing your doors, I have some additional questions about some recent money that came into your organization.
    • Where did all the money from your recent raffle go?
    • If you collected some $80,000.00 in February 2008 from over 40,000 ticket sales and only need $3,000.00 a month to operate, why are you stating you are closing your doors because of a lack of money?
    • Even if you minus your expenses for the raffle, how did your organization go through so much money in less than 7 months with only one paid staff member and a $3,000.00 a month budget?

    Since Mr. Young sits on your Board of Directors, what kind of partnership does your organization have with Warren and Jolene Young Ministries?
    • Does the recent mention of $3000.00 a month in operating expenses include any monies going to this transitional housing program?
    • How much money has Peace4All donated or provided Warren and Jolene Young Ministries since 2006?
    • How much money has Warren Young and Jolene Young Ministries collected to build onto their personal home?
    • Has the IRS provided Warren and Jolene Young Ministries with a 501(c)3 non profit status?
    • If you close your doors, what happens to Warren and Jolene Young Ministries after they have now remodeled their private home?

    Your Executive Director, Cindy stated that only one person is getting paid.
    • Who is this person?
    • What are his/her qualifications?
    • What does this person do for your agency?

    What are the qualifications of those that are not getting paid that are doing the educational and preventative advocacy and sexual assault counseling and are they properly trained?

    Are all the people answering your phones certified by the State or by an agency recognized by ICADV / ICASA?

    As a member of this community, I would like to know the answers to my questions, as I am sure others in our community want and have a right to know, as well as those questions that have already been asked on this website before I would ever contribute or recommend sending someone to your organization for any kind of help, especially children.

  11. JG has put forth the right questions that should be answered before PEACE4ALL receives any money. These are the type of questions that should be asked before anyone decides to give their hard earned money to ANY charity.

    Good questions JG. Thank you.

  12. Let me start off by first apologizing to JG, as I made a typo and I believe JG copied my typo. The sum total is the same, however, it was my understanding Peace 4 All sold over 4,000 tickets and not the 40,000 tickets that I obviously miss-typed in my earlier post.

    As I stated in my earlier post, the raffle tickets Peace 4 All / Willow Creek Cars Ministry Director Warren Young sold us were $20.00 raffle tickets. 4,000 tickets times $20.00 = the same $80,000.00 collected that I and later JG mentioned. So the end result is the same, I just made a typo and I believe JG copied my mistake in his/her question to Peace 4 All.

    That being said, I found most of my information on Peace 4 All and Warren and Jolene Young Ministries on Google. I thought I would share an article that I also found on Google that can help one decide and maybe attract an investigative reporter (Cal, Hint Hint) to look into this organization for the good of the community.

    Tools to Separate Good and Bad Nonprofits by Bill Smith

    http://www.businessjournalism.org/pages/biz/2007/04/tools_to_separate_good_and_bad_1/

