Petrelis Files

Tom Nolan
Executive Director
Project Open Hand
San Francisco, CA

Dear Mr. Nolan:

I'm sure you are well aware of how government and private funds for AIDS service organizations in San Francisco have declined in the past few years, and that some local AIDS groups are either on the verge of ceasing operations or shutting down major components of their programs because of reduced funding, potentially harming people with AIDS.

In looking over the IRS 990 files from 1995 through the present for your organization, I see during these years you earned a total of $947,273. (Source: www.guidestar.org )

Your current salary is listed at $153,935 for services rendered, a salary level many people would consider excessive for the head of charity.

The latest IRS 990 form for Project Open Hand shows that the total compensation for the five highest paid employees other than yourself comes to $415,033, and that there are eleven additional employees earning at least $50,000, which means those eleven people eat up a minimum of $550,000 of your budget.

Adding up your salary with those of the sixteen other top managers of your nonprofit comes to a whooping $1,118,968.

In my view, taking $1.1 million of your $8.9 million budget this year just to pay the top executives is exorbitant and may come at the expense of providing nutritious, fresh meals and staples to people with AIDS.

Given the current climate of declining funding for all AIDS nonprofits in San Francisco, I am today suggesting that you and your top staff immediately cut your compensation packages, in order to better meet the needs of AIDS patients and that in these belt-tightening times, you and Project Open Hand are committed to making sacrifices.

A prompt reply is requested and appreciated.

Regards,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA