BBB Wise Giving Report for
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services

BBB Wise Giving Report issued April 2012
BBB Wise Giving Report expires April 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...


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Charity Contact Information

Name: Girls Educational and Mentoring Services
Address: 298B West 149th Street
  New York, NY 10039
Phone: 212-926-8089
Web Address: www.gems-girls.org
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BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1998, New York
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "to empower young women, ages 12-21, who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential."

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Evaluation Conclusions

               

Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) 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.

GEMS 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.

GEMS does not meet this Standard because:

  • It has not completed an effectiveness assessment in the past two years.

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.

GEMS does not meet this standard because:

  • The organization states it does not have an annual report covering activities conducted in 2010.
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS) meets the remaining 17 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

               

GEMS prevention and outreach efforts include street outreach, facility outreach and intervention which include supporting victims of sexual exploitation, peer led workshops in residential and detention facilities, and individual support of young women. The organization is also involved in court advocacy through its Alternatives to Incarceration program, which provides support for young women with cases in New York City’s Criminal Courts. GEMS Transitional Independent Living Housing Program provides housing and 24 hour support for young women ages 16-21 who meet DYCD’s criteria for housing under the Runaway and Homeless Youth Program. The organization also provides trauma based therapy and clinical support through one-on-one and group counseling. The Youth Development Program addresses young women’s developmental, social and emotional needs through health education, poetry, art therapy, photography, cooking, creative writing, grief and loss therapy and drama to build young women’s creative expression and sense of community. The Youth Employment Program/Youth Fellowship Program provides structured training and employment for members. The Youth Leadership Program trains young women on the issue of sexual exploitation, domestic violence and youth incarceration and equips them with public speaking, peer counseling, organizing and advocacy skills. Finally, the Educational Initiatives Program provides incentives for members who take the next step in their education.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010, GEMS's program expenses were:

  
Program 1,646,927
Total Program Expenses: $1,646,927
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Governance

               

Chief Executive : Rachel Lloyd, Founder and Executive Director
Compensation*:
 $85,706

Chair of the Board: Kalpana Bhandarkar
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Associate Vice President, Health Services Research, Maimonides Medical Center

Co-Chair of the Board : Ellen Fried

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Adjunct Professor, CUNY Law School

Board Size: 7

Paid Staff Size: 40

*July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010 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, Internet appeals, planned giving, and cause-related marketing.
Fund raising costs were 12% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $1,713,734, 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 GEMS's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011.

Source of Funds  
Contributions - foundations 1,200,318
Government grants 1,076,439
Contributions - corporations 257,980
Contributions - individuals 249,762
Program services 46,933
Special events 5,674
Merchandise, gross sales 3,042
Interest income 2,276
Total Income $2,842,424


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Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 77%  Fund Raising: 9%  Administrative: 14% 

Total income   $2,842,424
  Program expenses $1,646,927
  Fund raising expenses 199,004
  Administrative expenses 294,869
 
Total expenses   $2,140,800
Income in Excess of Expenses   701,624
Beginning net assets   680,448
Ending net assets   1,382,072
Total liabilities   146,384
Total assets   $1,528,456


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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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