Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley

Overview

Mission

Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley, guided by Jewish values, helps individuals and families to live healthier and more stable lives by providing social services, professional counseling, education and community programs. Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley, guided by Jewish values, helps individuals and families to live healthier and more stable lives. Get HelpGIVE OUR MISSION. No one in our community should suffer hunger, isolation, abandonment, emotional or physical distress, or lack of community support and caring. WHO WE SERVE Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley is dedicated to the service and inclusion of all members of society regardless of age, gender identity, race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, or abilities.

What it reported doing in 2024

Direct assistance - through direct assistance, jfs's two largest programs include older adult case management with socialization programs for older adults, and food distribution. Older adult case management provides older adults and their families support and resources to navigate the aging process. Jfs offers internal socialization programs for clients like the retired men's social group, the prepared meal delivery program, creative connections art therapy group, and the let's play group. The community food pantry provides food and essential personal care items to under-resourced households living in the 18104-zip code, and any jewish person throughout the lehigh valley. See schedule o for continuation.our choice model pantry provides 307 clients with 2-3 days of supplemental food at their monthly appointment. Over 80 active volunteers support day-to-day operations to execute these two vital programs.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 75% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Hybrid. The nonprofit split its reported program spending across 68% for direct work, and 32% for grants.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
232301360
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Allentown, PA, United States
Phone
610-821-8722
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Family Services
Affiliation
Judaism

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and some filed totals do not add up.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 76
  • Transparency & Controls: 87
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 73
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 76.8%; rating input score 77
  • Program expense ratio: 83.4%; rating input score 83
  • Fundraising efficiency: $17 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 54; 54th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 94.1%; rating input score 94; 25th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 84.9%; rating input score 85; 36th 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: 8 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • 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: 15.9%; rating input score 71; 71st percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 7.34; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 73; 73rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 9.4%; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 12.2% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 10.8% per year; rating input score 100; 69th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 11.7% per year; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: 4 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
  • Where the money goes: 76.8% of revenue deployed · 83.4% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 19 of 19 board members independent · 8 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $992K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $111K · 20 people listed
  • Consistency: 35 of 36 current checks pass · 1 finding to review
  • Schedules: 8 filed schedules · includes major donors and grants
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 2 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.
  • Staff and benefit plans: Retirement and health plans the organization files with the Department of Labor, and the people in them.

Leadership & pay

20 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • DEBBIE ZOLLER (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $111,300 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.