CLF MINISTRIES CHARTER
CENTER for the LESS FORTUNATE, Inc.

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CHAPTER I
ABOUT THE ORGANISATION

Article 1 – Name
The name of this Association shall be known as: Center for the Less Fortunate Ministries, Inc. with an acronym
and hereafter called: CLF Ministries.

Article 2 – Location
The Association is a non-profit organization, which Headquarters will be located in Kings County, New York.
The Executive Committee defined in this Charter will decide its address. The Executive Committee may also
decide to relocate the Headquarters by majority vote.

Article 3 – Purposes
The Association is organized for the purpose(s) of assisting the Less Fortunate here in the Diaspora and
around the globe. It shall provide relief to the poor and the underprivileged through the mobilization of human,
social, educational, financial, and spiritual resources. It shall also promote public good through programs
capable of eradicating illiteracy.
1.        The Association shall have all the general powers enumerated in section 202 of the Not-for-Profit
Corporation Law to solicit grants and contributions for any corporate and the power to maintain funds or real
personal property for any corporate purposes.
2.        The Association is organized for religious, charitable, and educational purposes as specified in section
501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Services code of 1986, as it may be amended. Any activities not permitted
to be carried by a corporation shall not carry on by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section
501(c) (3).

Article 4 – Members
There are two categories of members of the Association: The Founding Members and the Adherent Members.
1.        The Founding Members are those who set forth the basic foundation of this Association. They oversee
the all-functioning bodies of the Association. They are Permanent Sitting Members of the Administrative Council
described hereafter in these by-laws.
2.        The Founding Members shall hold office for the first four (4) years organizing the Association, for the
sole purpose of establishing solid financial basis and human resources capable of uplifting the economic and
social aspects of the Association.  The Adherent Members are all financial contributors. They shall be all active
members and elective to any position of the Association.
3.        All members commit themselves to the development of the Association and participate financially in the
social, spiritual, educational, and economic programs to the betterment of the community here in the United
States of America and worldwide.

Article 5 – Contributions

Every member of the Association pays an initial membership fee of fifty dollars ($50.00). In addition, the
member makes an annual contribution to solidify the assets of the Association.

CHAPTER II
ABOUT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

Article 6 – The Administrative Council
The Administrative Council is the highest Managerial Body of the Association. It shall meet quarterly and may
call in between sessions as it deems necessary. The Council consists of:
1)        All the Founding Members
2)        The Executive committee.

A. The Administrative Council delegates the daily operation of the Association to the Executive committee
exclusively chosen within the membership.
B. The Administrative Council elects the Board of Trustees for a three year term indefinitely renewable, as the
Council shall deem necessary.

Article 7 – The Board of Trustees
The Board of Directors, hereafter known as the Board of Trustees consists of:
1)        A Chairperson Elect who heads the Board of Trustees’ Meetings.
2)        The Executive President who serves as the Secretary of the Board.
3)        The Vice-President for Public Relations
4)        The Vice-President for fund-Raising
5)        The Vice-president of Social Affaires
6)        The Executive Vice-President of the Association
7)        The Executive Secretary of the Association
8)        The Treasurer of the Association
9)        Any Past-President of the Association
10)        Any Representative at large of the Association here or abroad
11)        And at least fifteen other individuals selected from a wide range pool of influential people with ability of
leadership and able to promote the Association’s philosophy.

A. The Board of Trustees is responsible for its management to the Administrative Council.
B. The Board of directors meets, at least, once a year. The Board of Trustees can be convened by three (3) of
the members who submit a written request to the Secretariat of the Association.
C. The Board of Trustees shall be elected for a three year term by the Administrative Council.

Article 8 – The Executive Committee
The following officials of the Association form the Executive Committee of CLF Ministries
1)        The Executive President
2)         All the Vice-Presidents
3)        The Executive Secretary
4)        The Treasurer of the Association
5)        The Departmental Secretaries of the Association
6)        The Chairperson Elect of the Board of Trustees
7)        Any Past-President of the Association

CHAPITRE III
ABOUT THE ELECTIONS AND THE OFFICERS

Article 9 – Elections
The Administrative Council shall elect the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and
other officers of the Association. The elections are held on the last Sunday of the third year of the term. Each
candidate must be in good standing and shall be at least thirty-five (35) years old to be elected to one of these
functions.
1)        Every three years, at the General Assembly, the membership shall hear the reports of different
departments for votes of confidence
2)        Exception- the Founding Members are Ex-officio of the Association. Upon the dismissal of the incumbent
leadership team, they shall assume the interim, at any level, until next elections are held. They remain the
watchdogs of the Association.

