Shining Daylight on Erwin McManus' Awaken 3

PART THREE


Continued from previous post.


4. Awaken Humanity

In my previous posts "Non-Profit or Non-Existent?", "A Wake Up Call to Erwin McManus and Awaken," "The Awaken Humanity Music Festival" and parts one and two of "Shining Daylight on Erwin McManus' Awaken", I have commented on the text under "Awaken Humanity" at http://www.awaken.org/awaken-humanity

While the original text at this page remains untouched, the official Mosaic newsletter http://mosaic.org/newsletter reveals some significant changes in both content and language.

Awaken Humanity: Then and Now

Text of the original Awaken Humanity website’s appeal for donations compared to the updated (in green) information posted on Mosaic’s newsletter.

(Humanity) ­ the quality of being humane
Awaken Humanity is a documentary film project dedicated to making a difference on the issues of poverty, HIV/AIDS, and human trafficking. Entitled “Things You Should Care About,” each film highlights a community or organization that is actively moving towards global change in their local community. Awaken Humanity strives to help people feel deeply about human suffering and become apart of a global force to bring about change.

[The newsletter does not mention any type of film project connected with Awaken Humanity, however; Mosaic now claims to have its own “Mosaic Films” department with a separate entry on the newsletter.]

“Awaken Humanity 2007″ - a chance to change the world with the gift of compassion and humanitarian service.


Awaken Humanity: Mosaic 2007 Global Focus for Year Round Giving and Action


GOAL: $100,000 to bring faith, love and hope to millions around the world!


So far this year we have raised $118,519.09!

Our original goal of $100,000.00 has been met


AWAKEN AFRICA
Zambia and South Africa

AWAKEN AFRICA $40,412.69
Zambia and South Africa


. . . providing transportation for local leaders to travel to remote areas.

Providing a boat for transportation of local teams to remote, unreached areas
[As written, this sentence is still ambiguous as to whether or not a boat was actually provided.]


Breath of Heaven Children’s Village in Zambia

Primary purposes: Breath of Heaven Children’s Village in Zambia
[The newsletter does not mention the exact amount of the donation given to this cause.]


Informal Settlements in South Africa

Informal Settlements in South Africa
[This is all that is mentioned. No precise amount is mentioned. Emthonjeni (whose name is featured in the video clip at Awaken Humanity) is sponsored by Mosaiek church in South Africa.]

AWAKEN L.A.
Gifts will be used to fund some of the following projects:

AWAKEN L.A. $2,710.00
Local Influence
[No longer mentions the word "fund."]



SEA (Soladad Enrichment Action)
Awaken Humanity would like to fund 400 students (and all 14 schools eventually) to participate in Yelo, a course in “StrengthFinders” and character development, to help students discover and use their unique abilities.

Yelo with SEA
[No further info given. Note: “Yelo with SEA." Keep in mind, I was told by SEA that they were trying to create a matching funds arrangement with Awaken Humanity to provide Yelo to its students.]

Nightlight L.A.

Nightlight L.A. (Human trafficking)
No further information on this charity is mentioned in the Mosaic newsletter. No specific amount mentioned.

Homeless Service is in cooperation and support with other agencies such as L.A. Mission and Union Rescue Mission

Homeless Ministries
There is no longer any mention of the L.A. Mission. No breakdown given on what amounts were donated to which organizations.


Important Note: Mosaic’s newsletter now includes a separate section entitled: serveLA where it claims to be teaming with the following organizations and churches: Union Station Foundation, Union Rescue Mission and First Baptist Church of West Los Angeles

Question: Since these agencies are listed under a separate category and not under Awaken Humanity does this mean they are excluded from receiving a portion of the funds raised during the Awaken Humanity campaign?

Clean and Sober

Clean and Sober
No amount mentioned.

Neo-Underground Railroad

Neo-Underground Railroad
No amount mentioned.


NOTE: The following information is given at the Awaken Humanity webpage:

*All donations are tax deductible. Please make checks payable to “Awaken” and indicate “Awaken Humanity” on the memo line and send to the Awaken offices at:

Awaken
1443 E. Washington Blvd. #659
Pasadena, CA 91104-2650
*Note this is a mailing address and not an office address.

Or, give online with the link below. Donations will be distributed according to the need of each area.

The Mosaic newsletter lumps all of the above under the banner “Awaken Humanity: Mosaic 2007 Global Focus for Year Round Giving and Action”

The new contact person for Awaken Humanity is Janice Sakuma, Janice@mosaic.org, not Eric Bryant, Awaken Humanity's Vice President.

The focus of Awaken Humanity appears to have shifted from a one time giving campaign with a goal of $100,000 to:

You have exceeded our expectations, let’s continue to support these amazing projects as giving will continue year-round and projects will be reviewed and updated in October.

