State Attorney General Rob Bonta visited GLIDE to share tips and resources on how to donate safely and avoid scams while giving this holiday season. After the press conference, AG Bonta and twenty members of his staff volunteered sorting and unpacking toys for our Annual Toy Giveaway. (We are still requesting toy donations on our Amazon registry through 12/18 if you want to make a child smile this holiday!)

Rob Bonta is the first person of Filipino descent and the second Asian-American to occupy the Attorney General’s office.  While introducing him, our President and CEO Dr. Gina Fromer noted, “his accomplishments include banning private prisons in California– that’s a big deal!”

And earlier this month, AG Bonta cautioned federal officials against renewing contracts — or signing new ones — with privately operated immigration detention centers in California. 

That is just one example of the wide portfolio of justice work the Attorney General’s office conducts. The Attorney General also has primary regulatory oversight of charities and the professional fundraisers who solicit on their behalf, and investigates charities that misuse charitable assets or engage in fraudulent fundraising practices.

AG Bonta’s primary mission at his GLIDE press conference was to warn the public against fraud. 

One of the most insidious forms of fraud is when a scammer creates a website with a url similar to the url of a real charity. AG Bonta told a cautionary tale about a scammer who created a unicefcovidrelief.com website to impersonate the real UNICEF.

In the words of our President & CEO Dr. Gina Fromer: “It’s sad but true, sometimes scammers will impersonate charities. Remember, it’s glide.org/donate– accept no substitutes!” 

AG Bonta also recommends that you stick to charities you trust and make sure every charity you donate to is properly registered with his office. Here is the registry search tool if you want to verify your holiday giving today. 

GLIDE is grateful to the Attorney General for his safety tips, and for his staff’s help sorting through the toys donated to our 450 GLIDE families.