SECTION I
ABOUT THE PRESIDENT

Article 10 – The President
The President of the Association is elected to a three-year term renewable. He cannot serve for a third
consecutive term. He presides over the Administrative Council, the Executive Committee, and serves as the
Board of Trustees’ Secretary, under the Chairperson Elect.

A)        The President shall call any meeting at any time, as he deems necessary.
B)        The President is an active member of all the departments.

Article 11 – Meetings
The Chairperson Elect who heads the Board of Trustees shall summon the Board of Trustees when three of
the members submit a written request. The President of the Association shall add to the agenda the concerns
of the three members.

Article 12 – The Vote of the President
The decisions made within the Executive Committee as well as in the Administrative Council are taken by an
absolute majority (half plus one). Should there be parity of votes, the President breaks the tie.

N.B. The preceding paragraph does not apply whenever these regulations require a majority of two third for
some decisions.

Article 13 – Convocation
The President signs jointly with the Secretary all convocation of the Administrative Council, the Board of
Trustees. He also signs all reports of all meetings after having knowledge of such.



SECTION II
ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT

Article 14 – The Executive Vice President
The Administrative Council elects the vice-president to a three-year term renewable only to a second term
elects the Vice-President. The Vice-President assists the President in his duties and may replace him should
the President be prevented for any reason from fulfilling his duties or by delegation of power.
SECTION III
ABOUT THE EXCUTIVE SECRETARY

Article 15 – Records
The Administrative council elects the Secretary of the Association to a three-year term. He is in charge of the
interior and the exterior correspondence of the Association. He signs jointly with the President or the
Chairperson Elect of the Board of Trustees all convocation from the Administrative Council, The Board of
Trustees, and that of the Executive Committee. He maintains up-to-date the membership list. He is competent
to inform third parties about any activities of the Association.

SECTION IV
ABOUT THE TREASURER OF THE ASSOCIATION

Article 16 – Finance
The Administrative Council elects the Treasurer to a three-year term. He constantly keeps the Council, the
Executive Committee, and the Board of Trustees informed of the financial situation. The Treasurer keeps
abreast the Officers of books, and the bank withdrawals. He is continuously in contact with the President and
the Secretary in order to encourage members to fulfill their duties towards the Association. He is indefinitely re-
eligible.

Article 17 – Budget
The Treasurer proposes every year in consultation with the Board of Trustees the budget of the Association for
the next fiscal year, but subject to be amended by the Board. He presents every three (3) months to the
Administrative Council a report on the financial state of the Association. The Executive Committee must
previously approve the report.

CHAPTER V
THE DEPARTMENTS

Article 18 – Departments
The departments are created according to the Association’s needs. They may be unlimited numbers. The
Secretary of a newly created department becomes automatically member of the Administrative Council.

1)        The present Charter recognizes the immediate creation of five departments within the Association. A
Council of three (3) members elected to a two-year term by the Administrative Council heads each department.
2)        The President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Counsel are members of the departments Council.

Article 19 – Interdependency
Each department shall function interdependently within the guidelines of the Association. No internal
regulations of any department shall be in conflict with the present Charter. In the beginning of the fiscal year,
the Secretary of the Department makes proposals and reports its prior activities to the Administrative Council.

Article 20 – Programs
The Secretary of each Ministry shall respectively work towards creating activities that shall address the
community’s needs. She/he shall propose to the Board of Trustees divers programs such as but not limited to
G.E.D., Nursery, Day Care Center, Computer Training, Nutrition, Parenting, and Sports Complex capable of
encouraging members and others to utilize their talents, skills, and abilities in productive and meaningful ways.

Article 21 – Outside Agencies
The Secretary of the Departments shall work with Federal, State, and local agencies to implement laws and
regulations pertaining to Educational Institutions to be established under the guidelines of the Association.

CHAPITRE VI
AMENDMENTS & DISSOLUTION

Article 22 – Amendments
This present Charter may be amended only by two-third votes of the Administrative Council of the Association.
The proposed of amendments must be submitted to the Administrative Council by the Executive Committee six
months prior to the General Session of the membership for ratification..

Article 23 – Dissolution
In case of dissolution, all the assets of the Association shall be distributed to one or more associations of
similar mission according to purposes within the meaning of section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code,
or the corresponding section of nay future federal tax code. Any assets not distributed shall be disposed of by
court of Component Jurisdiction of the county in which the main office of the Association is then located.  
Submitted by:
Jean-Claude Blaise, President-Founder

Founding Members
Samartha M. Blaise
Jean-Claude Blaise
712 East 27th Street Suite 1-F
Brooklyn, New York 11210

Telephone: ( 718) 421-5760
CLF Ministries
Center For the Less Fortunate, Inc.
CLF Ministries - Jean-Claude Blaise, President
© 2008 CLF Ministries All rights reserved