Series 6 - Financial files

Identity area

Reference code

CA ON00389 F4-6

Title

Financial files

Date(s)

  • December 1980 - December 1997, predominant August 1986 - September 1996 (Creation)

Level of description

Series

Extent and medium

4.09 m of textual records. -- 3 photographs: col.; 12.3 x 8.8 and 12.6 x 8.5 cm

Context area

Name of creator

(1932-1996)

Archival history

This material was stored in the attic of the administrative office at L'Arche Daybreak. Likely it was packed in boxes for income tax purposes to be discarded after meeting the legal requirement of preservation for seven years. It was transferred to the Archives with the bulk of the material from L'Arche Daybreak.

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Scope and content

Series consists of Nouwen's financial files dating from 1980 and 1997, predominantly from 1986 -1997. Prior to 1986 Nouwen's personal accountant kept the majority of Nouwen's records and likely discarded them after the mandatory seven years retention period. The records from this time period are therefore minimal and consist primarily of financial overviews, cash books and American bank and retirement accounts and insurance files. After 1986, the records become more detailed and voluminous, including files about Nouwen's income (stipends, donations and royalties), expenses, taxes, insurance, retirement plans, credit cards and bank accounts.

Although the boxes were in no discernable order, they have been arranged in the following six sub-series by taking into account both the function of the records and the Nouwen staff member responsible for the maintenance of the majority of the records in that grouping:

1.6.1. General Files
1.6.2. Ledgers
1.6.3. Personal Accountant Files
1.6.4. Expenses Files
1.6.5. Cheque and Deposit Books
1.6.6. Donations Files

A more detailed description of each sub-series, as well as each sub-series arrangement can be found in the sub-series descriptions.

The files were created and kept by various secretaries and financial secretaries that Nouwen hired to control his complicated and extensive financial accounts. In the mid-1970s Nouwen hired Joe Sarno as his personal accountant. Sarno was responsible for Nouwen's income tax returns, American bank accounts and retirement funds until 1994 when Nouwen decided to consolidate his accounts to Daybreak. Carol Plantinga served as his financial secretary from the mid-1970s to 1986. From 1983-1985 Nouwen's assistant Peter Weiskel also worked with the financial files. At Daybreak, Connie Ellis took on the roles of both administrative assistant and financial secretary. After Ellis' became ill in 1992 Kathy Christie became Nouwen's administrative assistant and Lydia Banducci was hired as his financial secretary. Christie remained with Nouwen until his death in 1996. In 1993 Banducci was replaced by Margaret Sutton. Sutton remained in this position until 1997. In 1994 Nouwen began to consolidate all his financial and accounting information at Daybreak. Completing Nouwen's 1994 tax return was Sarno's last responsibility as his accountant. In 1996 Sutton arranged for all the records created and kept by Sarno to be transferred to Daybreak. Nouwen began transferring his accounting to account manager Alka Vijan at Canada Trust in 1994.

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Note

Access is restricted. Title based on contents of the series. Some material in Dutch, German, French, Italian and Spanish. No publication of this material, in whole or in part, without the permission of the Literary Executrix. No reproduction of this material without permission of the Archivist.

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