Better Business Bureau Report for
Houston Area Parkinson Society

Better Business Bureau Report issued June 2011
Better Business Bureau Report expires June 2012


This BBB Accredited charity meets all 20 Standards for Charity Accountability. Find out more...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Houston Area Parkinson Society
Address: 2700 Southwest Freeway, Ste. 296
  Houston, TX 77098
Phone: 713-626-7114
Web Address: www.hapsonline.org
Also known as:HAPS
The Houston Area Parkinsonism Society
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1975, Texas
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: The mission of Houston Area Parkinson Society is to improve the quality of life for those affected by Parkinson’s disease through services, education and advocacy.

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Houston Area Parkinson Society meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Houston Area Parkinson Society provides comprehensive services free of charge for families affected by Parkinson’s disease. They include social services, case management and referral, exercise and support groups, transportation to HAPS groups and Parkinson’s related doctor appointments, a monthly newsletter, educational information and programs and advocacy. HAPS also provides subsidized respite care, which can be critical to chronic disease care management, and emergency financial assistance of up to $500 a year for those in need who qualify. In 2010, HAPS provided 24,000 service hours to Parkinson’s patients, family members and caregivers. Therapeutic Exercise - Over 30 weekly free therapeutic exercise are available in 20 locations throughout eight counties in the Houston metropolitan area. Programs include land and water exercise, tai chi, tango, speech therapy, music therapy, dance, singing, under the supervision of licensed occupational, physical and speech therapists and certified instructors. Support Groups - HAPS provides 7 different support groups that address issues specific to the various aspects of living with and caring for someone with Parkinson’s including 3 monthly Caregiver groups, monthly Patient group, bi-monthly Young Onset group, bi-monthly Crossroads group, bi-monthly post Deep Brain Stimulation surgery group along with a quarterly Newly Diagnosed education program for recently diagnosed individuals. Social Services - Licensed master’s level social workers provide client assessments, information and referral to appropriate resources. Individual, family and group consultations, home visits, safety checks and case management services are also offered as needed. Respite Care - HAPS partners with Sheltering Arms Senior Services and Home Instead Senior Care to provide trained aides to assist with activities of daily living providing relief to caregivers exhausted from the physical and emotional demands of caregiving. This assistance is subsidized for those in need on a sliding scale based on household income. Education– HAPS provides a monthly newsletter mailed to 2,500 households containing news, current research and helpful information for the Parkinson's community, educational materials, an informative website and a lending library of Parkinson's related books. An educational symposium is presented by HAPS annually, bringing in expert speakers on the latest in research, treatment of PD and other Parkinson's related topics. HAPS also offers educational sessions to community organizations, agencies and staff at residential facilities. Transportation – HAPS contracts with the American Red Cross and Harris County RIDES program to provide transportation in wheelchair accessible vans to HAPS group sites and doctor's visits. Emergency Financial Aid - Emergency financial aid up to $500 a year is available for visits to the neurologists’ appointments, medications, rent, utilities, groceries services and durable medical equipment for those who qualify. Advocacy – As advocates for the Parkinson community, HAPS works to raise awareness of Parkinson's disease among medical professionals, elected officials, the media and the greater community.

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, Houston Area Parkinson Society's program expenses were:

  
Social Services and Consultations 178,804
Therapeutic Services 153,147
Education and Awareness 43,609
Total Program Expenses: $375,560
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Anne Thobae, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$66,000

Chair of the Board: Frank Donnelly, Jr., President, Board of Directors
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: President, Wärtsilä North America, Inc.

Board Size: 23

Paid Staff Size: 4

*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, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals, internet
Fund raising costs were 7% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $466,652, 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 Houston Area Parkinson Society's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 362,901
Special Events 103,751
Interest Income 27
Cost of direct donor benefits -23,991
Total Income $442,688


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 81%  Fund Raising: 7%  Administrative: 12% 

Total income   $442,688
  Program expenses $375,560
  Fund raising expenses 33,206
  Administrative expenses 56,428
 
Total expenses   $465,194
Expenses in Excess of Income   (22,506)
Beginning net assets   298,958
Ending net assets   276,452
Total liabilities   17,819
Total assets   $294,271


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Complaints

              

The BBB has processed no complaints about this organization in the past 36 months, our standard reporting period.

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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.

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