Belle Gibson’s The Whole Pantry refutes claims about charity donations
SHE beat brain cancer to build a wellness empire. Now the company founded by Belle Gibson, The Whole Pantry, has been forced to deny some damaging claims.
BELLE Gibson is the inspirational mother and entrepreneur who beat brain cancer to turn her lifestyle into a mini empire.
Now the company she founded, that is behind the popular The Whole Pantry wellness app, has been forced to deny claims it failed to pass on donations earmarked for charity.
Fairfax Media reports TWP, whose app has been downloaded 300,000 times and has been slated to feature on the Apple Watch, previously solicited donations from its loyal followers claiming they would be given to charity.
However, according to Fairfax those donations never reached their stated destination with some charities being completely unaware of such promises.
TWP has used its Facebook page to refute the claims and deny any wrongdoing, blaming cash flow problems and delayed bookkeeping for the money not reaching its intended charities.
The post refers to Ms Gibson as the “previous Managing Director” before going on to rectify what TWP calls “incorrect claims and assumptions.”
Ms Gibson champions healthy eating, positive thinking and a wholesome lifestyle and along with her app and a popular cookbook, enjoys a devoted fan base.
In May, the company told followers that all proceeds from app downloads (which cost $3.79) would go to a charity in South East Asia called the Bumi Sehat Foundation. A spokeswoman for the Bumi Sehat Foundation told Fairfax: “I can say with confidence that we have never received a donation from Belle Gibson”.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, also linked to TWP, claimed it had no knowledge of fundraising drives.
But in its Facebook statement, TWP said donations to the ASRC and the Bumi Sehat Foundation had not “been absorbed by anyone, or TWP, but rather had been accounted for but not processed as per advice.”
The Whole Pantry says it has passed on company finances to an external team of accountants who have been working on the books for the past five months.
The company states it is allowing the external team to “finalise the donations once all business keepings were accounted first and brought forward.”
The company says it has “made private donations to ASRC which have been receipted”.
Founded in 2013, The Whole Pantry outwardly appears to be a thriving success, however the company says revenue has been lower than expected.
The company has declared that “all remaining promised donations and support will be honoured as soon as the finances are in order”.
News.com.au has contacted Belle Gibson for comment.
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