BBB Wise Giving Report for
Surgical Eye Expeditions International

BBB Wise Giving Report issued May 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires May 2013


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


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Surgical Eye Expeditions International
Address: 6950 Hollister Avenue, Suite 250
  Santa Barbara, CA 93117
Phone: 805-963-3303
800-208-6733
Web Address: www.seeintl.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1974, California
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: “to provide medical, surgical and educational services by volunteer ophthalmic surgeons with the primary objective of restoring sight to disadvantaged blind individuals worldwide.”

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Surgical Eye Expeditions International (SEE International) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

SEE International's principal program involves coordinating and organizing short-term surgical expeditions to developing countries, primarily focusing on cataract surgery. Each expedition is approximately one week long. Cataract blindness is readily curable with modern cataract surgery. With a 30-minute surgery and the patient under local anesthetic, a volunteer SEE International surgeon can restore the sight of a person who has been blind with cataracts for 5, 10, or even 20 years. SEE International’s Santa Barbara Vision Care, provides comprehensive eye exams to community members in need, and is funded by local individuals and foundations.

For the year ended December 31, 2009, SEE International's program expenses were:

  
International clinics 35,443,954
Santa Barbara Vision Care 139,486
Total Program Expenses: $35,583,440
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Tim Durnin, Chief Operating Officer
Compensation*:
 $80,000

Chair of the Board: Scott Groff
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Business owner

Board Size: 13

Paid Staff Size: 9

*Although no compensation information is available in the 2009 IRS Form 990, the organization reports that Mr. Durnin received $80,000 in compensation. 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, print advertisements, television, radio, grant proposals, and Internet appeals.
Fund raising costs were 1% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $34,638,910, 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 SEE International's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Donated medical services 27,101,339
Donated medical supplies and equipment 6,937,024
Contributions 547,032
Unrealized gain on investments 355,762
Gain on sale of investments 66,504
Memberships 27,232
Interest and dividends 24,639
Other in-kind donations 14,105
Special events, net 12,178
Total Income $35,085,815


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 99%  Fund Raising: 1%  Administrative: Less than 1% 

Total income   $35,085,815
  Program expenses $35,583,440
  Fund raising expenses 237,039
  Administrative expenses 112,265
 
Total expenses   $35,932,744
Expenses in Excess of Income   (846,929)
Beginning net assets   4,478,113
Ending net assets   3,631,184
Total liabilities   32,356
Total assets   $3,663,540

Note: According to audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009, SEE International received $34,052,468 of in-kind contributions, including donated medical services for services and eye examinations ($27,101,339), donated medical supplies ($6,937,024), and other in-kind contributions ($14,105)

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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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