Goodman Community Center | An important update from Goodman Community…

An important update from Goodman Community Center

January 29, 2025 |
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Dear friends,

I want to start by thanking you for your support these past few difficult months. Since we’ve discovered the financial inconsistencies and impropriety, it’s been a difficult and heartbreaking time.

Today, however, I’m sharing what I believe is an important first step forward. We’ve learned that the Dane County District Attorney’s Office has issued criminal charges against a former employee of our center, citing theft of moveable property and forgery. I want to stress this was an isolated matter that did not involve anyone else at our center.

When we discovered the serious financial inconsistencies and impropriety, we promptly removed the individual who is now facing charges from their role at the center and then immediately contacted the Madison Police Department. Since then, we have cooperated fully in their criminal investigation and we have hired a forensic accounting firm to review the matter further. With the support of our finance and audit committee, we have reviewed and updated our financial policies and processes as necessary to try to ensure the integrity and security of our finances and our programs. That is and will remain a top priority.

This has been a violation of our trust and a breach of the goodness of those who support Goodman. Rest assured we will move forward together in strength. This matter involved the isolated behavior of one individual. We refuse to let the acts of one person define our legacy, good work, and numerous programs and people that make our center essential for so many in Madison.

As we have communicated before, there will be no impact to programming and our ongoing support of our community members.

We have strived to keep you as updated as we can, and appreciate your patience and understanding during the lengthy police investigation as we have long awaited these criminal charges. Now, we are entering a more public phase of this process and that, again, is heart-breaking for all of Goodman. It particularly hurts that the financial impropriety we discovered was done by one who grew up in the organization and who was so trusted by all of us. We appreciate you and your continued support of us always, but especially during this challenging time.

As this is a sensitive matter for our organization and our staff, I respectfully request that you contact me directly with any questions or comments. I can be reached by email email at president@goodmancenter.org.

Thank you for supporting our community and standing by us through this difficult time.

Letesha Nelson
President & Executive Director
Goodman Community Center

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