A nonprofit led by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson's wife was found "seriously deficient" following an N.C. Department of Health and Services review, according to documents released Wednesday. The agency found a long list of missing documents required to administer a federally funded food program for child care centers, as well as claims filed for payment for centers that apparently hadn't requested or received money.
Yolanda Hill has led a nonprofit called Balanced Nutrition that helps child care facilities apply for and receive federal funding for kids’ meals. Mark Robinson and the couple’s son and daughter have worked as employees of the Greensboro nonprofit; he wrote in his book that Hill's success with the nonprofit allowed him to quit his job and move into politics. Hill abruptly closed the nonprofit in April after the state agency launched its review.
Documents released Wednesday show that both Hill and her lawyer did not respond to multiple requests to meet with DHHS officials about the probe over the past month, and they failed to provide a long list of documents requested by the agency.
"Balanced Nutrition, Inc. has not retained all records to support its claim for reimbursement for three years," the report said. It said the nonprofit filed reimbursement claims for a child care center called Gingerbread Learning Center eight times in 2023 and early 2024, even though that facility didn't file a claim through Balanced Nutrition.
"Ms. Hill confirmed with the compliance team that Gingerbread Learning Center had not filed a claim since November 2022," the report said.
DHHS also found that Balanced Nutrition "failed to file valid claims" for nine of the facilities it was working with.
The review found that Balanced Nutrition didn't maintain required enrollment documentation for the child care facilities it worked with, as well as documentation related to required trainings, free and reduced lunch eligibility, and the meals served at centers. Many of the findings in the report were listed as "repeat findings."
And while organizations like Balanced Nutrition are required to make in-person monitoring visits to child care centers to make sure the food funding is being spent correctly, it "failed to accurately monitor facilities under its sponsorship."
Previous financial documents for Balanced Nutrition show that Mark Robinson was at one point, prior to running for lieutenant governor, employed as a monitor for the nonprofit.
DHHS also said Balanced Nutrition didn't get permission to hire family members, such as the Robinsons' daughter, Kimberly Cephas.
"Balanced Nutrition, Inc. did not report expenses accurately and unallowable expenses were claimed" for four different centers, the report said.
DHHS' letters give the nonprofit two weeks to take corrective action, and if it doesn't fix the problems, Hill and her employees will be banned from any future participation in the child care center food program.
Hill and her attorney could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday, but in March, Hill criticized the DHHS review actions taken at that point.
"As an organization, there are numerous things that have happened and been documented that makes us feel as if we are the target of some type of vendetta, be it personal or political,” Hill wrote on March 11 after she was informed of the April review.
