Secretary of State obtains injunction against charity

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Secretary of State Mark Hammond’s office has obtained an injunction against Miracle House of Hope Ministries for soliciting contributions while not registered and failing to file annual financial reports.

The organization has racked up $10,000 in fines for violations of the South Carolina Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, according to a news release from Hammond’s office.

Miracle House of Hope Ministries is located in Charlotte, but Hammond’s office received complaints of solicitation in Richland, Lexington, Dorchester and Greenville counties, the release said. Organization representatives solicited cash on street corners and at intersections, according to Hammond’s office.  

“The registration and financial report filing requirements under the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act serve the purpose of providing transparency to donors,” Hammond said in the release. “Without these filings, we have no idea what this organization is doing with donors’ contributions. I implore all South Carolina residents to be wary anytime someone asks them for a donation and to do their research before handing over their hard-earned money.”

Hammond’s office filed a petition for injunctive relief with the South Carolina Administrative Law Court in December 2018, alleging that Miracle House of Hope Ministries failed to file its annual financial reports for fiscal years 2012 and 2013 and solicited contributions while its registration was suspended. The court issued the injunction March 18 after charity representatives failed to appear at the hearing.  If the organization violates the injunction, it will be subject to contempt of court, according to the release.

“It is rare that our office has to take the step of filing an injunction, but in this case, we were left with few options,” Hammond said. “Miracle House of Hope Ministries blatantly and continuously disregarded the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act over several years. Hopefully this court order will put them on notice that South Carolina is off limits until they can comply with the law.”