The Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center, a longstanding nonprofit in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district, has abruptly closed its doors after 45 years of service. The closure has sparked controversy, particularly regarding the transfer of the organization’s remaining funds to another nonprofit led by its executive director, Erica Burrell.

The nonprofit, which had been a cornerstone in the Tenderloin community, provided essential services such as clothing, food, and a school dental clinic. Its sudden shutdown has left many questioning the circumstances surrounding its dissolution and the fate of its assets.

The Controversial Transfer of Funds

According to newly released state filings, Burrell, who became the center’s executive director in 2026, has sought to transfer the bulk of the organization’s remaining assets—$2.27 million—to the Empathy Library, a nonprofit of which she is the CEO. The filings show that the board voted unanimously in September 2026 to dissolve the nonprofit and transfer the assets, with Burrell listed as a board member at that time.

Legal professionals have raised concerns about the ethical implications of this transfer. Alexis Levy, an attorney who advises nonprofits, stated that Burrell absolutely should have recused herself from any such vote. “All of these things at minimum are unethical,” Levy said. “I would never do any of those things, as a nonprofit or as an attorney.”

Another legal observer emphasized the importance of conflict of interest policies in nonprofits, noting that board members have a legal duty of loyalty to the organization. “If you’re on the board of one nonprofit, you’re dissolving it and transferring the money to another nonprofit—you at least have to recuse yourself,” the observer said.

The Misrepresentation of Board Membership

Burrell’s initial response to inquiries about the closure raised further questions. When Mission Local asked Burrell about the apparent closure on May 29, she initially declined to comment. However, within days, she revived the organization’s dead website with a 4,000-word announcement making the closure official.

In that statement, Burrell claimed she was voted onto the board as its president only in late May 2026, “to ensure continuity and accountability” as the organization closed down. However, the nonprofit’s September 2026 “plan of dissolution” shows Burrell already listed as a board member at that time, with her signature appearing alongside those of four other board members.

Burrell also pledged that the remaining assets would go to a nonprofit with a similar mission, “so there is peace of mind in that.” However, the Empathy Library, Burrell’s nonprofit, has no focus on the Tenderloin and is registered in Berkeley. Its purpose is to “increase access to quality education to children and families from low-income backgrounds,” but it lacks the community-specific focus of the Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center.

The Community’s Reaction

The closure of the Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center has left a void in the Tenderloin community. Former board members and employees have expressed their concerns and frustrations. Jeanne Comaskey, formerly the chair of the nonprofit’s board, exclaimed, “I fucking knew it,” when told of the filings. Comaskey and other former board members and employees said they had filed a complaint with the attorney general’s office.

“We knew something really shady was going on,” Comaskey said. “She’s taking money from the women and the children of the Tenderloin. When people donate, that’s what they want to donate to—not Erica the Teacher Lady.” Burrell runs a website and social media account called the Teacher Lady, where she shares children’s books she has written and illustrated. The Empathy Library accepts donations to send free, diverse books to children around the country.

Diane Van Stralen, a former employee at the Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center for some 25 years, hopes that the money would instead be directed “to Tenderloin kids and families.” The nonprofit’s dissolution has not yet gone through, and the attorney general’s office has requested additional documentation.

The Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Center had been a fierce advocate in the Tenderloin, providing essential services and spearheading the creation of its only public elementary school. Its sudden closure has left many wondering about the future of the community and the fate of the nonprofit’s remaining funds.