Better Business Bureau Report for
Lift For Life Gym

Better Business Bureau Report issued May 2010
Better Business Bureau Report expires May 2012


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: Lift For Life Gym
Address: 1415 Cass Avenue
  St. Louis, MO 63106
Phone: 314-588-0007
Web Address: www.liftforlife.org
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Better Business Bureau Comments

Year, State Incorporated: 1988, Missouri
Affiliates: None
Stated Purpose: "exists to offer St. Louis city children a safe, enriching environment in which to strengthen their bodies, enrich their minds, develop healthy social relationships and learn to make positive life choices."

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Evaluation Conclusions

              

Lift For Life Gym (LLG) does not meet the following 5 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.

The organization does not have a board policy on assessing organizational performance and effectiveness. 

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.

The organization does not have a board policy on assessing organizational performance and effectiveness. 

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.

The organization did not send the BBB a current annual report. 

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.

The organization solicits donations via its website; however, it does not have a link to its annual report information or a link to its most recent IRS Form 990 on its site. 

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.

The organization does  not have an online privacy policy. 

Lift For Life Gym (LLG) meets the remaining 15 Standards for Charity Accountability.
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Programs

              

Exercise and team events.

For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009, LLG's program expenses were:

  
Exercise and Events 298,484
Total Program Expenses: $298,484
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Governance

              

Chief Executive : Marshall Cohen, Executive Director
Compensation*:
$1,425

Highest Paid Executive: Linda Mosby,Gym Director
Compensation*: $43,437

Chair of the Board: Danny Lewin
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Technical Recruiter, Advantage Consulting/Object Computing, Inc.

Board Size: 9

Paid Staff Size: 7

*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
Fund raising costs were 4% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $309,813, 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 LLG's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2009.

Source of Funds  
Contributions 172,227
Special Events 108,439
Rent Income 42,892
Program Service 30,608
Grants 29,147
Gain on Disposal of Fixed Assets 5,867
Miscellaneous 3,183
Total Income $392,363


chart



Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 92%  Fund Raising: 3%  Administrative: 5% 

Total income   $392,363
  Program expenses $298,484
  Fund raising expenses 11,373
  Administrative expenses 15,558
 
Total expenses   $325,415
Income in Excess of Expenses   66,948
Beginning net assets   154,564
Ending net assets   221,512
Total liabilities   17,213
Total assets   $238,725


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