Kermit Eady

Kermit Eady (January 13, 1940 – February 4, 2019) was an American social worker, educator, motivational speaker, activist, and the co-founder of The Black United Fund of New York.[1][2]

Kermit Eady
Born(1940-01-13)January 13, 1940
St. Stephen, South Carolina, US
DiedFebruary 4, 2019(2019-02-04) (aged 79)
Bradenton, Florida
EducationMorgan State University
Occupation(s)Non-profit CEO , educator
Websitewww.kermiteady.net

Early life and education

Kermit was born in St. Stephen, South Carolina. He was the youngest of nine children. He attended Saint Stephen's public school system. His family moved to Jamaica, Queens, New York City, where he attended John Adams High School. His family attended Saint Mark A.M.E. Church in East Elmhurst, Queens.

Eady received a B.A. degree from Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. He received a master's degree in social work from New York University.[3] He was an assistant professor at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, New York. He also served as director of admissions and recruitment for Norfolk State University Graduate School of Social Work.[3]

Career

In 1979, Kermit Eady and Larry Barton founded the Black United Fund of New York (BUFNY), a non-profit organization for African-American and minority communities to development self-help, empowerment, development and financial resources, with $8,000 in capital. As president and CEO of BUFNY, Eady was able to attain workplace charitable solicitation through participation in corporate payroll deduction systems the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC is a workplace-giving program that collects donations payroll deductions by the United States Federal government program authorized by President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1982. Through this program, BUFNY was able to obtain contributions from the Freedom National Bank, Bell Laboratories, I.B.M. New York Telephone Company.[4][5] Under Eady's leadership, the CFC helped to grow BUFNY from the initially $8,000 to $15 million by 2013 and developed more than 400 affordable housing in New York City.[2][5][6][7][8][9]

In 2003, BUFNY purchased a radio station that broadcast the BUFNY-produced show The Empowerment Hour, which was hosted by Eady.[5][10]

Controversy

In 2002, Attorney General of New York State Eliot Spitzer started an investigation of BUFNY, citing the non-profit's shift in focus to housing and land development without notifying its donors.[5][11] Spitzer named an interim board, which voted to remove Eady from his position as president in 2003, citing "a fundamental, profound, philosophical difference" in the way that Eady fundraised contributions.[2]

References
  1. Scott, Spencer I. (2018-10-01). "Diversity Essay: Black Philanthropy in America | Association of Fundraising Professionals". afpglobal.org. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  2. Gray, Geoffrey (2003-10-20). "The Battle for Bufny: Harlem Charity in Limbo". City Limits. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  3. Planck, Jim. "Eady Seeks Meeting With Gov. Paterson On BUFNY" (PDF). kermiteady.net. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  4. Rul, Sheila (1981-07-30). "I.B.M. Agrees to Deductions for the Black United Fund". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  5. Mary Alice Miller (2013-07-18). "Black United Fund's Kermit Eady Has No Confidence In Spitzer For Comptroller". Our Time Press. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  6. Black Enterprise. Earl G. Graves, Ltd. December 1987. p. 83. ISSN 0006-4165. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  7. Boyd, Herb (2019-02-14). "Kermit Eady and Zakia Byrd join the ancestors | New York Amsterdam News: The new Black view". amsterdamnews.com. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  8. Teltsch, Kathleen (1984-06-13). "Charity Dispute Splits Two Funds". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  9. Teltsch, Kathleen (1919-12-25). "The Economy May Droop, but Gifts to Charities Are Climbing". The New York Times. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  10. "The Empowerment Hour Online University w Kermit Eady | Listen Free on Castbox". castbox.fm. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
  11. Gray, Geoffrey (2003-12-15). "Charity Busters". City Limits. Retrieved 2019-03-02.
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