
Human Services : Social Services
Board Leadership
Bill Conroy
Chairman
CEO
Maria Kim
President & CEO
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The Cara Program prepares and inspires motivated individuals to break the cycles of homelessness and poverty, transform their lives, strengthen our communities, and forge paths to real and lasting success. After nearly 25 years, The Cara Program has evolved as not only a best-in-class job training and placement provider, but also a vehicle for true life transformation. Since our founding in 1991, we have placed more than 4,800 individuals into more than 6,600 quality jobs at one-year job retention rates of 70% or better, catalyzing the same number of families to stop the transfer of poverty from one generation to the next. Additionally, The Cara Program leverages a social enterprise model in which we create transitional jobs or provide access to temporary jobs in the private sector through our businesses: Cleanslate, a neighborhood beautification business, and TCP Staffing, an alternative staffing firm.
The Cara Program prepares and inspires motivated individuals to break the cycles of homelessness and poverty, transform their lives, strengthen our communities, and forge paths to real and lasting success. After nearly 25 years, The Cara Program has evolved as not only a best-in-class job training and placement provider, but also a vehicle for true life transformation. Since our founding in 1991, we have placed more than 4,800 individuals into more than 6,600 quality jobs at one-year job retention rates of 70% or better, catalyzing the same number of families to stop the transfer of poverty from one generation to the next. Additionally, The Cara Program leverages a social enterprise model in which we create transitional jobs or provide access to temporary jobs in the private sector through our businesses: Cleanslate, a neighborhood beautification business, and TCP Staffing, an alternative staffing firm.
According to Heartland Alliance’s 2015 Report on Illinois Poverty, a staggering 24% of Chicagoans currently live at/below the federal poverty level. An additional 22% live on the precipice of poverty, often one illness or accident away from plunging into homelessness. Despite the overall drop in Chicago’s unemployment rate, some of the city’s most impoverished communities are still facing 20% unemployment. Permanent, quality employment is needed to break the cycles of poverty and homelessness.
Cara provides life- and career-skills training, transitional employment, permanent job placement, employment retention support, and career advancement services on an ongoing basis. Former students on staff help inform the program design, as well as ongoing student feedback. The Downtown Campus accepts 10 classes a year with an average of 30-50 students who will complete a minimum of four weeks of training. Our Quad Communities Campus holds two orientations per month to recruit for core services.
81.19
93.00
Program Expenses (Percent of the charity's total expenses spent on the programs and services it delivers) |
73.3% | |
Administrative Expenses | 14.4% | |
Fundraising Expenses | 12.1% | |
Fundraising Efficiency | $0.18 | |
Working Capital Ratio (years) | 0.96 | |
Program Expenses Growth | 3.0% | |
Liabilities to Assets | 34.6% |
Charity Name & State | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
---|---|---|
The Cara Program (IL) | 85.80 | |
Goodwill Industries of Southern NJ and Philadelphia (NJ) | 85.53 | |
Goodwill-Easter Seals Minnesota (MN) | 90.94 | |
WHW (CA) | 89.60 | |
Goodwill of Silicon Valley (CA) | 91.45 |
REVENUE | |
Contributions | |
Contributions, Gifts & Grants | $2,903,678 |
Federated Campaigns | $120,000 |
Membership Dues | $980 |
Fundraising Events | $721,008 |
Related Organizations | $0 |
Government Grants | $722,217 |
Total Contributions | $4,467,883 |
Program Service Revenue | $2,516,172 |
Total Primary Revenue | $6,984,055 |
Other Revenue | $36,907 |
TOTAL REVENUE | $7,020,962 |
EXPENSES | |
Program Expenses | $4,896,783 |
Administrative Expenses | $1,074,704 |
Fundraising Expenses | $908,262 |
TOTAL FUNCTIONAL EXPENSES | $6,879,749 |
Payments to Affiliates | $0 |
Excess (or Deficit) for the year | $141,213 |
Net Assets | $6,580,168 |
Program names and associated costs are listed for the top programs as reported on the charity's most recently filed Form 990. The top programs displayed will include the largest three programs, or those programs covering at least 60% of the charity's total expenses, whichever comes first.
Program Name | Amount Spent | % of Program Expenses |
---|---|---|
Clean Slate | $1,263,809 | 25.8% |
Traditional Training & Placement Program | $1,221,193 | 24.9% |
TCP Staffing | $1,138,665 | 23.3% |
Form 990 FYE | Date Published | Overall Score | Overall Rating | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CN 2.1 | |||||||||
2016-06 | 08/01/2017 | 85.80 | |||||||
2015-06 | 08/01/2016 | 84.33 | |||||||
2014-06 | 06/01/2016 | 86.32 | |||||||
CN 2.0 | |||||||||
2014-06 | 08/01/2015 | 90.18 | |||||||
2014-06 | 07/01/2015 | 89.78 | |||||||
2013-06 | 08/01/2014 | 83.64 | |||||||
2013-06 | 07/01/2014 | 82.11 | |||||||
2011-12 | 02/01/2013 | 90.52 | |||||||
2010-12 | 12/01/2011 | 92.46 | |||||||
2009-12 | 09/20/2011 | 96.80 | |||||||
CN 1.0 | |||||||||
2009-12 | 12/22/2010 | 97.89 | |||||||
2008-12 | 11/01/2010 | 90.62 |
The data displayed on this tab is provided by the IRS in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).
EIN | 36-4268095 |
Name in IRS Master File | CARA PROGRAM |
NTEE Code | J20 |
NTEE Classification | Employment Procurement Assistance, Job Training |
NTEE Type | Employment, Job-Related |
Classification | Educational Organization |
Subsection | 501(c)(3) (View the list of codes) |
Activities | |
Foundation Status | Organization which receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or the general public 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) |
Deductibility | Contributions are deductible |
Affiliation | Independent - the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations). |
Group Name | [Not Applicable] |
Ruling Date | March, 1999 |
Filing Requirement | 990 (all other) or 990EZ return |
Fiscal Year End | June |
IRS Forms 990 (provided courtesy of Foundation Center) |
(Log In or Register Now to View Forms 990!)
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The data displayed in this profile is provided by the IRS for free in the form of Publication 78 and the Business Master File (BMF).
Compensation | % of Expenses | Paid to | Title | |
---|---|---|---|---|
$179,990 | 2.61% | Maria Kim | President, CEO |
Charity Name & State | Overall Score | Overall Rating |
---|---|---|
The Cara Program (IL) | 85.80 | |
East Bay Alliance for A Sustainable Economy (CA) | 91.62 | |
Millionair Club Charity (WA) | 90.57 | |
Delancey Street Foundation (CA) | 91.52 | |
Dress for Success Worldwide (NY) | 92.38 |
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The Cara Program
237 South Desplaines Street
Chicago,
IL 60661
tel: (312) 798-3300
EIN: 36-4268095
Bill Conroy
Chairman
Maria Kim
President & CEO
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Charity Navigator
139 Harristown Rd Suite 101
Glen Rock, NJ 07452