In October of 2024, Joelle Fouse, a former employee, was charged and ultimately pleaded guilty to embezzling money from our organization. This employee lied to leadership and abused her position to steal from the organization and more importantly—the wonderful residents we serve.
As investigators have shown, she meticulously orchestrated her deception at every level. She created fraudulent financial reports, doctored receipts, and fabricated presentations to the board—all designed to paint a false picture while diverting money to herself.
On Thursday, September 18, 2025, Joelle Fouse was sentenced to 40 months in prison with 3 years of supervised release to follow. Additionally, Fouse was ordered to pay full restitution for the amount she stole.
As a nonprofit dedicated to the dignity and safety of vulnerable individuals for more than 50 years, her violation of trust and predatory actions against our staff, volunteers, and residents is unfathomable.
We are deeply appreciative of the diligence and commitment to justice demonstrated by investigators, the prosecution, and the judge who oversaw this case and guided it to its conclusion.
Furthermore, we are incredibly grateful and humbled by the outpouring of love and support from our volunteers, partners, donors, and the families we serve.
