AKRON, Ohio-Kara DiBella, an Akron resident, warns parents to research before donating to organizations claiming affiliation with parent-teacher associations (PTAs). She was misled into raising funds for her son’s school’s PTA, Sam Salem Community Learning Center, which does not exist. DiBella solicited donations from local businesses, promising tax identification numbers for their contributions.
However, the businesses never received these IDs because the supposed PTA is unregistered. DiBella, feeling deceived, urges school leaders to apologize to affected businesses and donors. Akron Public Schools is investigating the matter after being informed recently. To verify a PTA’s legitimacy, individuals can use the national website’s search feature.
