Atheist Can't Believe No Charities Will Take His Donation

First, the Morton Grove Park District turned down the $3,000 charitable donation Hemant Mehta, who writes the FriendlyAthest.com blog, raised for them. Next, the Morton Grove Library Board refused the money, with a board member characterizing the people commenting on his blog as a "hate group."

Now, Mehta (see video), who says the money was raised to benefit the people of Morton Grove, wants to donate it to the Niles Township Food Pantry, which serves the area. Niles Township Supervisor Lee Tamraz told TribLocal that trustees will likely decide whether to accept or not.  He added they could use the money to feed the needy, but don't want to jeopardize future donations.

The odd situation had its genesis in another odd situation. It began during the summer, when Morton Grove Park District Commissioner Dan Ashta, a constitutional lawyer, refused to stand during the pledge of allegiance at board meetings as an exercise of his First Amendment rights.

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Morton Grove American Legion Post 134 declined to give its usual $2,600 donation, plus service hours, to the park district because members were displeased with Ashta's action. 

At that point, Mehta, who has no connection to Ashta but said he supported his rights, stepped in and asked his blog readers to make up the money; they raised more than $3,000.

Earlier: Atheist Raises Funds, Which American Legion Yanked, For Morton Grove Park District

However, the Morton Grove Park District refused it.

Earlier: Morton Grove Park District Returns Atheist's Check

Mehta, saying the money was intended to benefit Morton Grove citizens, then tried to donate it to the Morton Grove library, but its board refused the donation,  according to the Morton Grove Champion, which said Trustee Cathy Peters called FriendlyAtheist.com a "hate group" based on comments readers left on the site.

Mehta said in the video a desire to donate the money to the people of Morton Grove led him to the Niles Township Food Pantry. Their board typically meets the second and fourth Mondays of the month, and though the 2014 schedule is not yet posted on their website, it could make a decision Jan. 13.

Mehta also urged people to donate individually to the Morton Grove Library so it could buy items on its wish list and benefit the people of Morton Grove.


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