BBB Wise Giving Report for
Sharsheret

BBB Wise Giving Report issued October 2011
BBB Wise Giving Report expires October 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: Sharsheret
Address: 1086 Teaneck Road,
Suite 3A
  Teaneck, NJ 07666
Phone: 201-833-2341
866-474-2774
Web Address: www.sharsheret.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 2001, New York
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to offer a community of support to women, of all Jewish backgrounds, diagnosed with breast cancer or at increased genetic risk, by fostering culturally-relevant individualized connections with networks of peers, health professionals, and related resources."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Sharsheret does not meet the following 6 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.

Sharsheret does not meet this Standard because:

  • Its effectiveness assessment policy does not specify that the assessment will take place at least once every two years.

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.

Sharsheret does not meet this Standard because:

  • The organization’s effectiveness assessment did not take place within the past two years. The last assessment was completed in April 2009.

Standard 14: Budget - Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.

Sharsheret does not meet this Standard because, when the organization provided 2011 budget information, it indicated that the budget:

  • Did not identify total projected program service expenses, broken down by major programs (i.e., education and outreach and link program).
  • Did not identify total projected fund raising expenses.
  • Did not identify total projected administrative expenses.

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.

Sharsheret does not meet this standard because:

  • The organization states it does not have an annual report covering activities conducted in 2010.

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.

Sharsheret does not meet this Standard because the organization's website, www.sharsheret.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.

Sharsheret does not meet this Standard because the privacy policy on this website, www.sharsheret.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.
  • What security measures are in place to protect personal information that is collected.
Sharsheret meets the remaining 14 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Sharsheret supports young Jewish women and families facing breast cancer at every stage—before, during, and after diagnosis. The organization helps women and families connect to communities, taking into consideration stage of life, diagnosis, or treatment, as well as connection to Judaism. Sharsheret also provides educational resources, offers support to those at high risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer, and creates programs for women and families to improve their quality of life.

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

  
Education and outreach 290,918
Link program 196,688
Total Program Expenses: $487,606
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Rochelle Shoretz, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$53,409

Highest Paid Executive: Elana Silber, Director of Operations
Compensation*: $80,192

Chair of the Board: Jacob Plotsker
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Marketing Executive

Board Size: 10

Paid Staff Size: 10

*2009 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, special events, grant proposals, and Internet appeals.
Fund raising costs were 9% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $685,380, 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 Sharsheret's audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 406,573
Special events (net) 270,057
In-kind contributions 8,750
Interest income 750
Total Income $686,130


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 76%  Fund Raising: 10%  Administrative: 14% 

Total income   $686,130
  Program expenses $487,606
  Fund raising expenses 61,255
  Administrative expenses 92,184
 
Total expenses   $641,045
Income in Excess of Expenses   45,085
Beginning net assets   1,170,003
Ending net assets   1,215,088
Total liabilities   71,611
Total assets   $1,286,699

Note: According to audited financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2009, Sharsheret received $8,750 of in-kind contributions, including program supplies ($6,000) and food and photography ($2,750).

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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.

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