St Marys Foundation for Children Inc

What it reported doing in 2025

The Foundations primary exempt mission is to fundraise in support of innovative, beneficial and much-needed programs offered by St. Marys Healthcare System for Children, Inc., including but not limited to: Feeding Disorders Program: An estimated 25% of all children have a moderate or severe feeding disorder. Since being formed in 2001, the Center for Pediatric Feeding Disorders at St. Marys Hospital for Children has been New Yorks only intensive day patient program specializing in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. The program serves children with a broad spectrum of eating difficulties, such as nutritional deficiencies, dependence on tube feedings, ongoing weight loss or poor weight gain, food refusal and mealtime tantrums. The program utilizes clinicians from different fields to address the clinical, psychological, behavioral and nutritional factors underlying a pediatric feeding disorder. St. Marys interdisciplinary team focuses on treating the whole child, addressing the clinical and behavioral aspects of their feeding disorder and developing a treatment plan to address their specific needs.Many patients in the Feeding Program are admitted to the program relying primarily or solely on feeding tubes. Nearly all of them are discharged with increased feeding and significantly decreased rates of tube feeding. St. Marys patient outcomes often exceed the expectations of parents and referring physicians, as patients are discharged with the ability to tolerate new foods, improve mealtime behaviors, suck from a straw, and chew or swallow more easily.Healing Arts Program: At St. Marys, the arts are essential to promoting health and well-being in children. Research has demonstrated that artistic expression plays a vital role in the most successful approaches to holistic pediatric healthcare. In addition, art therapy can help improve a patients quality of life and promote physical and emotional wellness by reducing stress, alleviating pain, stimulating expression and communication, and promoting physical rehabilitation and learning. On a more fundamental level, making art is a lot of fun for St. Marys patients and a welcome distraction from the less pleasant aspects of medical treatments, rehabilitation, and therapy.St. Marys Hospital for Children, Inc. has developed a robust arts program to ensure that the children and young adults in the facility can experience the healing power of arts while away from home. The daily art therapy activities consist of group sessions, as well as one-on-one sessions tailored to the childrens individual needs. Under the supervision of certified recreational therapists, the children participate in a wide range of artistic activities, including but not limited to: painting; drawing; constructing collages; sculpting with clay; and making music with assistive musical equipment. The benefits of the Arts for Healing Program to the kids at the hospital have been numerous, including but not limited to: increased independence; greater socialization; increased confidence and self-esteem; an improved sense of well-being; and significant advancements in the childrens therapeutic goals. In short, the arts are critical to keeping St. Marys kids active, happy, and engaged every day.Palliative Care: Over 30 years ago, St. Marys Hospital for Children, Inc. pioneered this countrys first Pediatric Palliative Care Program. Offered alongside appropriate therapies, St. Marys palliative care team works with the other professionals and the patients family to develop a plan of care that provides optimum comfort and addresses individual care goals. Additional resources, education and increased staff support are available for both child and family, including religious and spiritual counseling, if requested. Through specially trained volunteers, complementary therapies, assistance with advance directives and treatment choice guidance, the palliative care program promotes a healing and comp

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 61.2%; rating input score 61
• Program expense ratio: 79.9%; rating input score 80
• Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 93.8%; rating input score 94; 21st percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 0 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 0
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Missing
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 75th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 80%; rating input score 80; 16th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 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: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 49.7%; rating input score 90; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 15.66; rating input score 92; 92nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.66; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 11%; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: -7.1% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 0.3% per year; rating input score 100; 9th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 14.9% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings