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Posted on Sunday, 04.18.04

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Charity used for leader's private benefit

The executive director of Camillus House used his employees and homeless clients to renovate his own homes with thousands of dollars in labor and materials bought on the charity's credit cards, a Herald investigation has found.

ABOUT CAMILLUS HOUSE

Founded in 1960 for refugees fleeing Cuba, it quickly converted to a facility to serve the homeless and destitute.

Owned and operated by a Toronto-based Roman Catholic order of missionaries who take vows of poverty and chastity. The order reports directly to the Vatican.

Annual revenue: $10.1 million, up 50 percent from 1998, when Dale Simpson took over. About half is from federal, state and local grants, and half is from private donations.

Camillus House shelters about 651 people each night. Last year, it served 2,156 individuals with 51,420 nights of shelter, provided 405,000 meals and handled nearly 20,000 medical visits.

Simpson was the first paid executive director. Prior to 1998, one of the brothers of the Catholic order served as director.

BY DAVID KIDWELL

Miami Herald Staff

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