Scandal Engulfs D.C. LGBTQ+ Nonprofit, Founder Vanishes
A scandal is brewing in the nation’s capital surrounding a leader in the LGBTQ+ community. For more than a decade, Casa Ruby has provided temporary housing and social services to Washington, D.C.’s most vulnerable clients as its only LGBTQ+ bilingual, multicultural organization.
Now, however, The Washington Post reports that Casa Ruby’s programs have closed. Additionally, the organization’s founder — seemingly the only person with access to its bank accounts — has vanished, leaving employees of the organization seeking answers.Several employees haven’t been paid for six weeks, and residents living in the organization’s transitional homes had to move, according to the Post.
The last board member resigned in April as well.A D.C. Department of Human Services grant that provided $839,460 in funding to Casa Ruby to run a low-barrier shelter was not renewed last fall due to the nonprofit’s financial difficulties.
The nonprofit’s founder, Ruby Corado, then announced her resignation after the shelter, which housed at least ten young people, closed.Although Casa Ruby lost the DHS grant, the nonprofit has received hundreds of thousands in grants and donations, including transitional housing at multiple locations, employees told the paper.
