Bilking for the Orphans:
BBAS’s Continuing “Fund Drives”
Although we never been made members of the BBAS “Family”, we receive updates from our friends in that family. Throughout 2006 and 2007, the amount of requests for funds and fundraisers for Guatemala increased.
It’s apparent those at BBAS and the other organizations associated with them, whether they are Guatemalan attorneys or such shadowy entities as Robert Jones U.S. & Global Solutions, they continue to reach for every dollar they can, under the guise of helping the babies.
Some BBAS clients who receive these beg-fest emails are unknowingly giving their hard-earned money to mostly the non-tax exempt Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc. Does BBAS provide proof of where their clients’ money goes? Even if there is proof positive of helping the orphans, why does BBAS continue to support a corrupt system in Guatemala where babies are coerced from poverty-stricken biological families, perhaps even bred for adoption? Why don’t BBAS and its Guatemalan attorneys help fund a mother’s home where women can keep their babies instead of selling them to foreigners?
We don’t have to answers those questions. Aren’t they obvious?
They’re really good Catholics over there in Medina and down there in Guatemala. Selling God’s “orphaned” children for a profit. They get all of the profit and the locals get all of the guilt.
After the Hosanna Baby Home raid in December 2005 (a baby home allegedly founded by BBAS), BBAS became bolder in its “Fund Raising” attempts to aid the babies & children. Perhaps they should fund raise to lower their adoption expenses and cut their clients a financial break.
On August 28, 2006, the following email went out to BBAS families and its highly professional and educated adoption agency employees.
Subject: BBAS Families -Donations in need
Date: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 16:48:12 -0400
From: "Denise Hubbard" <Denise@bbas.org>
To: "Stephanie Alvarado" <Stephanie@bbas.org>, "Andrea Kilroy" <Andrea@bbas.org>, "Amy Bodley" <Amy@bbas.org>, "Darlene Neff" <darlene@bbas.org>, "Denise Hubbard" <Denise@bbas.org>, "Jennifer Whitney" <Jennifer@bbas.org>, "Johnna Myers" <Johnna@bbas.org>, "Karen McFarland" <Karen@bbas.org>, "Karen Otworth" <KarenO@bbas.org>, "Kathy Buser" <kathy@bbas.org>, "Kelly Hubbard" <Kelly@bbas.org>, "Kim Hutchings" <Kim@bbas.org>, "Sandi Harding" <Sandi@bbas.org>
August 28, 2006
Dear Families of Building Blocks:
There have been many changes in the adoption laws, rules and regulations in many countries around the world. Building Blocks performs a lot of adoptions through the country of Guatemala . Guatemala has been some having some increasing problems and increasing expenses associated with their adoptions.
It is now that Building Blocks is involved in the providing assistance in Guatemala for the use of a building as an orphanage. There are a number of children in that orphanage. However, due to the number of children awaiting adoptions, some of the children are temporarily residing in the same crib. We are short in supplies due to a number of the children are abandoned and waiting to go through the abandonment process in order to be placed.
It is understood that your individual adoptions were expensive and that there may not be much monies for the children that are still in Guatemala . However, we do ask that if you are at all able to contribute toward a fund to be used to purchase these ribs and the needed supplies that you would consider that.
The cost for each crib including, sheets, bumper pads, mobile and mattress is about $250 SD. We currently are in need of ten more cribs. Building Blocks has just purchased five.
In addition to cribs, we are seeking any monetary donations to purchase every day items such as diapers, diaper cream, clothes, toys, medical supplies, bottles, food and formula.
Building Blocks has recently hired two additional caretakers. We could use more caretakers to care for the children. The current cost is $200 a month per caretaker. Building Blocks has committed itself to these two caretakers for the rest of this year. If anyone is interested in sponsoring a caretaker, please let us know.
Building Blocks Adoption Service, Inc. is an Ohio not-for-profit organization but is not a federal 501(c)(3) entity. As a result, it is likely that any contributions made will not be deductible for federal tax purposes. However, we do feel that the humanitarian effort is worth the consideration even in the absence of such deductibility.
If you have any further questions or comments concerning this matter, please feel free to e-mail myself at denise@bbas.org or the attorney for Building Blocks at rick@bbas.org.
Very truly yours,
Denise Hubbard
Executive Director
DH/vc
Finally proof we nailed Denise about her nefarious “donations” and “causes.” That’s right. Building Blocks Adoption is NOT a TAX EXEMPT organization. Contributions are NOT tax deductible. It was about time for Denise and Rick to come clean about that. We take credit for exposing her duplicity. Thank you Daniel and Elizabeth Case.
The list of “needs” sounds like the same list of “needs” the “babies” needed in Russia and Bulgaria. All that was missing were the large muscle rooms. What exactly was BBAS funding here? Who were their partners? Aren’t they really funding a baby holding pen for a herd of “adoptable” infants? Wouldn’t it be more cost effective to offer post-natal care for women to keep their babies? Why hire a “caretaker” for $200/month? Why not have the biological mothers raise their children in their own culture – the cribs, ointments, diapers, clothes, food and medical supplies would really go a long way towards keeping a healthy baby with its family.
