Page 1 Report on Charitable Organizations in Mississippi Page 2 Dear Fellow Mississippians: Mississippi continues to be one of the top-ranked states in the country supporting charitable giving. The generosity of our citizens is known nationally, and time after time our citizens have risen to the occasion to help Mississippians in need, as well as our fellow citizens across the country. Informed charitable giving helps ensure your hard earned money, property and services are dedicated to advance the core charitable purpose or mission of the organizations you support. Disclosure of charitable revenue and spending exposes unscrupulous groups who might prey upon the generosity of our citizens by lining their pockets under the guise of selfless motives. Additionally, transparency in financial reporting promotes the good work of credible organizations who are responsible stewards of your financial contributions and other support. For these reasons we are pleased to announce that the Report on Charitable Organizations in Mississippi is now available on our web site. This publication will enable you to make informed decisions on your charitable giving by presenting the financial activity for the charity’s most recent fiscal year. The Council of Better Business Bureaus recommends that at least sixty-five percent (65%) of total expenses of a charitable organization should be spent on program activities directly related to the organization’s purposes. Fundraising costs by the organization should not exceed thirty-five percent (35%) of related contributions. However, there are some instances when a departure from these standards would be reasonable. For example, newly created organizations may have higher administrative expenses due to start-up costs; and, large gifts or donor restrictions on the use of contributed funds could skew an organization’s apparent management of funds in either a favorable or unfavorable light. The information published in this report provides contact information for registered charities authorized to solicit donations from Mississippi citizens. We encourage you to use this publication as a guide to make informed charitable donations. Please contact my office at 601-359-1350 or (888) 236-6167 if you have questions about this report or any comments regarding charities operating in Mississippi. Sincerely, Delbert Hosemann Secretary of State Page 3 Mississippi Secretary of State Report on Charitable Organizations in Mississippi Table of Contents Letter from the Secretary of State Page 2 Introduction Page 4 Donor Tips Page 6 Section I – Financial Information for Registered Charities in Mississippi Page 7 Column Key Page 8 Alphabetical Listing of Financial information for Registered Charities Page 9 Section II­Financial Information for Charities with Gaming Operations in Mississippi Page 291 Column Key Page 292 Alphabetical Listing of Charities with Gaming Operations in Mississippi – Financial Reports Page 294 Section III­Expired Charities in Mississippi Page 303 Column Key Page 304 Alphabetical Listing of Expired Charities in Mississippi Page 305 Section IV­Previously Registered Charities That Have Not Applied for 501(c)(3) as of April 23, 2009 Page 320 Column Key Page 321 501(c) status Not Applied for As of 04/22/09 Page 322 Page 4 Introduction STATUTORY AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Secretary of State has the statutory responsibility of protecting citizens by enforcing Mississippi’s charitable solicitation laws. State law requires organizations intending to solicit charitable donations from Mississippi citizens to register with the Secretary of State. Solicitation includes any oral or written request, however communicated, whether directly or indirectly, for a contribution. Bona fide, duly constituted religious institutions are not required to register or file exemption forms with the Secretary of State’s Office, but may request a religious exclusion for its’records. PURPOSE OF THE REPORT In carrying out the responsibility of protecting citizens, the Secretary of State’s Office requires all charities to submit certain financial information for review each year. This report provides a summary of the financial information on file with the Secretary of State as of March 31, 2008. Pursuant to state law, all charitable organizations’ registration and financial documents are public record available to all citizens. This report was prepared to inform the citizens of Mississippi about how their contributions and other funds are being used, and to assist them in making informed decisions when contributing to charitable organizations. This report is not intended as an endorsement or criticism of any particular organization. In addition, registration by a charitable organization with the Secretary of State does not constitute an endorsement or approval by the State of Mississippi. This report includes the following sections: Section I – Registered Charities in Mississippi This section provides basic information on registered charities in Mississippi (excluding exempt charitable organizations). This section is divided into two sub- sections. The