Operation Refuge exists to empower individuals and families by providing essential resources, fostering resilience, and building pathways to a brighter future. The organization is committed to addressing community needs by delivering food assistance, youth development programs, and supportive services that strengthen families and uplift communities. Through collaboration and compassionate service, Operation Refuge works to create opportunity, restore dignity, and help individuals and families achieve long-term stability and success.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
91¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$22K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · 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
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
1 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $39K a year · 19% of revenue · last 2 filings
Worth a look: a surplus in 1 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
91%
of spending
Looks good: 91% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$22K
to officers and key staff · 12% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 12% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
5 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 5.0 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $18K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$0
0% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 0% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
10
of 10 voting members
Looks good: 10 of 10 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$268K
+81% vs prior year
Spent
$186K
To programs
91%
Net assets
$112K
By yearFY2023–FY2024
Revenue
$268K
FY2024▲ +81%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2023$148K
FY2024$268K
Expenses
$186K
FY2024▲ +24%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2023$151K
FY2024$186K
Net assets
$112K
FY2024▲ +265%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2023$31K
FY2024$112K

From the FY2024 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Exemption reinstated (2017-02-15). Per the IRS revocation list. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 2017.

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

Where the money goes

91 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 91% · $169K Management & general 9% · $18K

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

9 people listed on the 990; $22K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Di
$22,135Pt VII · Sec A
Attorney
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Velma J Overman’s $22K as Executive Di is at the 23rd percentile of top reported officer pay among 1171 $100K–1M food & agriculture 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.

See Operation Refuge executive salaries →

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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

Operation Refuge is a food and nutrition nonprofit based in Inkster, MI, formed in 2017.

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1 program · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Operation refuge exists to empower individuals and families by providing essential resources, fostering resilience, and building pathways to a brighter future. The organization is committed to addressing community needs by delivering food assistance, youth development programs, and supportive services that strengthen families and uplift…

Pt IX · col B

Funders

Who pays for it.

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

Grants

Schedule I · funders on record
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$18K

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$268K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$268K
Money outPt IX
$186K
Ln 25
Programscol B$169K
Managementcol C$18K
Owns and owesPt X
$112K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$77K
Total assetsLn 16$112K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
PeoplePt VI, VII
9
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a10
IndependentVI 1b10
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$268K
Total revenueLn 12$268K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$77K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$77K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$35K
Total assetsLn 16$112K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0
Net assetsLn 32$112K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 51
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aNo
Whistleblower policyVI 13No
Records policyVI 14No
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$31K$77K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$35K
Total assetsLn 16$31K$112K
LiabilitiesLn 26$0$0
Net assetsLn 32$31K$112K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$3K$3K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$22K$20K$2K
Management feesLn 11a$58K$52K$6K
Legal feesLn 11b$4K$3K$352
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$36K$32K$4K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$3K$3K$288
Office expensesLn 13$15K$14K$2K
Information technologyLn 14$13K$12K$1K
TravelLn 17$21K$19K$2K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$3K$3K$346
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$8K$8K
InsuranceLn 23$453$408$45
Total functional expensesLn 25$186K$169K$18K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 Latest Viewing $268K$186K$82K$112K 990 PDF
FY2023 $148K$151K−$3K$31K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $268,014 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $147,726$268,014
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $147,726$268,014
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $4,797$2,895
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $30,990$22,135
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $115,077$161,451
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $150,864$186,481
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$3,138$81,533
Part VI · Governance 10 of 10 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body10
VI-1b Independent voting members10
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyNo
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyNo
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyNo
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $268,014 across 3 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$268,014
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$268,014
VIII-12 Total revenue$268,014
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $186,481 across 12 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $2,895$2,895
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $19,921 · Management $2,214$22,135
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $51,766 · Management $5,752$57,518
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $3,167 · Management $352$3,519
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $32,402 · Management $3,600$36,002
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $2,590 · Management $288$2,878
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $13,752 · Management $1,529$15,281
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $11,944 · Management $1,327$13,271
IX-17 TravelPrograms $19,103 · Management $2,122$21,225
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $3,118 · Management $346$3,464
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $7,840$7,840
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $408 · Management $45$453
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $168,906 · Management $17,575 · Fundraising $0$186,481
Part X · Balance sheet $112,342 assets, 7 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $30,809$77,386
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$34,956
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $30,809$112,342
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $0$0
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $30,809$112,342
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $30,809$112,342
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $30,809$112,342
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $112,342 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$268,014
XI-2 Total expenses$186,481
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$81,533
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$30,809
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$112,342

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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