Hazel smiled. “I know. Just one mention of head lice and everyone’s scratching. We’re given free shampoo and treatment kits for the children.” She opened the door to the boys’ bathroom and stood back. “What do you think?”
He stared at the white tiled room. At least a dozen shower cubicles lined one wall. Basins and heated towel rails lined the opposite wall.
“Each child is given a toothbrush, towel, and washcloth when they come through the bathroom door. We have soap dispensers in each shower.” Hazel walked out of the bathroom and into another room. “This is the laundry.”
“You clean the children’s clothes?”
“No, the children do it themselves. They’re also responsible for their own towels. If they don’t bring a spare change of clothes, we’ve got some clothes they can use. If they’ve got head lice, we’re happy for them to bring their sheets and pillowcases from home.”
“Don’t the kids feel strange walking down the street with their sheets?”
“They put them in a bag, so it’s not so bad. Head lice are a fact of life for a lot of kids. Bringing their sheets here is better than sleeping on dirty linen.”
“You’ve got more than a professional interest in this project, haven’t you?”
Hazel closed the door. “I lived in a similar situation to a lot of the kids who come here. If it weren’t for someone giving me a helping hand, my life would be completely different. All it takes is one person who cares and your entire world can change.” She cleared her throat and stood in the central activity area. “Is there anything else you’d like to see?”
Matthew shook his head. “No. You’ve covered everything about the building. I have a few questions about the Foundation, though.”
“I’ll answer them as best I can. Jasmine Alfredo is in charge of the Foundation. She would be the best person to talk to.”
Matthew sat on one of the plastic chairs lining the wall. Jasmine was the last person he wanted to talk to.
Hazel sat beside him, waiting for his first question.
“If I’m going to invest a substantial amount of money into this project, I want to know that the Foundation is viable.”
“Viable?”
He nodded. “There was a funding shortfall on this project. Can you tell me why?”
Hazel frowned. “Jasmine said an application for a grant was declined. There weren’t any opportunities to apply for more funding, so the rest of the renovation couldn’t go ahead.”
“Has the Foundation had similar problems on other projects?”
This time, Hazel looked slightly uncomfortable. “We’re in the process of re-prioritizing our projects. While that’s happening, we’re not starting any new projects or investing capital into existing ones.”
“When will that process be finished?”
“I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask Ms. Alfredo.”
Matthew nodded. “I have a friend who attended a number of charity events The Reaching High Foundation organized. When I told him I was coming to see you, he was concerned that the Foundation wasn’t a good place to invest my money. Do you know why he might think that?”
Hazel shook her head. “The Foundation has done some amazing things. Jasmine works tirelessly to make sure the funding we receive goes to the people who most need it.”
Matthew leaned his head against the wall. “I should have made myself clearer. My friend wasn’t concerned with the Foundation’s projects. He said they’re all extremely valuable. He was more concerned about Congressman Welsh’s involvement. Was he the project leader for the youth center?”
Hazel’s relaxed smile disappeared. “He was. A few days ago he was arrested.”
“I read about it in the newspaper. Were the funds he stole directly linked to this project?”
Hazel dropped her head to her chest. “I think so.”
“I admire what Jasmine has achieved, but how did she not know what was going on?”
“I don’t know. They were friends. I guess the line between friendship and business got blurred and she didn’t see what was happening.”
“Blurred?”