  13. I am Rhianna Price, the one responding to all of this. I ahve volunteered at P.E.A.C.E. 4 all for almost 3 years now. We applied to the ICADV recently and were turned doen because we had them on our website, apparently its not okay to recommend other sites to provide help to people seeking information on domestic violence. I believe previously we had not been able to apply because we had not been open long enough. TO be honest I do not know the details of Warren and Jolene Young Minsitries. I know we have people here that do, I am just not sure how to appropriately answer that. There is a HUGE reason why the work on their house isn’t being publicised! Its a SAFE HOUSE!!!!!!!!! And now its a lot less safe since you all have talked about it publicly. In fact, I’d like to know how foxonthelake ever got any information about this at all. The whole point of a safe house is that no one is supposed to know where it is. As many nonprofits in our county have we too have taken some hits due the economy. We will not cease to exist in this community, we will continue to serve the our clients to our best ability. However the lack of money does limit us. Be careful what your read and believe in the papers. I know we have been misquoted more than once. We have had plans in motion to open a children’s center for over a year now, we are still working out all the details. We have worked with DCFS and McHenry County Resource and Referral. Also, the children’s center will be a fee based program. Our website has been “in progree” since day one and still is. We ahve been working on updating it, but to be honest it has not been the #1 priority, our clients are. P.E.A.C.E. 4 All provided my training and the two advocates doing the training and supervising are Certified Domestic Violence Professionals and the ICADV provides that credential. One of our mental health professionals is Bob Sexton and he has been a volunteer for 11 months now. Angie Reeks is also a mental health professional and she has been volunteering for just over a year. No I will not be the only one working in the children’s center, we plan to hire highly qualified staff. To be honest I am not sure the total number of children we have seen here. Currently I have approximately 15 a week for the month of September, but that is just the number of scheduled appointments. Most of the time the kids I see do not have a mental health diagnosis. They have a lot of crap going on at home and need a safe place to talk about it and someone to listen a validate them. We work a lot on expressing feelings in healthy ways, building self esteem, and building assertiveness skills. We the preteens and teenagers we also do alot with what a healthy relationship looks like, compared with the unhealthy that has been modeled for them at home. If I feel that something else is going on or that the client may need more we refer them to the appropriate people. Sexual assault is not a mental health diagnosis. And, we have advocates with the state required sexual assault training. Yes we are ceritfied by ICASA. As far as waht happens with our money I don’t have all the answers, I am not the bookkeeper. I know that we pay one advocate full time, we had paid for a marketing director full time, and we did pay our bookkeeper part time, but she is now also volunteering. We pay for our phone service which allows us to operate our 24 hr crisis line, and we pay for our website and utilities. But, the majority of our money goes to our clients. Whether that is temporary shelter in a motel, or supplies for our children’s programs, or gas cards for our clients, or workbooks for our counseling sessions. I do not believe P.E.A.C.E. 4 All has given money to Warren and Jolene Young mininstries. Currently our assisstant director is being paid as a full time advocate. She also has the same state required 40 hour trainig and 50 hours of supervision. She does the bulk of the ongoing counseling with our adult clients. All our advocates have this training. And only our advocates answer the crisis line. I would like to encourage you to give us a call and make an appointment to come in and see what we all about. 815-455-2457.

  14. Also, just to clarify. As far as P.E.A.C.E. 4 All is concerned we are not competing with Turning Point. They do their work, we do ours and we both help the community and have the common goal of ending violence.

  15. Rhianna Price, thank you for responding.

    I noticed you didn’t answer a lot of the questions from JG and Jess’s comments. I would think your Executive Director, Cindy Stockton Smith could answer those questions you don’t have an answer to, after all, from what you stated, you are a volunteer. From an article I read, the non for profits with nothing to hide have no problems answering the questions to the public.

    Please forgive my rather long post response, but I want to address one of my major concerns that I have questions about with your organization from the posts I have read. I want to go to the heart of it first and that deals with the credentials of your organization and are your credentials recognized by anyone outside of your own agency.

    Can you provide ICADV training certificates?
    This is what I understand about ICADV certificates, again from Google:
    Certification will be applicable for 2 years, at which time the applicant must renew the certification. In order to renew the certification, the Certified Domestic Violence Professional (CDVP) must complete 30 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) within the 2 year period.
    • You stated you have been with Peace 4 All for 3 years, so you should have your original and renewal certificate, and is it from an approved training site?

    Requirements for Eligibility:
    The following are requirements to become a Certified Domestic Violence Professional in Illinois:
    Complete 40 hour training at an ICDVP, Inc approved training site.
    • This isn’t the Peace 4 All building you mentioned in your comment but rather an approved training site authorized by ICDVP.
    The ICDVP Inc Board publishes a list of approved sources for the 40 hour training on their website for the state of Illinois.
    People can go to http://www.ilcdvp.org/approved_trainingsupervision_sites.htm to see the approved chart that lists all the approved 40 hour domestic violence training sites and 150 hour supervision sites in the State of Illinois. Turning Point is on this list but Peace 4 All isn’t.
    • So if you received your training from Peace 4 All, as you claimed, I would have to question whether your certificate is recognized by anyone outside of Peace 4 All?
    • Do your training sources come from ICDVP?

