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Hope Breakfast Bar owners reach settlement to dissolve Give Hope nonprofit

The Brief Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said his office reached an assurance of discontinuance with the owners of the nonprofit Give Hope. State officials say Brian and Sarah Ingram are dissolving Give Hope after multiple governance violations. Funds from Give Hope were allegedly used to reimburse Purpose Driven Restaurants, an organization that owns Hope Breakfast Bar, The Gnome Craft Pub, as well as Salt & Flour. ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A local nonprofit, Give Hope, is dissolving after an investigation by the Minnesota Attorney General's Office alleged multiple governance violations that caused confusion between nonprofit and for-profit enterprises. State officials say the nonprofit failed to follow legal requirements, such as maintaining tax-exempt status and registration with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, which prevented donors and regulators from getting insight into Give Hope's finances. What they're saying The settlement, also known as an assurance of discontinuance, was filed in Ramsey County after state investigators found evidence of conflicting transactions with businesses affiliated with Brian and Sarah Ingram, who own multiple restaurants under the Purpose Driven Restaurants umbrella. These transactions, according to the attorney general's office, include reimbursements made to Purpose Driven Restaurants for food, groceries, and toiletries provided by Give Hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was reportedly done without following the conflicting transaction requirements under the Minnesota Nonprofit Act, according to the attorney general's office. State officials add that Give Hope's board of directors met infrequently, failed to maintain adequate books and did not have a designated treasurer. What they're saying Attorney General Ellison released a statement saying, "Minnesota requires nonprofits to follow laws about transparency and governance that help protect charitable assets and promote public trust. Minnesotans are a generous people, and we expect our charities to obey these rules, keep proper records, and work to help people who need it. Give Hope fell short of these obligations, leaving its assets vulnerable and preventing public and regulator transparency, so I'm ensuring they dissolve." The news release adds that the attorney general's office, through its charities division, has civil enforcement authority, but that the division does not enforce criminal laws. FOX 9 reached out to Brian Ingram and management at Purpose Driven Restaurants for a response and will update this story if one is received. Dig deeper Purpose Driven Restaurants owns multiple establishments, including Hope Breakfast Bar, The Gnome Craft Pub, as well as Salt & Flour. Brian Ingram recently blamed the current state of public safety in St. Paul for the decision to close his Apostle Supper Club restaurant at the end of May. READ MORE: Apostle Supper Club closing in St. Paul at the end of the month The Source This story used information shared in a news release from the Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and past FOX 9 reporting.