O.C. Sheriff Dissolving His Youth Charity
Orange County Sheriff Michael S. Carona has begun dissolving his private foundation for underprivileged children and plans to transfer the funds to the United Way of Orange County under a deal being negotiated by the two charities, officials said Tuesday.
The Mike Carona Foundation was created shortly after Carona was elected to his first term in 1998 with a mission to help curb delinquency among California’s disadvantaged youths through educational and social programs.
The organization has spent or pledged more than $5 million since its inception, buying bicycles and soccer balls, providing trips to summer camp and helping pay college tuition.
Over the years, the foundation has repeatedly put itself in jeopardy of losing its tax-exempt status by missing the state’s tax filing deadline.
Colleen Sandrin, executive vice president and CEO of the Orange County chapter of the United Way, said the move to merge the nonprofits was not unusual. She added that it would keep Carona’s mission in place while simplifying the paperwork and filing requirements that can be expensive for any small private foundation.
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