Troubled Ga. Food Charity Halts September Deliveries

Angel Food Ministries, a religious group that sells food at deep discounts to low-income families nationwide, announced Wednesday that it is suspending deliveries for the rest of the month, the first such cut-off in the organization’s 17-year history, writes The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The organization has laid off all 90 full-time employees at its Monroe, Ga., headquarters but said many will continue to work as volunteers and the group will seek to “re-employ as many as possible when conditions permit.”

Angel Food, which distributes food through a network of some 5,000 churches and community groups in 45 states, blamed the sour economy, rising food and fuel prices, and declining sales for the shutdown.

In recent years the charity has faced scrutiny from authorities and a legal challenge from board members over spending by and compensation for its founder, Wesley Joseph Wingo, and his family, and it is the subject of an FBI inquiry.

Steve Savage, a spokesman for the charity, said the investigation, “which has not led to any charges, has had a negative effect on our public perception, our relationship with some of our churches and customers, and also has caused AFM to incur considerable legal expense.”