Charity Score Card for “Gifts of Joy From Jordan Foundation,” a 509(a)(2) nonprofit
Is the charity supporting a real cause?
This foundation was established to help children with cancer escape their trials for a short period. It fits the definition of a charity because it provides “relief from suffering.” It is vital to verify the cause from sources other than the ones provided by the charity.
One of the first things I do is verify the claims of the charity. This particular charity is helping other cancer patients to help spread joy. Jordan Amber Poulsen died of cancer in August 2007. I looked up the obituary to verify that the focal point of the charity was factually accurate.
PASSED – This check passed, and the charity can be verified using non-charity-supplied sources.
Is the charity registered with the State?
Doing a search on “Gifts of Joy From Jordan Foundation”, you find that it is indeed registered with the state. It was first registered on 04/13/2017 and is still an active registration and was renewed on 3/05/2022. We also find that the company is a Corporation – Domestic -Non-Profit entity.
PASSED – This check passed, and the charity is registered with the state of Utah.
Is the charity registered with the IRS?
The search for Gifts of Joy From Jordan Foundation finds that it is indeed registered with the IRS as a Non-Profit organization.
You can then download the actual Document from the IRS. Doing this brings up the first red flag for me on this charity. The state document shows that it registered in April of 2017, but the IRS did not give it non-profit status until September 2021. So that makes me question how they legally file taxes for this entity, and the contributors were under the impression that their contributions would be tax-exempt because it was a non-profit organization.
It should be noted that this is a 509(a)(2) nonprofit and not a 509(c)(3) nonprofit. A 509(a)(2) normally receives not more than one-third of its financial support from gross investment income and receives more than one-third of its financial support from contributions, membership fees, and gross receipts from activities related to its exempt functions (subject to certain exceptions). There is a record of a 990-N filed for the foundation in 2021, but not for any prior years.
FAILED – this organization operated from 4/2017 to 6/2021 (over three years) without filing with the IRS.
Pass Background Check of Principal Agents?
In this case, the “Gifts of Joy From Jordan Foundation” has two different principal agents listed. Gregory Todd Poulsen registered the foundation with the State, and Angie Poulsen registered the organization with the IRS.
Gregory Todd Poulsen
The court records show that Mr. Poulsen does have an extensive criminal record. besides traffic violations, he pleaded guilty to several 2nd-degree and 3rd-degree felony charges. Here is a list of some of the cases that were tried in justice and district courts. To save space, I am only listing the Guilty or No Contest charges and not the ones that were dismissed.
- April 14, 2004 – 1st District Court – Cache
Speeding, Failure to Register Vehicle, Driving on Denied License – Class C Misdemeanor – Guilty - June 17, 2005 – 4th District Court – Spanish Fork
Speeding – Class C Misdemeanor – Guilty - May 03, 2006 – 4th District Court – Spanish Fork
Yield to Pedestrian’s Right of Way – Class C Misdemeanor – Guilty - July 19, 2007 – 4th District Court – Spanish Fork
Drive on Denied License – Class C Misdemeanor – Guilty - January 22, 208 – 6th Judicial Court – Manti
Protective Orders – Petitioner Shauntel Amber Poulsen (**** PRIVATE****) - September 15, 2009
Theft – 2nd-degree Felony – Guilty
DUI – Class B Misdemeanor – Guilty - October 6, 2009
Theft – 3rd Degree Felony – Guilty - April 22, 2010 – 4th District Court – Provo
Possession or Use of a Controlled Substance – 2nd Degree Felony – Guilty - Aug 3, 2010 – 4th District Court – Provo
2 counts Forgery – 3rd-degree Felony – Guilty Plea
2 counts Theft by Deception – 3rd-degree Felony – Guilty Plea
May 11, 2013 – 4th District Court – Provo
Possession or Use of a Controlled Substance – 2nd Degree Felony – Guilty - July 03, 2013 – 4th District Court – Provo
Possession with intent to distribute of a Controlled Substance, Obstructing Justice – 2nd-degree Felony – No Contest.
Driving with Measurable Controlled Substance – Class B Misdemeanor – No Contest
Angie Verwer, Angie Ferre (1st Marriage), Angie Poulsen (2nd Marriage)
- September 23, 1994 (Verwer) 4th District Court – Spanish Fork
Parking Violation – Class C Misdemeanor – Guilty - December 13, 2017 (Ferre) 3rd District Court – West Jordan
Debt Collection – Judgement for $4494.46 owed to RC Willey
FAILED – Gregory has pleaded guilty to Theft, Forgery, and Theft by Deception, all of which are 2nd-degree or 3rd-degree felonies. Angie also had a debt collection judgment against her in 2017.
Conclusion
In summary, multiple issues were identified when completing this Charity Check. Specifically, the foundation took three years to file with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after filing with the State. The primary agent has had convictions for 2nd Degree and 3rd Degree felonies, including Theft and Deception. There are also no records that the foundation filed tax returns reporting the income. It is advisable to seek an alternative charity or donate directly to the cause this foundation supports.