Giving Tree head announces retirement

Wright, who founded the charity, has been the public face and leader of the organization, which helps the homeless and poor, for 20 years.

Wright said her deputy Rodney Williams will take over leadership of the organization. Williams could not be reached for comment Friday.

An Arizona Daily Star investigation into The Giving Tree in late 2009 found the organization served expired and potentially unsafe food to needy children, that it charged clients hundreds of dollars a month to live in crowded rental homes, and that at least twice it made a public display of giving children gifts at holiday parties, only to take them back later.

Many of the rental properties, where up to 30 people could be crowded into a three-bedroom house, were owned by Wright's husband Carlo Giovingo, who collected $106,000 in rent from The Giving Tree from 2007 through 2009, the Arizona Daily Star reported.

Many of The Giving Tree's actions violate city and state regulations, or are contrary to widely accepted standards for charities, the newspaper found in an investigation into the organization.

Wright said in an e-mail to friends and supporters that she is stepping down because she made a promise to her husband that she would retire when he turned 70.

Wright said her "heart is full of incredible moments" that she hopes to share in a book she is writing.

"Serving God by serving others has always been in the roots of The Giving Tree," she wrote. "Over and over though the past 22 years, this community has answered my pleas to help the poor, the volunteers often share how they always received so much more than they gave. Serving those in need is powerful and rewarding."

Wright would not answer any questions when contacted.

In the wake of the Star's stories, a new independent board of directors was created to make changes at the charity. But the board resigned en masse, contending that Wright was sabotaging its reform efforts.

Board members said the charity's financial records had numerous irregularities. They said they reported those issues to the state Attorney General's Office.

Also, an accountant the charity tried to hire to do an audit after the Star series said the company declined the job because it would take two years just to get the organization's financial records into good enough condition to be audited.

Joel Lohr, the chairman of The Giving Tree board formed after the latest board resigned last May, did not return phone calls Friday.

In a statement, he thanked Wright for "her steadfast commitment and boundless contributions to the comfort and support of Tucson's homeless and hungry children and their parents."

"Libby has worked tirelessly to ease the suffering of the less fortunate among us and to provide them with a path to self-sufficiency while embracing the highest levels of stewardship of the time, talent and treasure donated by the wonderful people of Tucson," Lohr wrote.

Two supporters turned critics of the charity had differing opinions of Wright's retirement and Williams taking over as director.

Craig Littlefield, a member of the board that resigned, said he felt Williams was not the right choice of the organization because he doesn't have the ability to fix all the problems. "He isn't the right guy for the job."

He questioned Wright's reason for resigning and said naming Williams as director is a way of controlling the organization.

"I don't believe a word of it," Littlefield said. "She'll be around there every day."

But Don Blascak, a volunteer for the Interfaith Coalition for the Homeless, said he felt Williams might be able to sort the issues out.

"He's got his work cut out for him," Blascak said.

He said the Tucson area needs the beds The Giving Tree has to help house the homeless, but said that other organizations won't work with the charity anymore until it proves its problems are sorted out.

Contact reporter Rob O'Dell at 573-4346 or rodell@azstarnet.com