Better Business Bureau Report for
South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc.

Better Business Bureau Report issued March 2011
Better Business Bureau Report expires March 2013


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...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc.
Address: P. O. Box 937
  Homewood, IL 60430-0937
Phone: 708-798-7737
Web Address: www.ssfs1.org
Also known as:The Sanctuary
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1980, Illinois
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: The mission of South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc. is to provide comprehensive, coordinated services for families in which domestic violence exists. The Shelter is a not-for-profit, non-sectarian, social service agency which is accountable and accessible to all segments of the community. To that end, competent professional and/or trained volunteers will help clients identify options in their life situations without imposing any one solution.

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc. does not meet the following 3 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.

South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc. 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.

South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc. does not meet this Standard because:

  • Although it produced a written effectiveness assessment report, it was not submitted for approval to the board of directors.

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.

South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc. does not meet this standard because the most recent annual report did not include:

  • Total expenses for each program in the same categories that appear in the organization’s financial statements.
  • Total fund raising expenses.
  • Total administrative expenses.
  • Total end of year net assets.
    • In response to the BBB’s request for an annual report, the Shelter provided a printed 2010 annual report that included information on the charity’s mission, programs, and a board roster but did not include the recommended financial information.
South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc. meets the remaining 17 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

Services are available in Spanish and in English to victims of domestic violence and their families. All services provided to victims are provided free of charge. There is a sliding scale fee for abuser treatment services. The services that SSFS provided last year include: • A 24-hour hotline – Spanish/English – 708 335-3028, toll-free (877) 335-3020 • Emergency shelter, transportation, food • Transitional housing • Counseling for adult victims (group and individual) • Counseling for child victims/witnesses (group and individual) • Court advocacy • Medical advocacy • A school based prevention program • Professional trainings • Speaker’s bureau, • Illinois Health Cares Program • Abuser re-learning groups • Start Healthy - Start Right, a Safe From The Start Program, and • the Sanctuary Program

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc.'s program expenses were:

  
Salaries 1,064,523
Fringe Ben. and Taxes 147,390
Client Expenses 66,802
Emergency Shelter 65,425
Depreciation 53,076
Utilities 44,079
Supplies 36,079
Professional Fees 30,809
Building and Maintenance 26,700
Conf. & Transportation 17,434
Other 17,217
Audit and accounting 15,640
Communications 13,302
Postage and Printing 10,565
Insurance 9,295
Professional Org. 2,649
Dues and Subscriptions 715
Total Program Expenses: $1,621,700
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Diane L. Bedrosian, Executive Director
Compensation*:
 $99,131

Chair of the Board: Michael Hicks
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Administrator at Ingalls Hospital

Board Size: 11

Paid Staff Size: 53

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.
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Fund Raising

               

Method(s) Used:

direct mail, telephone, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals
Fund raising costs were 31% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $513,178, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)
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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.
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Financial

               

The following information is based on South Suburban Family Shelter, Inc.'s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.

Source of Funds  
IL Department of Human Services 482,036
U.s. Department of Housing and Urban Development 283,616
Fundraising Events 235,811
Foundations and Corporations 211,089
IL Violence Prevention Authority 135,000
IL Coalition Against Domestic Violence 134,041
Cook County 108,000
IL Criminal Justice Information Authority 74,466
U.S. Department of Homeland Security 63,243
IL Attorney General 46,100
United Way 45,695
Other 44,168
Program Fees 37,690
Contributions 20,583
Interest 6,866
Total Income $1,928,404


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 83%  Fund Raising: 8%  Administrative: 9% 

Total income   $1,928,404
  Program expenses $1,621,700
  Fund raising expenses 159,656
  Administrative expenses 167,922
 
Total expenses   $1,949,278
Expenses in Excess of Income   (20,874)
Beginning net assets   2,028,968
Ending net assets   2,008,094
Total liabilities   433,398
Total assets   $2,441,492


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