    Candidates must submit documentation that they have completed the 40 hour training at one of the ICDVP, Inc approved training sites.
    • Again, I don’t see that Peace 4 All is an approved training site.

    Complete 150 hours of direct service or supervision of direct service at an ICDVP approved supervision site-within 2 years of application to be a Certified Domestic Violence Professional
    • You stated you have 50 hours of supervision…did you get the rest within your first 2 years?
    • Has your supervision been completed at and ICDVP approved supervision site?

    ICDVP Inc. Board publishes a list of approved identified Supervision sites.
    • Again, I don’t see that Peace 4 All has been identified as an approved Supervision site.
    Candidates for Certification will be required to submit documentation of their service hours.
    • Do all the volunteers that answer your phones have a recognized certificate and are certified by an organization other than Peace 4 All?
    • Who is Angie Reeks and what are her credentials?

    I noticed your organization recently changed your website shortly after the blogs started showing up on McHenryCountyBlog.com. Specifically, you changed your website wording from:

    “Please visit the following links to learn more about organizations we work with” and you listed ICADV http://www.ilcadv.org.
    To the current wording of:
    “Visit the following organizations for help and more information about domestic violence and sexual assault”.
    However, No ICADV link is mentioned in your revised website. I am assuming since you changed your wording, and the specific words and link you chose to remove it was because you do not work with ICADV?
    • We can let the reader’s research whether it was because of what you said or was it because you are not approved or recognized by ICADV. When I read the ICADV website, I do not see what you are stating.

    Like I said in an earlier blog, I Googled the information on your organization, Warren Young and his Ministry and that it is what comes up on Google. (I posted the link, its a Hud Application with his personal organizatioal name and Peace 4 All)

    Amongst many conflicts of interest with this organization that gave me pause, remodeling your Board Members personal home with public donations and grant monies sounds like a definite conflict of interest into having the public believe its all in the name of charity and that only the clients benefit. It is my understanding that the remodeling of his personal home hasn’t been completed and no one has been served. Is this true?

    In one article I read, a bad non for profit actually purchased a home out of public donations to substitute a house the Executive Director lost in a divorce. I am sure the Executive Director of this particular organization wanted the home not to be known to the public as well.

    It shouldn’t surprise you that people would want to know about a (Profit or Non for profit) ministry that partners itself with your organization on a HUD Application with the same person that is a Board member that sits on your Board of Directors. A Board of Director that was seen soliciting donations and monies for your organization by way of a raffle.

    In closing, perhaps you can help me with the following:
    When I Google Bob Sexton, I only find his qualifications as an MS candidate in Counseling. What is a candidate? Not a PHD? You stated he is your Mental Health Professional and has been on staff for 11 months. I noticed he specializes in Anger Management. How does this specialty help the “Victims”? I would think his specialty would help the Perpetrators more than victims of abuse and deals nothing with Sexual Assault.

    And last, Rhianna, you stated in your comment that you will not cease to exist in this community. If that is true, why is your organization asking for money dating back in July telling everyone you are closing your doors if you don’t get immediate funding? Sounds a little hypocritical and dramatic if you aren’t really planning on closing your doors or going anywhere.

    There are other questions like you stated you plan to hire highly qualified staff to run your children’s center and yet, I read in this recent article that you are barely holding on to keeping your doors open, so how are you going to pay for a highly qualified staff? Does your organization have a ton of money and are lying to the public or are you close to shutting your doors? Again, perhaps a better question for your Director.

    In addition to wanting to know the answers to JG and Jess’s questions, I do have a list of questions that deal with other conflicts of interest dealing with the way your organization is currently set up as well as the Board of Directors interest with this organization and his private ministry, but this post is long enough, for now.

    Thank you again Rhianna for responding. Our community members are caring, intelligent and law abiding citizens and we are just looking for answers before supporting or recommending your organization to others.

  16. Rhianna, I also forgot to copy one more qualification that I hope you can also answer for me in regards to your certificate.

    It is my understanding that in order to be a Certified Domestic Violence Professional, you must also pass the knowledge based certification test. The test is offered twice annually, both in Springfield and in the Chicago metropolitan area.

