One of my first jobs was working to raise money for Goodwill in San Francisco. Through this work, I was inspired and impressed by the mission of the organization and the remarkable front-line employees.

Recently, in the face of enormous financial crisis, the entire Board of the Toronto Goodwill quit. I am outraged.

The media spotlight has appropriately been on the poor Goodwill employees scrambling to make ends meet because the charity will miss payroll this Friday.  The question everyone should be is asking is “Where is the Board?”

At a time when the organization is at the greatest need of support and leadership, the people elected to help an organization navigate a difficult situation choose to abandon ship. That is poor leadership and poor judgment.

Charity boards are not fluff appointments. Being on a charity board is a real and serious commitment.

The Goodwill Board has abandoned hundreds of vulnerable employees – they should be deeply, deeply ashamed.