Angel Food Ministries loaned $1.1M to family members

Angel Food Ministries, the Georgia nonprofit started to help struggling families with food costs, made more than $453,000 in unsecured loans in 2007 to formerly high-paid family members running the organization. It brought the total of their loans to more than $1.1 million over a two-year period.

Internal Revenue Service documents show that Joe Wingo, his wife, Linda, and sons Wesley and Andrew together earned $402,097 in 2007, down from $2.1 million in 2006.

However, the organization gave the family growing amounts in unsecured loans. The Wingos owed Angel Food Ministries nearly $663,000 beginning in 2007, and that increased to $1.1 million by the end of the year.

Ronn Torossian, a spokesman for the ministry, said he was working to answer questions sent by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about salaries and loans.

“We are getting answers. I hope we can track them down by the end of the day and tell you,” he said Monday afternoon.

More than 200 metro Atlanta churches participate in Angel Food’s sales, which are targeted at helping those struggling financially. More than 3,000 churches sell nationwide. However, anyone can buy its food regardless of income. Angel Food is near Monroe.

Loans by a nonprofit to officers and other workers may not be illegal, unless prohibited by state law. They are uncommon, however, according to John Butler, an attorney and tax counsel for Capin Crouse, a national accounting firm specializing in nonprofits, which has an Atlanta office. Loans can be made to help with housing and relocation costs, for instance, or for causes that further the tax-exempt mission of the organization, he said.

Last week, Angel Food Ministries was in the news because the FBI and the IRS raided its offices with two search warrants. The reasons for the raid are unclear. The warrants were sealed and an FBI spokesman said the agency would not release any information about its actions.

Angel Food sold $111 million worth of food in 2007 and made a gross profit of $26 million, most of which went to run the organization, the IRS documents say. The agency estimates it sells food to more than 600,000 people a month. Joe Wingo told the newspaper last year he started the agency to help feed residents of Monroe who had lost jobs, but did not want handouts.

Angel Food plans to continue with its food deliveries on regular schedule.