Nonprofit might drop program due to mail scam

JACKSON — Stewpot Community Services and U.S. Postal Service investigators suspect that as much as $100,000 in missing donations were stolen from the charity in a mail fraud scheme over the holidays.

Executive director Frank Spencer said Stewpot noticed donations were down sharply between Nov. 27 and Dec. 17 compared to the same period in 2011, even though donations were up overall for much of the year.

The Clarion-Ledger reports the suspected thief apparently sent a change of address for Stewpot to the postal service and had mail redirected to an empty house in South Jackson.

Spencer says the theft probably will lead to Stewpot closing one of its 16 programs this year. Stewpot serves more than 650 people in poverty every day.