    You would know if you took such a test and passed it at an approved testing facility. Again, I do not see Peace 4 All listed as a place that can administer such a test.

    I only mention this, as it appears from you comments that the training, supervision and certificate you received all came from Peace 4 All at Peace 4 All.

    But if Peace 4 All isn’t recognized as an approved site in Illinois to do such training, supervision or have the proper material to train, than I would have to question whether or not you or anyone else in your organization is legally certified and more importantly, truly qualified to be a Domestic Violence counselor for the best interest of the clients.

    Also, Mr. Young didn’t list on the Public Record application that this was a safe house but rather stated and I quote from the PDF form. “Warren and Jolene Young Ministries/Peace 4 All is asking for funding for a new project which will provide transitional housing to homeless victims of domestic violence. Funds are being sought for renovation and administration”

    The fact that the transitional housing is his very own personal home remodeling project and not a truly stand alone safe house, as is the case with nearly every other organization that offers transitional housing is very questionable and sets off all kinds of red flags in my mind. The fact that Mr. Young sits on the Board of Directors of Peace 4 All, which I believe in his position as a Board member is to supervise and direct the financials of the Peace 4 All organization, has other alarms going off.

    Rhianna, thanks again for stepping up and being a voice for your organization. It does sound like your heart is in the right place, but that may not be enough for children with real problems that require real help.

    Before I would want to support or recommend your organization to anyone, I want to make sure the staff is qualified to help and the organization is legitimate and not doing anything that is questionable with its funding.

  17. Cal,

    Besides wanting to know if this organization is even qualified to counsel anyone, let alone someone who is a victim of domestic violence or sexual assault, I too want to know why Mr. Warren Young is sitting on the Board of Peace 4 All when his personal home remodeling project is a definite conflict of interest.

    From the ICADV website on the minimal mandates of an approved Domestic Violence Service Provider:
    Under Board of Directors:
    Prohibit Board membership from those who may have a conflict of interest without prior written approval from Illinois Department of Health Service. A conflict of interest is any real or apparent incompatibility between one’s private interest and one’s fiduciary duties.

    Two specific types of conflicts are self-dealing (transactions with the agency that benefit the Board member) and usurpation of agency’s opportunities (taking an opportunity away from the agency for personal gain).

    Obviously the personal property value of Mr. Young’s private home is increased with the personal remodeling addition(s) to his private home that he tied into Peace 4 All on a Public Record HUD application.

    So did IDHS give Peace 4 All a letter approving membership of Mr. Young as a Board Member and can Peace 4 All produce such letter? Of course if they aren’t members of ICADV, this is probably a moot point. Though the obvious conflict of interest still stands.

    Per the duties of a Board Member, I read, again from the ICADV website that the Board Members must: On a minimum of a quarterly basis or more often as needed the following:

    Update budgets, projected and actual, planned revenue and expenses, and budgets specific to cash and capital. Implement policies that set limits and outline procedures that maintain the fiscal health of the organization. Implement policies that ensure that the agency is meeting all federal, state, local, funding and regulatory requirements.

    Who is the President of Peace 4 All’s Board of Directors? It is my understanding that The Executive Director cannot be the President of the Board? Can the Board of Directors fire the Executive Director who is also the Co-Founder for improprieties? Perhaps another reason ICADV doesn’t recognize them?

    Perhaps if Peace 4 All Executive Director Cindy Stockton Smith won’t respond or if you, Cal, won’t investigate your KIWANIS pal for possible improprieties and conflicts of interests, perhaps a Peace 4 All Board Member / President can respond to the financial and other questions and concerns addressed on this Blog for the best interests of the community and for the sake of the children who need qualified and professional services?

    Silence is an answer.

    People can follow the money and the credentials of the agency or lack there of, to include those agencies in authority that do NOT recognize them for what seems to be obvious reasons to come up with their own conclusions.

    In the meantime, there have been enough questions and red flags that have been raised by others and myself that I will not personally support this agency until they ALL have been properly addressed in a public forum to my satisfaction.

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