Better Business Bureau

Charity Contact Information BBB Wise Giving Alliance Comments Programs

Tax Status Governance Fund Raising Financial

Name:	Operation Food Search, Inc.
Address:	6282 Olive Boulevard
	St. Louis, MO 63130
Phone:	314-726-5355
Web Address:	www.ofsearch.org

Operation Food Search, Inc. (OFS) meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Warehouse Food Distribution Program - Operation Food Search trucks criss-cross the region picking up vast quantities of food from 900 donors. More than 1.5 million pounds of food and household items are distributed each month to the organization's 250 partner agencies. Each month, these agencies feed 100,000 people in need. Operation Frontline - A nutrition education program and low-cost cooking program to low-income families and children. This program helps people most in need of information on nutrition, healthy cooking and food budgeting. A registered dietitian coordinates the program and volunteer chefs and community volunteers teach the curriculum. Last year, more than 1,000 benefitted from this program. Agency Relations Program - This program consists of soliciting, training and monitoring 250 agencies in our network who distribute food to needy individuals. ServSafe Certification classes are offered to all agencies and required of those serving meals. Hunger Hotline Program - This service operates 24 hours, 7 days a week to serve those hungry and in need. It serves people who are desperate and in need of food for themselves and their family members. Each month, 1,000 people are given aid through this system. These numbers are tracked monthly and annually by zip code. Operation Back Pack - This program exists to help meet the nutritional needs of children over the weekend. Back packs full of nutritious, kid-friendly, easy-to-prepare foods are given to children on Friday before school dismissal. On Monday, students return the empty back packs and the cycle continues. Six elementary schools were enrolled in the program serving 425 children.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2008, OFS's program expenses were:

Providing food and basic necessities to individuals in need	21,130,442
Total Program Expenses:	$21,130,442

Chief Executive : Sunny Schaefer, Executive Director

Compensation*:

$122,977

Chair of the Board: Michael Kupstas
Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation: Panera Co., Vice-President

Board Size: 17

Paid Staff Size: 11

*Compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Method(s) Used:

direct mail, invitations to fund raising events, grant proposals, internet, newsletter

Fund raising costs were 1% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $21,427,373, are donations received as a result of fund raising activities.)

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.

The following information is based on OFS's audited financial statements for the year ended September, 30 2007.

Source of Funds
Non-cash contributions	20,011,645
Cash contributions	1,113,982
Grant revenue	140,000
Special events	104,279
Marketable security contributions	57,467
Interest income	35,523
Other income	3,863
Gain on sales of investments	-2,289
Unrealized gain on investments	-4,900
Total Income	$21,459,570

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

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

Total income				$21,459,570
	Program expenses			$21,130,442
	Fund raising expenses			188,162
	Administrative expenses			92,304
Total expenses				$21,410,908
Income in Excess of Expenses				48,662
Beginning net assets				2,096,888
Ending net assets				2,145,550
Total liabilities				36,141
Total assets				$2,181,691