Improvement in spending balance
Posted by reneek66  |  November 4, 2009 9:31:18 AM

Lauren, Thank you for your inquiry. If you would like to contact me directly I would be happy to share with you the chnages we have made and are in the process of making.

We recently cancelled a contract with a telemarketing firm (which is what hurts our percentages drastically).

Without the telemarketing, our percentages are stellar.

Our Proposed 2010 budget looks like this: Income: $736,370 Programs: $207,281 Program expenses: $49,750 Management & General Expenses: $213,500 Fundraising expenses: $428,184 Total Expenses: $629,544 Fundraising expenses as percentage of funds raised: 48% Fundraising expenses plus management and GE as percentage of fundraised: 32% Program services as percentage of total expenses: 32%

This is based on how the BBB reports. I am happy to share the actual budget with you, and any other information you request. info@childrenwithcancer.org

Renee Verhoff, Pres and CEO

Improvement in Spending Balance
Posted by LaurenR  |  October 21, 2009 5:54:48 AM

Ms. Verhoff-

I appreciate that you say the organization is moving towards spending more on those you are obliged to serve. However, can you provide data proving your movement in that direction. I received a call from some call center (I hate those...) and was interested in the cause but told the caller that I would have to check on this website. (Awesome site, Charity Navigator!)

We look forward to your data.

-Lauren

reply to pediatric oncology nurse
Posted by reneek66  |  August 5, 2009 12:44:27 PM

From Renee Verhoff, Pres and CEO:

Please refer to my March 11, 2008 post for a recap of some of the reason's why our percentages are high. We have been working hard to rectify this situation and just last month were released from yet another contract (a very large contract).

One of the biggest challenges FCC faced in February 2006 was the nature of its fundraising. At one time this organization raised in excess of $7 million using primarily direct mail sweepstakes and telemarketing. These methods are extremely costly and in some eyes marginally ethical. FCC had two direct mail contracts and 5 telemarketing contracts in place. Since 2006 FCC has eliminated all direct mail fundraising and now has only one of five telemarketing contracts still in place.

Hat’s on Day is program used by FCC as a fundraiser pre-dating 2006. As other fundraising efforts have been cut due to high costs and ethical concerns, Hats on Day has grown in scope and sophistication. This program returns 79% `of it’s proceeds to the organization. The 21% expenses are primarily postage and materials. 100% of the labor to support the program is volunteer based. Hats on Day has grown from 300 participating schools in 2006 to over 1800 today.

FCC is a national charity. In 2006 FCC worked with 25 hospitals and helped about 262 families. Today with adjustments sited above, FCC works with in excess of 200 hospitals nationwide and helped 446 families last year. The goal of FCC moving forward is to continue to expand our reach helping more families in need throughout the US.

I invite everyone to stay tuned as we continue to grow, expand and work even harder to change the perception and percentages to be the best charity we can be.....all the while continuing to help families.

Thank you for taking the time to check out charity.

Over $200K a month is wasted
Posted by BrentRN  |  July 19, 2009 6:06:42 PM

40 families/month getting the all the $520K/year comes to about $1100/family. The foundation is bringing in $255K/month but only disbursing $44K. Consider that before giving. I am a pediatric oncology nurse and I am appalled at the wasteful organizations that skim off so much money before disbursement.

Response to John and Laura T
Posted by reneek66  |  June 4, 2009 5:51:44 AM

Since 2000 we have helped almost 2000 families (that is through May of 2009). While I cannot give you family names, I would be happy to give you some of the hospital contacts' that we work with (almost all of hospitals are listed on our website) so you could call to verify our actually having assisted all of these families over the past nine years. We assist between 30 - 40 families each month, depending on the amount requested. And actually, there are a few stories on our website indicating the assistance that we have given.

If you should have any further questions or concerns please call me directly, I am happy to answer all of your questions.

Renee L Verhoff Pres. and CEO Foundation for Children with Cancer

Expenses eat up all of their funds raised ?
Posted by John & Laura T.  |  March 12, 2009 6:27:07 AM

We can't find evidence that this charity has helped any children or families in any significant way. Their website mentions requests from children for help, but we can't find details of any significant help or funds actually given - not in the news releases, not in news articles, not online on the web.

How can they provide funds to kinds if they really do eat up 100% of their funds raised with overhead expense as charity navigator says and their annual report says. Are we missing something here?

Update on Foundation for Children with Cancer
Posted by reneek66  |  March 11, 2008 5:52:05 AM

As the Current President and CEO for FCC I would like to make a few comments on our organization. First the difference between my salary and the former executive director's is due to Lovell being let go after only 3 mths into 2006, thus his sal. only reflects 3 mths pay.

The second item I would like to address is the percentage split. Yes, our percentages are high toward our admin. costs. However, that is due to the former exec. dir. relying only on telemarketing for our fundraising. We are currently in the process of getting out of a very large contract which will drastically change those percntages in 2009 (it unfortunately won't change it for 2008 because there will still be some residual from this year).

We do an awesome fundraiser in the public and private schools (nationally) called Hats on Day where 75% of the money raised goes right back to the families and 25% is used for supplies ONLY.

Since 2000, when we began the program Foundation for Children with Cancer under the former organization Reach Our Children more than 7500 people have been affected by our services. We have helped them pay mortgages, rent, car payments, utilities, car repairs and house repairs.

When I began with the organization in October of 2005 we had a staff of six and helped far less families, now we have a staff of three people that run a national organization from St. Louis, Misouri. We cut our rent by 75% by moving into a much smaller space, and we added a much larger group of volunteers to assist w/ all of our packaging for our Hats on Day mailings.

We work with over 110 hospitals and the list continues to grow. Some of the hospitals that we work w/ on a regular basis are: St. Jude’s, MD Anderson, Duke University, Loyola University, Miami Children’s, DeVos Children’s, Riley Hospital, and St. Louis Children’s.

We are looking for a National Sponsor for Hats on Day to further reduce our overhead costs.

I ask you to call our office for exciting updates.

Charity
Posted by Rick Scott  |  December 31, 2007 7:38:58 PM

Does anbody know anything about this charity?