Unfortunately, I have to notify you that we, American Atheists, along with Planned Parenthood, have been sued in an Arizona court by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF).
Through this lawsuit, FFRF is attempting to obtain a substantially larger portion of a shared bequest that was divided among American Atheists, FFRF, Planned Parenthood, and the donor’s son. Specifically, the leadership of FFRF is seeking to reverse an amendment the donor made in 2018.
We are profoundly disappointed that FFRF is suing two of its longtime partners in order to invalidate the clearly expressed wishes of a supporter. We believe donors have every right to expect their contributions will be used in support of nonprofits’ missions, not to attack allied organizations.
And it is disheartening that FFRF’s organizational leadership declined our repeated requests to discuss the issue before resorting to costly, lengthy, and distracting litigation. These actions don’t align with the commitment to collaboration and coalition-building that’s at the center of our work.
This litigation has already cost us tens of thousands of dollars, and it will continue to waste significant, much-needed resources that would have been better used in the fight against Christian nationalism, especially if American Atheists is forced to hand over funds we’ve already received. And no matter the outcome, this action has already harmed the secular community.
We continue to hope for an amicable resolution, but because we value honesty, integrity, and transparency, I wanted you to be aware of this situation. We will, of course, keep you informed as the lawsuit progresses.
Sincerely,
Nick Fish
President
American Atheists is a 501(c)(3) non-partisan, nonprofit educational organization that relies on the support of members like you. Contributions are tax-deductible. Our Federal Tax ID Number is 74-2466507 and our Combined Federal Campaign number is 52217.
American Atheists
225 Cristiani Street
Cranford, NJ 07016
United States