first sub-section provides certain financial information of each charity, and the second sub-section lists contact information including organizational name, address, and telephone number. A charitable organization’s financial information may be excluded from this report for the following reasons: The organization’s registration lapsed and was not renewed prior to the annual expiration date; or The organization sent in a registration or renewal without all of the required documents; therefore, registration is incomplete at the time of publication. Continued on next page Page 5 Section II – Registered Charities with Gaming Operations in Mississippi This section provides basic information on charities having gaming operations (Bingo) in Mississippi. This section is reported separately due to specific laws and regulations governing the charitable gaming aspects of these organizations. Divided into two sub-sections, the first includes certain financial information, as that reported elsewhere in this report, and the second provides contact information including organizational name, address, and telephone number. Financial information, provided by the Mississippi Gaming Commission, is also included for the gaming operations associated with the charity. Additional explanation of financial information for charities with gaming operations is included due to the special circumstances of their reporting. The charitable organization’s financial information may be excluded from this report for the following reasons: The organization’s registration lapsed and was not renewed prior to the annual expiration date; or The organization sent in a registration or renewal without all of the required documents; therefore, registration is incomplete at the time of publication. Section III – Expired Charities in Mississippi This section contains an alphabetical listing of charitable organizations that were previously registered with the Secretary of State’s Office. These organizations are no longer registered with the Secretary of State’s Office because they failed to renew their registrations as pursuant to Miss. Code Ann. §79-11-503(4). As a result, these organizations’ registrations lapsed and became expired. Section IV – Previously Registered Charities that have not applied for their 501 (c) (3) status This section contains an alphabetical listing of charitable organizations that have not applied for their 501 (c) (3) status. 501 (c) (3) status is a tax-exempt status granted by the IRS which exempts the organization from federal and/or state income taxes. Page 6 D onor Tips œ Investigate B efore Y ou G ive T he wisest giver is an informed giver. Y ou give to a charity because you want to ma)e a difference. And you want to ma)e sure your hard-earned charitable contributions are spent in the most efficient, effective way possible. T hat is why the S ecretary of S tate‘s Office recommends that you as) questions before you give. Often, callers soliciting contributions are not volunteers, but rather professional fundraisers. T hese paid telemar)eters are required to identify themselves under our charities law. In all cases, you should as) how much of every dollar raised goes to the charity. N ever be afraid to as) for information in writing. If as)ed, the professional charity telemar)eter must immediately inform you of the percentage of money that actually goes to the charity. In addition, this information must be confirmed in writing by the telemar)eter within fourteen (1 4 , days of your request. Y ou are entitled to the truth about where your money goes. T o ma)e the most informed decisions regarding your charitable donations, follow these guidelines: B now your charity. As) questions before giving and as) for answers in writing. L egitimate charities welcome your inquiries. A void pressure tactics. Y ou do not have to give immediately/ ta)e time to evaluate the information provided by the group. 0 on‘t give in to ? scare“ tactics. 1 atch for C sa e na es.“ M any charities have similar names. S ome scam artists intentionally use names resembling those of respected groups. M a)e sure you )now which group is really as)ing for your donation. ( e wary of telephone calls. 2 et the name of the person calling and the e act name of the charity. As) if the caller is a professional fundraiser, and, if so, how much of your donation actually goes to the charity. E erify ail solicitations. B e wary of mail including novelty items that you can )eep ? if you contribute.“ 1ederal law states that unless you ordered the item, you can )eep it without contributing. A lways get receipts. Especially for cash contributions, always get receipts. T hese are important for tax deductions and provide a trac)ing mechanism for donations. E olunteer cautiously. A emember, your family and friends trust you to )now the organization. M a)e sure you do. All charitable organizations are required to register with the S ecretary of S tate‘s Office and renew yearly. C ertain types of organizations are e empt from registration, but are nevertheless required to file a notice of e emption with the S ecretary of S tate‘s Office.