The charity at the center of the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse scandal informed some of its employees Wednesday that they will be laid off.
“Based on the current donor level of contributions and in order to continue programs, we have notified some of the staff that they would be leaving the organization starting next year,” said David Woodle, the vice chairman of The Second Mile’s board who is directing day-to-day operations. “All planned programs are continuing.”
Woodle said the nonprofit has about 20 employees. He declined to say how many will be laid off. The Second Mile also has about $2.47 million in annual expenses and total assets of about $9.54 million, according to its latest IRS tax filings.
Sandusky founded the charity in 1977 to serve at-risk children across the state. However, an investigating grand jury said it was through the charity that he met 10 boys he is charged with sexually abusing over a 15-year period.
A week after Sandusky’s arrest in early November, the president of The Second Mile, Jack Raykovitz, resigned and Woodle took over the day-to-day operation.
Raykovitz paid was $132,923 a year, according to the nonprofit’s latest IRS tax return. His wife, Katherine Genovese, earned $100,580 as the executive vice president. She still holds that position.
In a statement on the nonprofit’s website, The Second Mile said it has “lost significant financial support” over the last several weeks and that it would implement the reductions in phases over the next several months “to put the organization in a better position to preserve programs.”
The nonprofit described the youth programs it provides in its 2009-10 tax return, saying:
•782 children between the ages of 8 and 17 participated in summer challenge activities and 708 children were awarded “certificates of achievement and community service.”
•116 community education presentations were given to 5,754 participants, about ways “to help students to respond proactively to negative peer pressure” and “improve self-esteem.”
•322 participants from 62 high school teams participated in the nonprofit’s leadership institute.
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