Petrelis Files

Chronicle Reporter Explains Delancey Street Gov't Grants

Good to hear back from one of the Chronicle reporters who has covered the Delancey Street Foundation this week and to learn that she called the head of the nonprofit and got some answers. Thanks, Carolyn Said, for following up on my letter and getting back to me.

Here's her email:

In a message dated 2/8/2007 4:59:39 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, CSaid@sfchronicle.com writes:

Dear Michael Petrelis,

I'm sorry for the delay in responding to your well-researched letter. I've been calling Delancey Street for clarification since I received it. I just spoke with Mimi Silbert. She said it is true that Delancy Street Foundation — the residential treatment program — gets all its income from revenues from its businesses plus donations, as the story states. It does not accept government grants or insurance payments.

Delancey Street Foundation has a division called Delancey Circle, which, among other activities, runs a charter public high school on Treasure Island. Like all public schools, it receives government funds. Those funds are used only for the high school, not "what people knows as Delancey Street, our residential (program) and occasional helping of people who aren't residential." She said they did not set up a separate corporation for Delancey Circle "because we also don't have lawyers…but it is separate."

I hope this clarifies the issue.

Kind regards,
--Carolyn