Mystery Of The Lost Mailers Greatly Impacting New Jersey Nonprofit's Ability To Fundraise To Help Homeless
NEWTOWN, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A nonprofit in Sussex County says it is at risk of not being able to help those in need in 2022 after its largest mailing to solicit thousands of donors disappeared from the post office without a trace. Now, the group is searching for answers.
Tina Magarino, the executive director of Birth Haven, said she was devastated to learn that none the recipients of the 3,500 mailers she dropped off at the post office on Dec. 6 actually received them. She said the mailers are sent out annually before the holidays and generate the largest source of revenue for the organization.
"I immediately reached out to the post office, where I personally dropped the mailers off at. We have a nonprofit permit number there, so I contacted them and they confirmed that they did send it out," Magarino told CBS2's Thalia Perez.
Birth Haven is located in Newtown. It provides services including a place for homeless pregnant women and teens to live. Since the mailers have gone missing, Magarino says there has been a serious shortfall in donations so far this month -- an estimated loss of about $50,000.
"I've personally lost sleep over this and have been so worried about it, wondering where it is. Are our donors going to get it before Christmas? Are they going to get it after Christmas? Are they going to get it at all?," Magarino said.
Magarino said postal officials last tracked down the mailers at the Teterboro distribution facility on Dec. 7, but there has not been a trace of them since.
She said she provided postal officials with a copy of the mailer and last spoke with them a few days before Christmas when they said they were still looking.
"I'm really hoping that they weren't discarded and that possibly because of the influx of mail at the post office that maybe someone just didn't have a chance to process them," Magarino said.
CBS2 reached out to postal officials and in a statement a spokesman said, "The U.S. Postal Service strives for excellent customer service in our effort to deliver for America. To assist the customer about this matter, local officials have been in contact and are committed to resolving the situation."
But Magarino said even if the mailers are found and sent out now, the delay has been a huge setback to reach donors since the holiday season is almost over.
CBS2's Thalia Perez contributed to this report.