To start off, please watch this link of a live video where Melissa explains her “compensation” for her role as Director of The Devoted Barn. https://www.facebook.com/TheDevotedBarn/videos/457674195929779/ Go to the 42:00 minute mark (or watch shortened clip posted below). You will hear her explain that she receives no financial compensation from the non profit, however, she and her family are able to live in the farm house and keep four personal horses on the property. This might be a fair trade for being the 24hr onsite manager, but Melissa has seemingly turned the property into her own personal horse farm, and donations pay for it!
She has no less than ELEVEN verified personal equines on the property!
Read that again
ELEVEN PERSONAL HORSES ON A DONATION FUNDED PROPERTY
1. Quick- Melissa’s Horse #1
2. Sparty- Melissa’s Horse #2
3. Lala- Melissa’s Horse #3
4. Lincoln- Melissa’s Horse #4
Lincoln was born in June 2021 to a rescue mare brought in (Mae, now Luna). He is now a strong and healthy horse. Melissa did not adopt him out, she kept him for herself. You will notice that he is no longer listed on the rescue website, but if you go see for yourself, he is still at the property. Why would Melissa keep him for herself when she already has so many horses and the rescue is in dire financial need? Saving his life cost the organization and the donors a lot of money, why would they not attempt to recoup some of this?
5. Blake- Melissa's daughter Ava’s Horse #1
6. Kobe- Ava’s Horse #2
7. Nick- Ava’s Horse #3
8. Deeters- Ava’s Horse #4
9. Rodder-Melissa's daughter Brooke’s Horse
10. Joey- Melissa's daughter Mia’s Horse #1
You will notice that Joey is listed as a horse available to sponsor on the barn website.
11. Bella- Mia’s Horse #2
A short while back Melissa was questioned on her own Facebook page about the business plan for the non-profit. Screenshots of her response are below. By her own calculations, the cost to feed, supply bedding and pay for a stall cleaner is $575/month per horse. The value of this would be $750/month per horse for board. AT MINIMUM Melissa’s eleven horses are costing $6,325/month to keep at the donation funded sanctuary property. This is a benefit value of $99,000/year. Keep in mind that the cost to feed and stall a horse does not include routine vet and farrier bills for each of these horses as well.
AND-we have every good reason to believe there are several more that are not available for adoption because Melissa won’t let them leave.
Buttercup and Babes the miniature horses are not available for adoption on the barn website. Why is this? Ask Melissa if her daughter and her daughter’s friend took these minis to the Monroe County Fair this summer. Why would 2 rescues that are able to leave the sanctuary property and go to a horse show not be available for adoption?? They aren’t available because it’s likely that they have also been absorbed into the Borden collection as personal pets.
These TikTok videos suggest that Melissa’s daughter feels that Buttercup is hers. (If the links do not work the videos have been removed by the poster)
Freedom was rescued as a foal with her mom in 2020. She is now a healthy, strong horse that could easily be adopted out as there is no reason she would need to stay at a sanctuary property. Melissa claims that she and her mother America are being retained for use in a Veteran’s program to be held at the sanctuary. This project has yet to come to fruition. Why wouldn’t any of the multiple other older sanctuary horses that currently reside at the property be sufficient to use for this program if it ever comes to be? Freedom could easily be adopted out to someone wanting a young horse and the adoption fee could help recoup some money for the rescue, but instead she stays at the farm. Could it be because she is a registered horse and Melissa wants to keep her for herself? We think this is highly likely.
There are two other faces listed on TheDevotedBarn.org for sponsorship that have never been mentioned by the farm page as to where they came from or why they are there. Who are Johnny and Gracie? Does Melissa have a plan for these two to be a part of the Borden group but their care expenses be covered by the rescue?
