GUEST OPINION
Urban Visionaries front page (Photo – Screengrab)
At its August 25, 2025 meeting, by a 3-2 vote, with Councilmembers Andrade-Stadler, Maloney, and Maza approving, and Mayor Lee and Councilmember Wang opposing, the Alhambra City Council granted the non-profit Urban Visionaries $60,000 from the City’s reserve funds to address food insecurity affecting approximately 500 unspecified families with children in the Alhambra Unified. However, only $6,000 of this funding is for food and most of it is for salaries.
By Ron Sahu
The grant was requested by Ms. Andrade-Stadler, who began the Food Pantry along with the Alhambra Teachers Association (ATA) several years ago. Coloradoboulevard.net published an article on the Food Pantry on August 29, 2025.
City staff have confirmed that they were not aware of Urban Visionaries until this proposal was received. In the Staff Report for the August 25 City Council meeting, therefore, there was no due diligence information on Urban Visionaries. Since this is the first time that the City of Alhambra has granted funds from its reserves to this entity, I reviewed its website and its IRS Form 990 filings. My findings are troubling, and I strongly recommend that the Alhambra City Council rethink its decision to do business with Urban Visionaries.
Website review
- Lists five “Board of Directors, Staff & Officers” but with no biographical details or expertise (as of publication).
- Executive Director & President: Ms. Li’i Furumoto.
- States nonprofit is “new”; website created in 2025.
- Address listed as 3030 West Main Street, Alhambra.
- No mention of food delivery or food insecurity expertise.
Public filings & organizational structure
- Another nonprofit with the same name exists, founded in 2021 in Sylmar, CA.
- Furumoto also listed there as Secretary & CFO, reportedly devoting 8 hours/day to the nonprofit.
- Information raises questions about the relationship between the Alhambra entity and the Sylmar entity.
IRS Form 990 filings (Sylmar entity)
- Filed for 2021 and 2023, but missing 2022 filing.
- Revenue reported:
- 2021: $22,397
- 2022: $51,942
- 2023: $38,662
Expenses (2021 Form 990)
- Youth stipends: $150 each x2
- Elder stipend: $300
- Magnets: $450
- Supplies: $155
- Overall, minimal programmatic spending.
Expenses (2023 Form 990)
- Supplies: $22,725 (no detail provided).
- Elder stipend: $12,588.
- Travel: $3,553.
- Admin fees: $12,522.
- Donations: $500 scholarship + $149 gift (≈ 1.2% of total expenses).
- The bulk of spending (≈99%) shows no clear social purpose.
Accountability & Transparency
- No evaluation found from major charity watchdogs (e.g., Charity Navigator).
- Spending patterns raise questions about mission alignment and public benefit.
Based on these findings, I am concerned about the City of Alhambra granting funds to Urban Visionaries without more due diligence and answers to questions. My contact information is here in case readers are interested in discussing this further.
Dr. Ron Sahu is an Alhambra resident.
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Bravo to the humanitarian Councilmembers!
Ea Bagasao, there’s nothing magnanimous about spending other people’s money. (Taxpayer’s money)
If the council members were donating their own money, now that would be something commendable.
Wow!!! This is really next level bad if these numbers are true. Councilmembers Andrade-Stadler, Maloney, and Maza should stepped down for making such a decision. Watched the actual meeting, Andrade-Stadler was forcing the vote with minimum discussion when Mayor Lee and N. Wang pointed out only 10% goes to food!!! Pretty sus….for Maloney and Maza to vote Yes without much input …for some reason , I thought one of them or both have professional degree and would assume that they would at least question only 10% of the money goes to food , 90% to some staffing union …not to mention misuse of funds that is intended for emergency .