The longer this goes on, the clearer the picture becomes.
What’s really scary, Stephanie Alvarado, the first person shown in the email, was the same Stephanie who worked with Diaz Duran during the Andersons' adoption.
A well-informed former client stated an email had gone out to BBAS clients to attend Stephanie’s wedding shower in Ohio – and she wasn’t even registered. Why not have Denise fundraise for Stephanie’s shower? She’s Guatemalan, isn’t she?
In October, one hapless BBAS client, Mara Farmer, managed to patch together another fundraiser for an alleged new, post-Hosanna Baby Home.
Denise herself sent Mrs. Farmer’s email out to one and all. (We’ll admit, we had to ask somebody what the “Pampered Chef” was)
Subject: Fundraiser
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 08:55:14 -0500
From: "Denise Hubbard" <Denise@bbas.org>
Dear Families. Below is a letter that one of our adoptive families has requested that we send out to you all.
Her name is Mara Farmer. She can be contacted at (xxx) xxx-xxxx to order from Pampered Chef or if you have any questions.
Building Blocks is honored to be involved in such a fundraiser. Thank you Mara!
_____________________
Dear Guest:
You are cordially invited to join my Pampered Chef party in celebration of National Adoption Awareness Month (NAAM). As you know, adoption is a cause that is very important to me as this is how God planned for my husband and I to begin our family. I take great pride in that our son was adopted from Guatemala and I greatly support NAAM. It is my goal to each year celebrate, educate about, and support an adoption related charity. This year my family and I are hoping to assist in sponsoring a baby house in Guatemala through Building Blocks Adoption Agency. This consists of raising enough money for a crib, mattress, bumper pad, sheets, and mobile ($250 USD). This may sound trivial to you and I, however this is not something that is easily attainable in Guatemala but necessary in order to provide waiting children with the best possible care. Therefore Pampered Chef and I are teaming up to throw a fundraiser party. The party will be no different than any other Pampered Chef party except that any “free dollars” that I would be accumulating to go towards P.C. products will be given to the charity of my choice as well as a percentage of all sales. Please join me to view Pampered Chef’s great new fall/winter products, enjoy great food and fellowship, and celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month. I look forward to seeing you!
Sincerely,
Mara
Through our network of sources, we learned the name of this “new baby home”: First Steps. Nice. At the rate of Guatemalan adoption, the babies would be just taking their first steps when they were brought to America.
But the fund-raising pleas didn’t stop with BBAS clients. Denise Hubbard uses any and all attempts to appear as a caring, charitable, loving woman. She’s not above anything – including using her son and his school to fund raise for da baybeez:
The following went out to BBAS clients in April, 2007:
Dear Families
I have been ask to pass the below on to you. We have been approached by the Interact Club to assist with a project they are completing. They hope to raise enough funds to purchase and build at least one swing set or play gym for an orphanage in Guatemala . They are hosting a dinner fundraiser on May 12th. If you would like to buy tickets to attend please let me know. If you merely want to donate for the cause you can do so by completing a check payable to the MHS Interact Club and send to 52 public Sq, Medina , Ohio 44256 . Any questions please contact myself at denisehubbard@zoominternet.net
What is Interact? Interact is a service club for High School students interested in helping others. Interact exists in 110 countries with almost 200,000 members and more than 8,600 clubs worldwide. Interact is a great way to meet people and make friends.
What has Interact done this year? Being a new club to Medina High School we have done a lot. We have worked with the Salvation Army and their Project M.U.N.C.H and Homework Help programs, as well as ring the bell during the Christmas holiday. Interact has also helped Hospice, in their ornament sale at the mall. We also have helped the two Rotary clubs in their service projects such as the County Home Christmas party and the annual Wine and Rose event. The board members have continued their education in Rotary by attending the Rotary District Assembly, and are always looking for new ways to improve the club.
What are we doing currently? Currently Medina High Schools Interact club is working on their international project, Goal for Guatemala . It is a dinner at Rustic Hills Country Club to benefit the Orphanages in Guatemala who need swing sets. The dinner costs $25 a person and presentation will be given by an adoptive parent, adoption professional and others, along with some type of raffle.
Warm Regards,
Denise L. Hubbard
Denise L. Hubbard
Executive Director
Building Blocks Adoption Service,
Inc.
"With God all things are possible"
52 Public Sq
Medina , Ohio 44256
866-321-ADOPT- Toll Free
330-725-5521- Office
330-350-1859- Cell
330-725-0672- Fax
“With God all things are possible”. Certainly God alone knows why He allows this woman to continue to dance on the backs of the bruised and hurt.
“Goal for Guatemala”. Who were the “Adoptive Parent” and “Adoption Professional” presenters? We could only guess!
Interact should stick to helping the local Salvation Army, Project M.U.N.C.H. and Homework Help. Charity begins at home and should stay at home. Certainly there are still needy people in Medina County who could benefit from the organizations help.
Fortunately, Denise's local newspaper — The Medina Gazette — ran a short on the benefit dinner. The event, raised $1,525.83 in a 50/50 raffle. Our conjecture was correct. The “adoptive parent, adoption professional” guest speaker was none other than the rotund, ethical and bubbly Denise Lynn Harding-Hubbard.
