Helen Keller Services FY2020 filing

Tax-deductible

Brooklyn, NY501(c)(3)Since 1952Human ServicesEIN 11-1630807Revenue $31.5M in FY2020

On file with the IRShelenkeller.org180 Livingston Street, 11201-5861 · Brooklyn, NYTax-exempt since Jul 1936Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.4M paid to officers and key staff.
Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2020 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
5 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $3.7M a year · 9% of revenue · last 6 filings
Fine: a surplus in 5 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.4M
to officers and key staff · 4% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 4% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 3.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
10
named funders · $134K
Looks good: 10 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$33.9M
31% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 31% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
16
of 17 voting members
Looks good: 16 of 17 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$31.5M
Spent
$34.2M
To programs
85%
Net assets
$74.0M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$31.5M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$31.5M
FY2021$36.1M
FY2022$42.9M
FY2023$40.4M
FY2024$45.3M
FY2025$53.3M
Expenses
$34.2M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$34.2M
FY2021$32.2M
FY2022$34.5M
FY2023$38.8M
FY2024$43.4M
FY2025$44.0M
Net assets
$74.0M
FY2020
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$74.0M
FY2021$103.8M
FY2022$95.9M
FY2023$103.8M
FY2024$113.5M
FY2025$128.7M

From the FY2020 Form 990 (year ending June 2020) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2020 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jul 1936.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $29.1M Management & general 11% · $3.8M Fundraising 4% · $1.3M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $1.4M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2019); the FY2020 filing did not itemize Part VII
Former President/CEO
$347,271Pt VII · Sec A
$186,463Pt VII · Sec A
$184,091Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director-Hksb
$167,052Pt VII · Sec A
Executive Director-Hknc
$155,658Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Accounting-Hks
$138,152Pt VII · Sec A
Chief HR Officer
$117,743Pt VII · Sec A
Associate Exec. Dir.-Hksb
$117,289Pt VII · Sec A

Susan Ruzenski’s $250K as CEO is at the 63rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Joseph F Bruno Thru 62419—————$347,271
Susan Ruzenski$249,615$219,222$219,651$217,885—$155,658
Kimberly Zimmer————$224,219—
Rosanna Fodera$215,503—————
Lorraine Muzio—$205,042$167,767$168,904$164,269$167,052
Sharona Hebroni$189,115$193,104$181,675$160,223$135,143—
Marc Feldman————$142,124$186,463
Mia Murro$184,846$169,515$153,596$138,980$131,337$117,743

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Empowers blind and visually impaired individuals to live, work, and thrive in their communities.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $23.5M · in their own filed words · FY2019
01

Helen keller services operates helen keller national center for deaf-blind youths and adults (HKNC). (see schedule o)

$17.7Mprogram expense
02

Comprehensive Rehabilitation Services

Provides training in safe travel, daily living skills, braille, vocational assessment and job placement and social support. 576 persons received low vision services and 533 received rehabilitation services.

$3.3Mprogram expense
03

Day Habilitation Services

provides individualized training and habilitation to developmentally disabled adults. The program emphasis is on developing skills that lead to greater independence, community integration and exposure to community resources and activities. Delivered 14,609 days of program services to approximately 89 individuals this year.

$2.5Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
See all 10 funders →
Grants paid · 15 grants · $1.3M · 2019–2021
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2021$145,660
University of MontanaFY2021$73,487
Perkins School for the BlindMA · FY2021$26,166
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2020$126,330
University of MontanaFY2020$80,136
Perkins School for the BlindMA · FY2020$26,273
Western Oregon UniversityFY2019$167,681
Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFY2019$106,817
Perkins School for the BlindMA · FY2019$26,353

