Better Business Bureau Report for
Shelter Care Ministries

Better Business Bureau Report issued August 2012
Better Business Bureau Report expires August 2014


Does not meet one or more standards
This charity does not meet one or more of the 20 standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


Find out more about this charity:

Back To Top

Charity Contact Information

Name: Shelter Care Ministries
Address: 412 N Church St.
  Rockford, IL 61103
Phone: 815-964-5520
Web Address: www.shelter-care.org
Back To Top

Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1984, Illinois
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: Shelter Care Ministries serves families who are homeless and people living with mental illness. We support them while they acquire the resources they need to stabilize their lives and move toward self sufficiency.

Back To Top

Evaluation Conclusions

              

Shelter Care Ministries does not meet the following 5 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Standard 6: Board Policy on Effectiveness - Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

Shelter Care Ministries does not meet this Standard because:

  • The board of directors does not have a written policy stating that, at least every two years, an appraisal be done assessing the organization’s performance and effectiveness and determining future actions required to achieve its mission.

Standard 7: Board Approval of Written Report on Effectiveness - Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.

Shelter Care Ministries does not meet this Standard because:

  • It has never completed an effectiveness assessment.

Standard 16: Annual Report - Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.

Shelter Care Ministries does not meet this standard because:

  • The organization states it does not have an annual report covering activities conducted in the past year.

Standard 17: Web Site Disclosures - Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.

Shelter Care Ministries does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.shelter-care.org, does not include all of the recommended information for those charity websites that solicit for donations. Specifically, it does not include:

  • Total income.
  • Total program expenses.
  • Total fund raising expenses.
  • Total administrative expenses.
  • End of year net assets.
  • Electronic access to the organization’s most recent IRS Form 990.

Standard 18: Privacy for Written Appeals & Internet Privacy - Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.

Shelter Care Ministries does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on this website, www.shelter-care.org does not indicate:

  • What personal information is being collected and how it will be used.
  • How to contact the charity to review personal information that is collected and request corrections.
  • How to inform the charity that the visitor does not want his/her information shared with others.
Shelter Care Ministries meets the remaining 15 Standards for Charity Accountability.
Back To Top

Programs

              

Shelter Care Ministries' programs include the Jubilee Center, serving mentally ill individuals, MAYA'S House, a drop-in day care for homeless children and the Housing Program for families that are homeless.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, Shelter Care Ministries's program expenses were:

  
Emergency Housing 201,587
Jubilee Drop-in Center 196,190
Transitional Housing 123,778
MAYA'S House 67,809
Total Program Expenses: $589,364
Back To Top

Governance

              

Chief Executive : Louisett M. Ness, Executive Director
Compensation*: 
$65,000

Chair of the Board: Denise Noe
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Development Director, University of Illinois College of Medicine

Board Size: 12

Paid Staff Size: 13

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
Back To Top

Fund Raising

              

Method(s) Used:

direct mail, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals, internet, planned giving arrangements
Fund raising costs were 1% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $600,075, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
Back To Top

Tax Status

              

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.
Back To Top

Financial

              

The following information is based on Shelter Care Ministries's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011.

Source of Funds  
Government Agencies 213,631
Community Funds 155,293
Illinois Department of Human Resources 133,715
Fundraising 44,510
Non-governmental Grants 42,691
In-kind Support 34,430
United Way Services 18,496
Realized Gain on Marketable Securities 1,470
Interest Income 159
Total Income $644,395


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 83%  Fund Raising: 1%  Administrative: 16%  Other Expenses: Less than 1%

Total income $644,395
Program expenses $589,364
Fund raising expenses 5,993
Administrative expenses 113,401
Other Expenses 2,712
Total expenses $711,470
Expenses in Excess of Income (67,075)
Beginning net assets 1,068,607
Other Changes in Net Assets (9,583)
Ending net assets 991,949
Total liabilities 125,639
Total assets $1,117,588


Back To Top

New Section

              

The organization stated that they are in the process of updating their annual report and website and working toward meeting the related standards. They are also developing a privacy policy for their site.

Back To Top

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc.

This report is not to be used for fund raising or promotional purposes.

Send to:



What is an Accredited Charity