Financial Ills Hit Operation PUSH

Financial troubles have hit Operation PUSH, the civil rights organization founded in 1971 by the Rev. Jesse Jackson, prompting the temporary furlough of all employees of the PUSH national office, a spokeswoman said Thursday.

The 10 to 15 staff members in the office were furloughed as of Tuesday, but 70% volunteered to work without pay to keep the office and services running, Stephanie Gadlin said.

Gadlin said the PUSH board of directors already has in place a reorganization plan “to solve our current, temporary financial problems.” She refused to provide details.

Gadlin said the Rev. Tyrone Crider, current head of PUSH, had tried to contact Jackson, who won his first elected office last year as a “shadow senator” representing Washington, D.C.

A spokeswoman at the Rainbow Coalition office in the nation’s capital said Jackson was out of town and had no comment now on PUSH’s financial difficulties. Gadlin said none of about 29 chapters across the country are affected by the financial difficulties at the national headquarters.