By the numbers

The FY2020 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$31.5M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$20.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$751K
Money outPt IX
$34.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$29.1M
Managementcol C$3.8M
Fundraisingcol D$1.3M
Owns and owesPt X
$74.0M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$8.6M
Total assetsLn 16$107.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$33.9M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a17
IndependentVI 1b16
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$20.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$18.2M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$6K
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$67K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$10.7M
Investment incomeLn 3$751K
Other incomeLn 4–11$39K
Gains on assetsLn 7−$2.1M
Total revenueLn 12$31.5M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.1M
SavingsLn 2$7.5M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$8.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$84.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$10.1M
Other assetsLn 15$281K
Total assetsLn 16$107.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$33.9M
Net assetsLn 32$74.0M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5489
VolunteersI 654
Fiscal year endsHeaderJune
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY20End FY20
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.8M$8.6M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$89.4M$84.3M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$9.9M$10.1M
Total assetsLn 16$107.7M$107.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$27.4M$33.9M
Net assetsLn 32$80.4M$74.0M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$434K$434K
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$246K$246K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$592K$497K$95K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$29K$24K$5K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$17.1M$15.6M$1.2M$245K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$1.6M$1.5M$117K$17K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$3.1M$2.8M$183K$43K
Payroll taxesLn 10$2.1M$1.8M$225K$29K
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$269K$690$268K
Accounting feesLn 11c$188K$188K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$130K$130K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$196K$196K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$1.5M$1.1M$179K$206K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$150$2K
Office expensesLn 13$911K$462K$436K$13K
Information technologyLn 14$0
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$525K$497K$20K$7K
TravelLn 17$627K$608K$12K$6K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$26K$25K$699$304
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$354K$313K$41K
InsuranceLn 23$364K$310K$51K$3K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$3.4M$2.6M$146K$571K
All other expensesLn 24e$551K$480K$42K$29K
Total functional expensesLn 25$34.2M$29.1M$3.8M$1.3M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $53.3M$44.0M$9.3M$128.7M 990 PDF
FY2024 $45.3M$43.4M$1.8M$113.5M 990 PDF
FY2023 $40.4M$38.8M$1.5M$103.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $42.9M$34.5M$8.4M$95.9M 990 PDF
FY2021 $36.1M$32.2M$3.9M$103.8M 990 PDF
FY2020 Viewing $31.5M$34.2M−$2.7M$74.0M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2020 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $31,465,112 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $17,728,417$20,007,340
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $10,640,560$10,668,083
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $3,999,323$750,558
I-11 Other revenuePrior year −$136,227$39,131
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $32,232,073$31,465,112
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $1,015,783$679,650
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $22,732,002$24,476,102
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $9,716,133$9,018,619
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $33,463,918$34,174,371
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$1,231,845−$2,709,259
Part VI · Governance 16 of 17 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body17
VI-1b Independent voting members16
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $31,465,112 across 12 lines filed
VIII-1c Fundraising events$66,779
VIII-1e Government grants$18,230,115
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,710,446
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,550
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$20,007,340
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $10,668,083$10,668,083
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $2,817,085$2,817,085
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax −$138,075−$138,075
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax −$2,066,527−$2,066,527
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Excluded from tax $177,206$177,206
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $10,668,083 · Excluded from tax $789,689$31,465,112
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $34,174,371 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $433,564$433,564
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $246,086$246,086
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $496,933 · Fundraising $95,021$591,954
IX-6 Pay of disqualified personsManagement $24,026 · Fundraising $4,594$28,620
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $15,646,010 · Management $1,223,434 · Fundraising $245,032$17,114,476
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $1,480,583 · Management $117,127 · Fundraising $17,164$1,614,874
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $2,841,128 · Management $183,261 · Fundraising $43,053$3,067,442
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $1,804,863 · Management $224,767 · Fundraising $29,106$2,058,736
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $690 · Management $268,045$268,735
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $187,761$187,761
IX-11d Lobbying feesPrograms $130,221$130,221
IX-11e Professional fundraising fees$0
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $196,010$196,010
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,125,059 · Management $178,566 · Fundraising $205,612$1,509,237
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $150 · Fundraising $2,497$2,647
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $462,228 · Management $436,165 · Fundraising $12,607$911,000
IX-14 Information technology$0
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $497,287 · Management $19,877 · Fundraising $7,342$524,506
IX-17 TravelPrograms $607,820 · Management $12,286 · Fundraising $6,436$626,542
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $24,980 · Management $699 · Fundraising $304$25,983
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $312,769 · Management $40,889$353,658
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $309,671 · Management $51,028 · Fundraising $3,334$364,033
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $2,649,685 · Management $146,367 · Fundraising $571,018$3,367,070
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $479,575 · Management $42,316 · Fundraising $29,325$551,216
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $29,052,219 · Management $3,849,707 · Fundraising $1,272,445$34,174,371
Part X · Balance sheet $107,920,385 assets, 24 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,544,699$1,068,926
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $2,260,004$7,524,704
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $525,109$1,235,947
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $3,136,710$2,850,353
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $0$0
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $659,768$603,745
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $9,894,206$10,082,755
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $89,368,772$84,273,326
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $0$0
X-13 Program-related investmentsStart of year $0$0
X-14 Intangible assetsStart of year $0$0
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $323,925$280,629
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $107,713,193$107,920,385
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $4,236,723$3,657,050
X-18 Grants payableStart of year $0$0
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $480,632$481,696
X-20 Tax-exempt bond liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $0$0
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $22,638,481$29,811,054
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $27,355,836$33,949,800
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $76,465,786$70,343,658
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $3,891,571$3,626,927
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $80,357,357$73,970,585
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $107,713,193$107,920,385
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $73,970,585 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$31,465,112
XI-2 Total expenses$34,174,371
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$2,709,259
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$80,357,357
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$490,767
XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$4,168,280
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$73,970,585

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2020 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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