New Additions

The newsletter break down of the monies raised for Awaken Humanity includes the following additions not listed in its original fundraising appeal:

Awaken Humanity General: $68,828.40

Your giving has allowed for the Mosaic community to support the projects listed to the right, as well as assist our overseas workers to continue to expand the Kingdom of God.


[Questions: Since Awaken Humanity General has retained the lion’s share of the money that was raised, why is there no breakdown on how this money is going to be spent? For instance: just how much of this general fund is going towards supporting overseas workers?

What happened to the “film project?”]


Awaken Europe $2,300.00
Reaching major cities of influence

Primary purposes: Mosaic Dusseldorf, Germany

Mosaic Paris, France

Teams in Dublin, Ireland and Zurich, Switzerland


Global Leadership Conference: $4,268,00

Assisting, Training and Supporting our Overseas Workers
Primary Purposes: Overseas workers covering Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and South Africa

Breakdown on the Money

What was originally asked for:

Awaken Africa: $40,412.69

This amount was somehow divided three ways between:

1. Breath of Heaven Children’s Village“
2. Informal Settlements in South Africa” (Emthonjeni)
3. The purchase of a boat.

Consider this, if the amount given to these three causes was divided equally this would amount to: $13,470.89 for each cause.


Awaken L.A. $2,710.00

This amount was somehow divided between:

1. Nightlight L.A.
2. Homeless Ministries
Union Rescue Mission
L.A. Mission
3. Neo-Underground Railroad
4. SEA
5. Clean and Sober

Divided 5 ways this amounts to

$542 for each cause.

Breaking it down further to list the Union Rescue Mission and L.A. Mission separately the total amount for all six causes comes to: $451.66 for each cause

According to the breakdown listed on Mosaic’s own newsletter, Awaken Humanity may have reached its “fundraising goal” of raising $100,000 but in reality only $43,122.69 has been allocated for the causes Awaken Humanity listed in its original fundraising materials.

What happened to the rest of the money?

The following projects were not mentioned in the original Awaken Humanity fundraising appeal:

Awaken Europe: $2,300.00

1. Mosaic Dusseldorf, Germany (A part of the Mosaic Alliance)
2. Mosaic Paris, France
3. Teams in Dublin, Ireland and Zurich, Switzerland {No breakdown given on these teams}

Divided three ways, the amount for each cause is: $766.66

Global Leadership Conference: $4,268.00

Assisting, Training and Supporting our Overseas Workers
Primary Purposes: Overseas workers covering Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle East, Africa, Europe and South Africa

[What does this mean? What conference is being referred to? Was this money spent on operating costs for a conference?]


Awaken Humanity General fund: $68,828.40

Your giving has allowed for the Mosaic community to support the projects listed to the right, as well as assist our overseas workers to continue to expand the Kingdom of God.

[Again, what does this mean: “assist our overseas workers” and why is this point listed under two different categories?]

Final Comments on Part Three

According to the update given in the Mosaic newsletter, Awaken Humanity achieved its fundraising goal of $100,000. Keep in mind that Awaken Humanity is a separate, corporate entity registered in the State of California and that Eric Bryant assured me that it would be filing with the IRS for 501c3 status sometime during the summer of 2007.

As a separate, non-profit corporation, why didn't Awaken Humanity post this update on its fundraising activities under its own name?

According to the numbers provided by Mosaic, less than half of the $100,000 raised for Awaken Humanity was actually spent on the charitable purposes/organizations designated in the original appeal for money.

The majority of the money, $68,828.40 , went into a "general fund' that was never mentioned in the original fundraising appeal.

An additional $2,300.00 (not mentioned in the original appeal) was spent on "Awaken Europe."

An additional $4,268.00 (not mentioned in the original appeal) was spent on a "Global Leadership Conference."

Added together, these expenses come out to $75,396.40.

Total money raised was:

$118,519.09 -

$100,000.00 (Original goal)

= $18,519.09 surplus.

If the surplus amount raised above the original goal of $100,000.00 was only $18,519 and a total of $75,396.40 was designated to a general fund, Awaken Europe and a Global Leadership Conference this means that:

$56,877.31

was taken from the original Awaken Humanity fundraising goal to fund projects other than those listed in the original fundraising appeal.

I believe this answers the question posed by Yvonne Napoleon of the Neo-Underground Railroad when she wrote this comment:

Does this mean Awaken is raising funds for some main project and whatever is leftover will be given to the other charities?

I will have more on the Awaken Humanity Music Festival in Part Four.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: The Mosaic newsletter for September no longer includes the financial information it published in its August issue.

I have a copy of the August newsletter on file here at Solid Foods.

Yvonne W.