Dennis Murphy, program manager for Our Daily Bread Employment Center, said he believes much of what his organization does in feeding those in need, helping people find jobs and housing or filling out their tax returns is not likely to be targeted by political activists.
"People come to our meal program, we ask no questions, we feed you," Murphy said. "In terms of the employment thing, we're helping people create resumes and look for jobs; I guess anybody can fake a resume."
Given the center's proximity to the city jail, Murphy does conduct criminal background checks. Murphy said that he would call police if he learned someone was involved in criminal activity.
Sabonis said years ago, when his organization was allowed to represent illegal aliens, migrant workers from the Eastern Shore would occasionally show up to complain about the way they were being treated and would ask to help get their back wages.
Sabonis said that it hasn't happened the past few years, in part because of restrictions placed on what type of services Legal Aid can provide as well as the political climate of the country. "There's so many other enemies that the right has put up there," Sabonis said. "It's just a matter of time before we get back into the crossfire."
But the stings don't just come from the right. In 1994, former city Health Commissioner Peter L. Beilenson, now in charge of the Howard County health department, went into drug treatment centers around the city posing as a heroin addict. Beilenson went to four clinics and contacted 23 others and said that he was treated badly at most of them.
Jeff Singer, the president and chief executive officer of Health Care for the Homeless, said that Beilenson's undercover operation was a wake-up call for the way he ran his organization and that safeguards were put in place after it was made public.
"There's a list of questions that new folks are asked: 'Are you homeless?' If the answer is no, we'll find them a place to go. If the answer is yes, we'll ask them a few more questions. 'Where did you sleep last night? Do you have a regular address? Where do you get your mail?' " Singer said. "None of that is 100 percent foolproof. But at least we do have structures in place."
Paul Clolery, vice president and editorial director of the NonProfit Times, a business publication covering the industry, said that staff training is the key to conducting good business, particularly for social service agencies or voter rights organizations.