Another adoption professional in attendance was a woman by the name of Sharon Caballeros de Grajeda who was “from Guatemala’s First Steps Baby Home.” So it seems that First Steps had taken the place of the raided Hosanna Baby Home. Sharon Caballeros (without the “de Grajeda”) was a name we were somewhat familiar with. It seems she was one of BBAS's Guatemalan attorneys. If that is so, why was she in charge of the Baby Home and why was she in Medina, Ohio in May? Shouldn't she have been in Guatemala at First Steps or in her law office helping children and clients?
But nothing prepared us for the gall, the shameless AUDACITY of the following email sent to BBAS families. She’s got nerve. She’s got some deranged mirror of reality to do this to her clients. We’ve never seen the like. Read the below email:
Dear Families
We are in the process of sending out post card reminders for the BBAS picnic on June 23rd at 1p.m. Also the invitation will be online at www.bbas.org for families to submit. We have invited all of the Guatemala representatives(5 people total) the picnic but some have indicated a financial inability to attend. It is thought that it would be a gesture of goodwill to offer to pay for the travel costs for these representatives. Building Blocks will provide a place for the representatives to stay. If it is possible it is requested that all of us make some donation of either dollars or airline miles for tickets to bring the representatives and employees in town for the BBAS picnic. If a family is willing to contribute toward the purchase of a ticket for one of these individuals or donate miles, please let us know by this coming Friday May 3rd. We will need We would appreciate any assistance you can provide to bring our staff and our representatives to the US so they can see the development of the children they assisted in placing.
Thank you
Five Guatemalans to be flown from Guatemala for the annual lost souls picnic. WHY THE HELL ARE THEY HITTING CLIENTS UP FOR THIS? HOW MUCH MONEY DID BBAS CLIENTS INITIALLY GENERATE FOR THESE PEOPLE WITH THEIR NONREFUNDABLE ADOPTION FEES? We thought we were beyond outrage at this point. We are not ... we had heard Simona Wirtz tell us about how Denise completely blew her off after she pled poverty when it was time to pick up Emily and Simona went the extra mile getting Denise some donated frequent-flyer miles. But to then hit up your own families for this when you know the information's out there?
The next email was even more deranged. It contained the following – AND A COPY OF THE ITINERARY. Each ticket costing $827.90. Multiplied by five, that’s $4,139.50. Surely those starving Guatemalan attorneys and their associates had earned quadruple that for a pilgrimage to Medina, Ohio to stay at the Hubbard’s giant succotash. They needn’t have done a beg-fest from cash-strapped Building Blocks clients.
Where is the shame? The outrage? The outcry?
The following blows and scatters the mind debris further. Denise knows her clients are kind and considerate. But in reality, they are bamboozled, trodden and broke. Certainly Denise Hubbard is more deranged than we thought. This takes the cake.
Thank you for your response to our email reference bringing staff to the picnic overseas! Some of you requested an outline of the mileage needed or the purchase price. Below are the two options we have for purchasing tickets for the Guatemala team to come to the picnic. The schedule below is what we need June 22-July 1. If anyone has air miles two purchase tickets or if you would like to buy a ticket for one of our reps, I can send you their info direct where you can purchase the tickets direct. Thank you to those who offered to donate some funds. Every bit helps!
Thank you all for being so kind and for your consideration!
We thought the Hubbards had built their McMansion with enough room for entertaining foreign adoption officials. I mean, with one of her boys graduated, there should be a few rooms left in their home. And since the Hubbards own their McMansion on the backs of the paying clients, should it have been Denise and Gary Hubbard and Rick and Anne Marco to pick up the airfare for the visiting Guatemalans? Maybe ask Robert A. Jones for some cash?
Here’s the page for BBAS 2007 picnic to bring home the fact it’s really happening.
Although it’s not mentioned on the website about the “donation” for the Guatemalans to come for the picnic, there is another hit for clients’ cash post-adoption. TEE SHIRTS! $20 a T for adults, $15 for kids – and “partial proceeds go to BBAS, Inc.” “Partial” proceeds? HA HA HA. God, we swear it’s a comedy show, not an adoption agency.
It got back to us (as it inevitably does) that the picnic sucked, even though at least one of the Guatemalan attorneys did indeed attend, and clients were happy to see her.
But then think about this then: If all the Guatemalan BBAS “reps” — that is, everybody in Guatemala who did anything to process adoptions for BBAS — were in Medina partying down for a week, what did that do to everyone’s adoptions? Basically, there was a whole week when nothing could get done. Time that can make a huge difference.
And Denise actually got away with soliciting money from her own clients to essentially slow down their adoptions. A new low, even for her.
Was this her way of making it up to the Guatemalans once they found out she and Rick were skimming money from them? We bet she told them it was all coming out her own pocket. That would be so like her.
So, BBAS families, consider this when you decide whether to attend the 2008 picnic. Or when Denise starts hitting you up for cash for those poor suffering Guatemalan adoption workers who live in straw huts with dirt floors and have never seen jet planes.