In the live video posted above you will also hear Melissa make the claim that she doesn’t take a salary from the non-profit because she lives off the alimony and child support awarded in her divorce. Well, if that is true Melissa should teach courses on budgeting because she was paid a whopping $3,600 in alimony ($100/mo for 3 years) in 2012 and she gets $900/month in child support payments until 2023 at which point those will be reduced to $450/month. The alimony judgement expired in 2015, therefore she is getting $900/month in child support payments. This information is public record as her 2012 divorce is not sealed. Don't believe us? Feel free to go request it at the Wayne County Court. How does someone with no job, and no other income, support these ELEVEN horses on this meager (relative to the circumstances) monthly budget? And isn't child support meant to SUPPORT THE CHILDREN?? Her daughters also horse show some of these horses and horse show expenses are not cheap. It’s been reported to us that Ava has been going to at least 1-2 shows a month. Do you really think her father is ponying up ALL of the money for these horses, the horse shows, horse training, the riding equipment and the horses themselves (Kobe just joined “the family”). This just isn't logical or reasonable. There is additional funding coming from SOMEWHERE.
Furthermore, Melissa should be claiming the financial benefit of the non monetary compensation on her personal income taxes, and the 501(c)3 should be claiming it as compensation on their 990. Ever heard of Excess Benefit Transactions? You should look in up! Actually, we'll provide an easy link for you to do so. https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/charitable-organizations/intermediate-sanctions-excess-benefit-transactions
Here is the link to all 990s filed to the IRS where you can verify that DFAS has never claimed compensation for any of their board members. You will notice that the most recent was in 2019. Where are the 2020 and 2021?? You could ask them, but be careful because your motives will be questioned and you will be labeled as a "hater." Tax exempt non profits LEGALLY have to provide financials to anyone who asks for them. This is part of the responsibility as a public donation funded charity. https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos/detailsPage?ein=271796117&name=Devoted%20Friends%20Animal%20Society%20Inc.&city=Ortonville&state=MI&countryAbbr=US&dba=&type=CHARITIES,%20DETERMINATIONLETTERS,%20EPOSTCARD,%20COPYOFRETURNS&orgTags=CHARITIES&orgTags=DETERMINATIONLETTERS&orgTags=EPOSTCARD&orgTags=COPYOFRETURNS
There are at least eleven other horses on the property belonging to friends/boyfriend/volunteers of Melissa. Are these eleven horses paying $750 for a stall/month or $450/ for pasture space? We honestly doubt that they all are. Seems like knowing the director also gets you a good benefit. If these horses were all in stalls paying $750/month that would be a nice paycheck for the rescue, don’t ya think?
Rosie (Kelly K)
Loretta (Sarah M)
Luna (Theresa E)
Spirit (Theresa E)
Logan (Theresa E)
Molly (Theresa E)
Ruby Pony (Theresa E)
Tristan (Theresa E)
Nova (Tim & Marie)
Brody (Christiana B)
Jasmine (Joe)
In addition to having personal horses there, Melissa also gets the benefit of living in the four bedroom, 2100 sq/ft farm house. In this market, a house that size could easily rent for upwards of $2,000/month. This is an added value of at least $24,000/ year in housing costs. Keep in mind that this doesn’t include the cost of utilities as this is also included in Melissa’s benefit package. Oh, and both her boyfriend and her boyfriend’s mother live on the property as well. Do either of them contribute to rent or the utility bill? With the value of the eleven personal horses board and the housing stipend combined, the value Melissa gets as being the caretaker of the sanctuary is upwards of $123k year. How many of you reading this make six figures in benefit value, or income alone for that matter?
Now, also remember that Melissa does not have a job and has not had a job in the past many years. These horses as well as all of her other personal animals (dogs, goats…) need vet care and incur other monthly costs. We would assume that she also has a cell phone bill, a truck payment, car repair bills, fuel costs, grocery bills, medical bills, personal expenses (nails & Starbucks)…..the list goes on and on.
We have a lot of proof here that validates our questions about how Melissa is supporting her lifestyle. Melissa, where is YOUR proof to show us that we are wrong??
We are having an awfully hard time adding this all up. It’s a good thing that the IRS is good at math!
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