Disability Nonprofit Among Groups To Receive Betsy DeVos’ Salary
U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will give away her entire salary from her first year on the job and some of the money is headed to a nonprofit serving those with disabilities.
DeVos will donate the entirety of her $199,700 in pay, according to Elizabeth Hill, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education.
The funds will be divided evenly among four groups: Special Olympics, which offers athletics for people with intellectual disabilities; Kids Hope USA, a faith-based mentoring program for at-risk kids; Vision to Learn, which provides free eye exams and glasses to students in low-income communities; and Dreams Soar, which works to help girls enter science, technology, engineering and math fields.
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Hill did not elaborate on how or why the groups were selected, saying only that DeVos is making the donations “in her personal capacity.”
“I don’t have an update on when they will receive the money, but it should be soon,” Hill told Disability Scoop.
DeVos struggled to answer questions about special education during her confirmation hearing last year and has since had a strained relationship with disability advocates.
Tara Baker, Special Olympics’ director of marketing and communications for North America, said the organization has a “verbal commitment” from DeVos for the donation.
“We do not have additional specifics at this time,” Baker said. “Special Olympics appreciates the opportunity to continue (to) work with and educate Secretary DeVos and members of Congress to create more unified and inclusive schools in our country.”
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