To Be or Not to Be: Non-Profit Status

Father Tom Lumpkin, Director of Day House Catholic Worker Detroit

This is my first time blogging so forgive me if it's extremely informal.

I didn't know what to write about, as I feel I've simplistically addressed about everything in the website. Should I write about how I first stayed in the house on an air mattress, getting eaten alive by bed bugs and being awoke to a mouse running over my head in order to "hold down" my hot water heater and furnace a few months back? Friends seem to like my "intense" Detroit tales so I thought I might write about that. Or a new story that popped up yesterday when a neighbor called to tell me someone showed up with a "deed" to the house proclaiming they were the owner and somehow mysteriously wound up inside with no sign of breaking and entering, taking only some random paperwork. That was interesting since I met the people outside and tried to calmly explain that the house was not abandoned and to please not break in again.

What I will write about is the issue of non-profit status because this is a question that keeps coming up.

Catholic Worker Houses are generally not non-profits. This is in part because the founder of the movement was a staunch anarchist. She bemoaned the government in general and wanted nothing to do with the bureaucracy or money involved with becoming a non-profit.

There are advantages to becoming a non-profit, such as donations are tax-deductible. I've never claimed any donation made to a charity on my taxes so I'm kind of oblivious to this. The main reason I would want to become a non-profit is because I could apply for future grants. Also, to see the project grow. However, to become one is quite time consuming, costly and involves a lot of legalities and paperwork.

Right now, I am starting out small- with one house and one girl (just me!) I usually consult with Father Tom, who has lived in and ran the Day House Catholic Worker for forty years. The Day House is not a non-profit and the donations have covered all the bills keeping it sustainable for forty years. Then again Father Tom is a very well known Catholic Priest.

I, on the other hand, am basically just a hot mess with good intentions.

The other issue with becoming a non-profit at this point is zoning issues. The house is not zoned as a boarding house, but as a multi-family unit which poses a problem.

I plan to look to Father Tom for guidance. He keeps telling me to start out small, by taking in one woman (or one with children) and then adapting- if it goes well, take in another. Slow and steady wins the race.

I'm quite nervous about even doing this, as any type of change or new project can produce anxiety so I asked him if he thought I could run a Catholic Worker House. He points out my strengths- I have a desire to and I am generous. Then my weakness- a quick, hot temper!

I hope that by writing this, I've answered the question of "Are you going to be a non-profit?" The short answer is: not right away.

With that being said, I have consulted with a lawyer specializing in housing who is familiar with the Catholic Worker Movement to cover all areas concerning protecting myself legally. Hopefully having good homeowners insurance will help cover most of my anxieties.

In closing, to whomever may be reading this, I'm trying to do a good thing for fellow veterans (or possibly refugees, we'll see who comes my way!) so please, please keep me in your prayers. God knows I need them!