Financial Irregularities Prompt Feed Scarborough’s Disassociation from Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank

Toronto’s Daily Bread Food Bank has officially severed ties with Feed Scarborough, one of its largest partner agencies, after uncovering significant inconsistencies in the financial records submitted by the organization. These findings led to concerns about mismanagement and prompted authorities to be notified for further investigation.

Suspension of Funding and Membership Termination

The governing board at Daily Bread recently decided against renewing Feed Scarborough’s membership agreement. Consequently, starting next month, the charity will no longer recieve food deliveries or financial support from Daily Bread. Although funding was halted earlier during an internal probe into suspicious transactions, food distribution continued temporarily to avoid disrupting aid for vulnerable residents in south Scarborough.

Neil Hetherington, CEO of Daily Bread Food Bank, highlighted the critical need for accountability: “Ensuring every dollar is dedicated solely to charitable efforts is paramount. Even a single misused dollar translates directly into a missed meal for someone facing hunger.”

The Extent of Support Provided Over Time

Feed scarborough had been a major beneficiary within the network, receiving millions of dollars’ worth of food annually from Daily Bread alongside nearly $620,000 in grant funding between 2021 and 2023 aimed at operational expenses and capacity growth initiatives.

Revealed Financial Anomalies

An audit comparing invoices submitted by Feed Scarborough with corporate records exposed troubling discrepancies:

• $18,000 in invoices lacked any matching documentation or confirmation from listed vendors;
• Suman Roy-former board chair turned CEO-self-approved expense claims exceeding $100,000;
• A reported $10,000 grant allocation was used to purchase supplies from Roy’s own company.

no formal criminal charges have been filed as investigations continue.

“If these irregularities prove accurate,” stated Hetherington, “it would represent a serious violation of public trust.”

leadership Response Amid Ongoing Inquiry

Suman Roy founded Feed Scarborough in 2018 and currently serves as its CEO. He declined detailed commentary on specific allegations pending completion of an independent audit commissioned by his organization but expressed confidence that all accusations would be disproven once investigations conclude.

“I categorically deny any misuse or conflicts involving funds received through Daily Bread or transactions with vendors connected personally or professionally to myself or staff,” Roy asserted.

The charity initially pledged clarity but later restricted access to requested documents according to reports filed by Daily Bread. Toronto police confirmed receipt of an official complaint last November; their Financial Crimes unit remains actively involved in examining the case.

Operational Outlook Following Partnership loss

Despite losing support from this key partner agency, Roy indicated intentions to maintain at least one independent food bank location if community demand persists. Clifford Gomes-the current chairperson on Feed Scarborough’s board-reaffirmed commitment toward continuing emergency programs while disputing unproven allegations against their leadership team.

Mismatched Vendor Invoices Spark Further Doubts

A pivotal discovery occured when management contacted a vendor named on several invoices supporting grant expenditures only to find they had issued just one invoice totaling approximately $220 so far this year-far less than over $18K claimed by Feed Scarborough documents.One suspicious invoice even predated the vendor’s official incorporation date according to public records examined during forensic review.

An additional questionable payment around $10K went toward emergency hampers purchased through Gourmet Alchemy-a company incorporated mere weeks before invoicing-with Suman Roy listed as sole director. The business address closely matched residential properties owned either by him or family members.
Despite these related-party transactions flagged during forensic audits conducted independently between late 2021 and early 2023,
Gomes maintained that all vendors operated independently without undue influence.
Roy also denied any conflict-of-interest spending involving affiliated vendors throughout his tenure.

Lack of Independent Oversight Raises Governance Red Flags

• Twelve expense reports totaling over $111K reimbursed payments made directly back into accounts controlled by Roy;
• The majority were self-approved while he simultaneously served as board chair;
• the remaining reimbursements occurred after he became CEO while his spouse chaired the board – raising serious questions about internal checks-and-balances;
• This included rent payments reportedly made due to cash flow issues despite publicly available filings showing more than one million dollars held during much of that period (March 2022).

A New Era: Transitioning Food Support Services Within South Scarborough Communities

Soso World Ministries will take over responsibility for distributing food previously managed under Feed Scarborough starting February next year.
The ministry operates three large-scale food banks plus thirteen pantry programs across toronto’s eastern neighborhoods.
Founder Garth Soso shared his viewpoint:

“This situation highlights how crucial transparency is among organizations providing vital community services.”
“We are fully prepared to welcome former clients seamlessly into our programs without interruption.”