Dream Center of Lakeland Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Children's programs:1. Kids club - a high-energy children's program that goes into local neighborhoods with resources and programing for children, as well as brings children to the dream center for weekly breakfast, activities, music, and inspiring life lessons.2. The well kids - a special space for kids during our weekly breakfast that offers kids a meal, as well as focused teaching, games, and crafts.(continued on schedule o)3. Lighthouse extreme is an afterschool program, facilitated by lighthouse ministries, that provides supervision and activities to elementary-aged children.4. Circle "j" summer camps - a series of week-long summer day camps at a nearby property, with an outdoor constructed western-themed town. This provides inner-city children with five days of fun, life-building lessons, via a western show and small group mentoring, and activities, plus daily breakfast, and lunch, and concluding with a big carnival and prizes. Teen programs:1. Leverage student ministries - a weekly mentoring program for teen boys focusing on those who have been incarcerated or have been part of the probation system.2. Extreme team - a teen mentoring program that uses large and small group meetings to connect with area teens and involves them in mentoring and leadership for children in our kids club program.3. The rock basketball league - each week, teen boys are placed on teams with adult mentors who coach them. The coach's prime directive is to foster healthy, positive relationships between participants as they build structure through an organized league.adult & family programs:1. The well - a sunday morning breakfast gathering for people of all ages, within the inner-city community, offering hope, care, and encouragement.2. Vida nueva is a spanish language bible study that meets twice a week at the dream center to bring the word to our spanish-speaking neighbors.3. Bible study is offered on thursday evenings, by our ministry partners at corridor church, in gender-specific classes.4. Money management classes are held throughout the year, including an every-other-semester dave ramsey program, to provide financial literacy to the adults in our community.5. Pregnancy care center - partnering with "options for women," this free, weekly pregnancy and testing clinic is offered at the dream center. This program is facilitated by professional, trained nurses who provide care and counseling to the women in need.6. Adult life classes - these monday and wednesday classes address topics such as personal financial management, computer skills, personal integrity, anger management, parenting, and more.7. Food & household goods distribution - several times a week, we offer distribution of food items, clothing, and household goods.8. Block party - a free, weekly meal and gathering with games, music, and a life message designed to build community. It is offered year-round.9. Men's basketball - a monday evening basketball night designed for those over age 18, which includes open gym time and mentoring.volunteer opportunities:1. Adopt-a-block / community outreach - our community outreach program offers a consistent presence in our at-risk neighborhoods and builds strong relationships. This saturday outreach engages and empowers hundreds of volunteers from churches, civic organizations, schools, and government to come together in the inner city and serve the needy. Volunteers distribute hundreds of bags of food and clothing, do home repair projects, clean and mow yards, host kids carnivals, and much more!2. The mercantile & market are dream center co-ops that provide non-perishable food, hygiene products, clothing, home goods, etc., to the individuals who take part in dream center programs. Program participants receive vouchers that they use to redeem items out of the mercantile & market. In addition, bags of perishable groceries are distributed, with no strings attached, to all in need. All of this is made possible by a large team of volunteers who receiv

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 92.7%; rating input score 93
• Program expense ratio: 95.2%; rating input score 95
• Fundraising efficiency: $297.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 94; 94th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
  • Whistleblower policy: Fail
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 2.6%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.76; rating input score 34; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.61; rating input score 12; 12th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 23% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 19.3% per year; rating input score 100; 84th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 5.6% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings