A Collinsville nonprofit dissolved in March after its founder admitted to using cancer charity funds for personal expenses. The abrupt closure has left donors, cancer patients and former volunteers demanding answers about how much money was involved.
Founder cites unpaid loan for cancer charity funds use
3 Little Birds 4 Life operated for 15 years before its founder, Ashley Swip, shut it down. In a letter to board members dated March 5, Swip described the funds she used for personal charges as a loan she intended to repay.
“I always viewed this as a loan that would be paid back.”
Swip did not specify how much money was involved or what the expenses covered. According to former board members, she had never mentioned a loan arrangement before sending the letter.
The nonprofit was founded in honor of Swip’s brother, who died of melanoma in 2010. Its mission focused on granting wishes to adults with cancer and supporting patients and caregivers during treatment.
Board members and donors demand accountability
Former board member Megan Barbour said she repeatedly asked Swip for documentation of the personal charges but never received it. She said the nonprofit’s active bank account held only about $800 when it opened in July 2025, despite tens of thousands of dollars in donations the two prior years.
“I want a real, honest-to-God answer on why she felt comfortable enough to use donor money for her person.”
Nonprofit oversight experts say cases like this often stem from limited board access to financial records. For donors, reviewing a charity’s registration and financial disclosures before giving can reduce the risk of mismanagement. Scrutiny of charitable fund allocation has intensified elsewhere too, including a separate case in the United Kingdom currently under regulatory review over how donations were used.
Public records show Swip filed for bankruptcy in federal court within months of the dissolution, citing more than $400,000 in liabilities. She also resigned from a 23 year teaching position and moved out of state.
Swip has not been charged with a crime, and her attorney said she has complied with requests from Illinois regulators. However, the attorney’s statement did not deny that Swip used nonprofit funds for personal expenses.
Tax filings show the nonprofit received more than $869,000 in donations between 2011 and 2020. Swip told board members during a recorded conversation that total donations reached $1.2 million over 15 years.
Swip’s March letter said remaining funds would be redirected to other 501(c)(3) organizations, though her attorney did not specify where. Former board members and donors say they will continue pressing for a full accounting of the charity’s finances.