(Photo courtesy of Red Cross) When Hurricane Sandy left parts of the East Coast in ruins, many thoughtful and generous people did what comes naturally – they gave money to help those in need. Unfortunately, some individuals also did what comes naturally to them – they thought of ways to scam the good souls among us. In fact, many scams have surfaced since the storm struck. If you decide to donate to the Sandy relief effort, please be cautious by…
In early September, we blogged about our Corporations and Charities Division receiving calls about a mysterious notice to file annual minutes for shareholders, directors and officers. According to Corporations Division staff, these mysterious calls have picked up again, big-time. On Tuesday alone, staff received at least 100 calls from Washington businesses saying they’ve received mailed notices from Compliance Services or Corporate Records Service (not to be confused with the Washington corporation, Compliance Services, Inc.). The mailed notices are asking business…
The Secretary of State’s Corporations and Charities Division has recently received calls about a mysterious notice to file annual minutes for shareholders, directors, and officers. In fact, Washington state law doesn’t require corporations to file their minutes from their annual meeting. These notices are reported to look like an official state request and contain language that a filing is needed or required. Corporations and Charities Division Director Pam Floyd has turned over the information the division has received to the…
(Photo courtesy of Department of Natural Resources) As the wildfire in Kittitas County become contained, the real effort of recovery now begins. The fire burned through more than 23,000 acres of land and has already caused nearly $8.3 million in property damage. For more information on the areas affected, check out this interactive map provided by KING 5 News. As those displaced by the fires come back to their homes, they are now faced with the daunting task of rebuilding…
If you know of a corporation that does good things for your community, you have a couple of weeks left to nominate it for Washington’s highest civics award. The Office of Secretary of State is accepting nominations for a 2012 Corporations for Communities Award, and the deadline to nominate a company is Aug. 31. Nomination forms can be found here on the Secretary of State’s website. “We are fortunate to have many companies in our state that make it a…
While it’s generous and thoughtful to give your hard-earned money to charities, it’s important to be wise and informed about giving so you don’t get ripped off. That’s why our Charities Division encourages people to learn more about fundraisers who approach them for donations. It recently created a 10-minute video that features scenarios in which seniors could fall prey to shady fundraising pitches and then discusses what we should do instead. The video, featuring Charities Manager Rebecca Sherrell as the…
(Image courtesy of Washington State Archives) As many business owners know, our office’s Corporation Division is where companies register trademarks that are used exclusively within Washington State or the region. In fact, the Secretary of State has been registering trademarks since statehood. Of course, many of the early products and goods are no longer sold, but their trademarks live on. Our State Archives has preserved roughly 3,000 expired trademarks, many of them beautifully artistic and scenic — frame-worthy even (see…
(Image courtesy of Consejo) In 1978, Consejo Counseling & Referral Service was founded in response to a lack of culturally appropriate behavioral health resources for the low-income Latino community in Western Washington. Over the course of more than 30 years, Consejo has expanded to include a large variety of services. Consejo’s mission is to provide a continuum of behavioral health, substance abuse and domestic violence services to individuals and families across Washington to improve the quality of their lives and…
Photo courtesy of United Way of Whatcom County If you know anything about charities you have probably heard of United Way. Over the course of the 20th century this charitable organization has become deeply rooted in communities across Washington and the United States. Because United Way recognizes that local problems need local solutions, each branch independently develops programs that best suit the needs of the communities they serve. Every United Way throughout Washington goes above and beyond to support our…
If you’re filing paperwork with our Corporations and Charities Division, chances are you’re going to pay a fee when you register or renew. So why in the world would you want to pay for those forms that you’re turning in when you can get them for free? Lately there have been some web sites out there that have been charging between $13 and $16 for forms that are FREE (as in no charge, people) from the Secretary of State’s Corporations…