Photo by J.D. Casto
The museum project by OnePulse has been scrapped, but donors aren't getting their money back.
Deborah Bowie, who was hired in June 2022, announced her decision to resign Monday. She's the nonprofit's second executive director in its seven-year history, following the resignation of the foundation's former head and founder, Barbara Poma.
“It’s been a difficult engagement to say the least, but I am grateful for the opportunity to have served such an incredible community of amazing people who are the best examples of resiliency and love born out of tragedy,” Bowie told WESH Monday in a statement. “What happened in Orlando in 2016 isn’t as defining a moment as how the community has responded over the years – with love, unity, and hope. What matters most now is that a memorial inclusive of those directly impacted move forward and that a future of healing and peace finally be realized.”
The OnePulse foundation was originally formed by Poma, a co-owner of the Pulse nightclub, to build a memorial honoring the 49 people who were killed in the shooting. Seven years later, there's no memorial, despite the nonprofit collecting millions of dollars in contributions from individual donors, businesses, and state and local governments.
A tax filing from the organization disclosed $2.2 million in total contributions and grants in 2022 and $2.6 million in total revenue. Nearly $20 million was collected by the organization from 2016 to 2022, tax records show.
Lack of progress on a permanent memorial after all this time has been a point of contention for community members, as well as survivors of the shooting who have accused the nonprofit and former head Barbara Poma (who was vacationing in Cancún the night of the shooting) of profiting off of their pain.
The foundation last month announced it would scrap a controversial Pulse museum project and forfeit the remainder of a $10 million investment from the Orange County government, approved in 2018, intended for a permanent memorial and museum.
OnePulse also agreed to return a parcel of land purchased with county funds for the project, located near the former club. At least $6.5 million of the tourist development tax dollars allocated by Orange County had already been spent, including $3.5 million on the land purchase. Three million dollars, spent on design services, are "unrecoverable," the county shared.
The announcement from OnePulse followed a decision on Oct. 23 by Orlando City Council to buy the former Pulse property from its three owners – Barbara Poma, her husband Rosario Poma, and businessman Mike Pannaggio – for $2 million. That's at least double what it's worth, according to city commissioner Jim Gray, who nonetheless approved the purchase. A deal the property owners had with OnePulse to construct the permanent memorial on the former Pulse site fell through in May.
Recent shuffles within the OnePulse nonprofit, including the resignation of its former board chairman in late October, have left the future of the nonprofit in question, as a coalition of survivors, victims' family members, and allies have called on the nonprofit to close down and be subjected to a forensic audit.
The state of Florida, in addition to the Orange County government, has also pledged at least $680,000 in state appropriations in the past for the development of a memorial and museum project by OnePulse. That is, a project that will now no longer be constructed by the organization.
After OnePulse decided to forfeit its remaining Orange County TDT funds in late October, Bowie told media that individual donors would be able to request the return of donations they made for their now-scrapped memorial. But the organization almost immediately backtracked, with Bowie sharing in a revised statement through a spokesperson that donations pledged for the project had already been spent.
Bowie told the Orlando Sentinel Monday that much of her 17-month tenure as OnePulse executive director was spent trying to enhance transparency and rebuild fractured relationships with survivors and family members of shooting victims.
Yolanda Londoño, a spokesperson for the onePULSE Foundation Board, shared in a statement after news initially broke of Bowie's resignation that the board was "saddened" by Bowie's departure, but appreciate what she's done for the organization and "wish her nothing but success in her future endeavors.”
“Deborah came into a situation that was difficult to say the least and faced a daunting set of challenges including the aftermath of COVID and the stalled negotiations over the Pulse property,” Londoño said. “With all of the recent developments, the onePULSE Foundation Board is in the process of reevaluating its mission to make sure it aligns with the new realities. We will keep everyone updated as those discussions evolve, and decisions are made as to the best way to honor the lives of the 49 Angels and to help with the continuing healing of all those impacted by the Pulse tragedy.”
The statement from OnePulse did not include information on who will replace Bowie as executive director.
This is a developing post.
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