(Atlantic) SHIFT ATL, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, issued a public statement for the community of Atlantic following the City Council’s Discussion and Decision on the Fundraising Committee.
We are very grateful for the decision made this evening by the Atlantic City Council to allow the Splash Pad fundraising committee to act within their roles at total capacity to fundraise and move forward on this project, just like other community amenities that started as grassroots fundraising efforts within our community and like we see in other progressive cities. Although we did not feel it necessary to speak on our behalf at the council meeting after this decision was made, we still need to clarify a few points that have recently been publicly stated regarding our organization.
Our mission, vision, and community commitment were called into question in March during a public meeting stating that our mission was focused on “housing.” Our mission, vision, and “who we are” have always been directed toward community betterment for Atlantic. Our mission, vision, and who we are, are the same today as at our inception in 2019, with the overall community at the forefront.
Vision: To SHIFT the direction of Atlantic’s social and economic development opportunities by leveraging partnerships and strengthening social bonds within the community.
Mission: To revitalize Atlantic through projects, services, and programs to enhance the community and foster development and growth.
Who we are: SHIFT ATL was officially born in June 2019 by a group of young(er) professionals who believe in creating a positive “shift” for the Atlantic community. We aim to be a development catalyst organization by identifying the needs and wants of residents and creating an actionable plan to move forward. We also serve as a conduit and connector for those with a passion project but not necessarily the means or backing to get started. Getting the right people and pieces to support new and expanding businesses, organizations, and projects is at our heart.
We also wanted to address the comments sent to the media (in regards to our proposed partnership agreement with the City for the Splash Pad project) that stated the City’s local Auditor raised multiple questions, one in specific stating “the biggest concern of the Auditor’s according to John Lund, is that SHIFT is an unaudited organization. While they do have a CPA, they are still unaudited.”
We contacted the local Auditor to confirm the listed concerns said to be raised by them, most specifically the statement mentioned above. They stated that it is NOT the position of the Auditor and their office and that they did NOT make this comment. SHIFT ATL would be a private organization donating to the splash pad project. Therefore, the City is not responsible for the records of our organization, nor any other person, business, or organization looking to donate for the splash pad. SHIFT ATL wholeheartedly supports this project and the fundraising/Splash Pad committee, and we will continue to be advocates and supporters of this committee as the project progresses. We wish the fundraising committee and the City the best as they continue to navigate the undertaking of funding the splash pad project. We remain committed to supporting their efforts.
Lastly, we would like to add specific context and clarity to remarks made in the previous press release from Monday about our nonprofit and how we are audited. The IRS heavily scrutinizes organizations with tax-exempt status, as they rightfully should. Since our inception, all required quarterly reports and annual taxes have been submitted on time and with the help of Rush CPA, an outstanding local accounting firm. The published concerns about SHIFT ATL being an “unaudited” organization could be perceived as highly derogatory to someone unfamiliar with accounting practices for a 501(c)3. Integrity and financial transparency create the foundation on which we have built this nonprofit. We are proud that the IRS sees nothing in our financial reporting to flag an audit. All of Shift ATL’s annual reports are accessible via our website, and our financial statements or balance sheets are available upon request at shiftatl.org or shiftatlantic@gmail.com. We encourage anyone wanting to know more about what we do and how we utilize our resources, to please reach out!
