Pulse during the onePulse Foundation’s 6th CommUnity Rainbow Run. (Photo by Jeremy Williams)
ORLANDO | The onePULSE Foundation’s trustees voted Nov. 21 to initiate the transfer of assets and the dissolution of the foundation, according to a press release sent by the organization Nov. 22.
In the release, Yolanda Londoño, onePULSE’s board spokesperson, states that when onePULSE was formed, the vision was to “honor the 49 lives taken, survivors and first responders, and to permanently preserve the site of the tragedy.”
“We developed an ambitious agenda to fulfill these mandates and received positive support both locally and globally,” Londoño said. “Unfortunately, best intentions are not enough.”
The foundation puts blame for not seeing its vision through on “unexpected and definitive events” including the COIVD-19 pandemic and the breakdown in talks between the foundation and the owners of the Pulse to secure the property for a permanent memorial.
During its time, onePULSE has developed several programs that the foundation states it is hoping to transfer to other organizations such as the 49 Legacy Scholarship program and the annual CommUNITY Rainbow Run.
“Throughout this process, we will continue to answer questions and offer complete transparency on our activities and financial information,” Londoño said.
The announcement comes as the foundation is facing new scrutiny by Orange County over what it calls a violation of its TDT agreement.
According to WESH 2, Orange County’s lawyers sent the foundation a cease and desist letter Nov. 21 claiming they have documents showing onePULSE has been renting a warehouse located at the foundation’s purchased museum property to the Nassal Company. The county lawyers state this is a violation of the agreement as the foundation must get county approval for any use of the property that is unrelated to the museum.
According to the letter, the county is giving onePULSE 60 days to evict Nassal from the warehouse.
The dissolution of the foundation is just the latest issue in a year filled with problems for the organization.
After announcing in May it would not be building a memorial at the site of the Pulse nightclub because a deal to donate the property could not be reached between the foundation and the property owners, onePULSE advised the community that it would be scaling back on its “ambitious plans” for a Pulse museum. That news was later followed by an announcement that the foundation would not be building a museum at all.
In recent weeks, members of onePULSE’s staff have been let go along with board chair Earl Crittenden and executive director Deborah Bowie resigning from their positions.
