The Chicago Help Initiative

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
452542979
IRS 990 coverage
2012–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024, Form 990-N 2010
Location
Chicago, IL, USA
Phone
3124480045
Rating
75
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Human Service Organizations

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$353,610
Expenses
$326,368
Assets
$459,784
Liabilities
$2,074

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

18 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • JACQUELINE C HAYES (FOUNDER & PRESIDENT EMERIT)
  • CHRIS STATHOPOULOS (PRESIDENT)
  • THOMAS MORRISEY (VICE PRESIDENT)

People named in this filing

  • JACQUELINE C HAYES (FOUNDER & PRESIDENT EMERIT)
  • CHRIS STATHOPOULOS (PRESIDENT)
  • THOMAS MORRISEY (VICE PRESIDENT)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

The chicago help initiative is a consortium of business, residential, religious, social services, institutional and volunteer leaders striving to promote an atmosphere of dignity and compassion toward those in need by providing access to food, health services, shelter and employment. The organization works to educate local businesses and residents as to how they can help ease the plight of the homeless, disadvantaged and out of work individuals and improve their well-being, self esteem and productivity.

What it reported doing in 2024

Wednesday dinners: each wednesday a nutritious meal is provided to guests at a dinner hall. The meals are donated by the local area restaurants, hotels, business, board members, friends and their families and members of the community who want to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than themselves. The weekly meals are served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere by a host of dedicated volunteers who assure a positive experience for the guests. In addition to the hot meals served, we put together bag meals for those who cannot be accomodated in the hall because of fire code requirements. A typical organization's meal will include guest speakers, live entertainment or game nights. Guest speakers provide information about matters of interest to our clients. Gueast also have access to health and social service programs with various community agencies present at the meals. Approximately 18,500 meals were served during wednesday dinners.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 98% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 76
  • Sustainability: 55
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 61.9%; rating input score 62
  • Program expense ratio: 66.3%; rating input score 66
  • Fundraising efficiency: $11.16 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • 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: 3 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 43
    • 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: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 7.7%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.41; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 50; 50th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.4% per year; rating input score 100; 55th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12% per year; rating input score 100; 71st percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 61.9% of revenue deployed · 66.3% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 18 of 18 board members independent · 3 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $216K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 18 people listed
  • Consistency: 25 of 25 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 12 filing years from 2012 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: Resolved incoming and outgoing counterparties from filed money flows.
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 7 not reported.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Fundraising efficiency scored 42/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 56/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 50/100.
  • Review — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 50/100.