Serving underprivileged children and families in east st. Louis, illinois

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
79¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$157K 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

FY2021 · 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
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $46K a year · 7% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
79%
of spending
Looks good: 79% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$157K
to officers and key staff · 19% of spending
Fine: pay to officers and key staff is 19% of spending; 15% to 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.8 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $9K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$35K
13% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 13% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
7
of 7 voting members
Looks good: 7 of 7 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$694K
-4% vs prior year
Spent
$830K
To programs
79%
Net assets
$240K
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$694K
FY2021▼ -4%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$722K
FY2021$694K
FY2023$981K
FY2024$641K
FY2025$94K
Expenses
$830K
FY2021▲ +15%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$720K
FY2021$830K
FY2023$924K
FY2024$754K
FY2025$131K
Net assets
$240K
FY2021▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$377K
FY2021$240K
FY2023$194K
FY2024$81K
FY2025$44K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · see the original

990 PDF Claim
You’re viewing the FY2021 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 May 1992.

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

Where the money goes

79 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 79% · $652K Management & general 8% · $65K Fundraising 14% · $113K

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

10 people listed on the 990; $157K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Executive Director
$81,742Pt VII · Sec A
Director of Development
$75,225Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Vice President
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Sheila Burton’s $94K as Managing Director is at the 96th percentile of top reported officer pay among 112 <$100K youth development 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 · 3 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2023FY2021FY2020
Sheila Burton$94,084$81,742$81,806
Abby Cole$91,095$75,225$71,875
Ja'shira Savannah$61,184—$4,275

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.

See Join Hands Esl INC 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

Provides resources and support to underprivileged children and families in East St. Louis.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $472K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

The Dream Path Program

This program focuses on relationships, providing a pathway out of poverty for families through support, mentoring programs and education advocacy. Mentors and staff journey with children and families helping them navigate the many barriers to academic success that exist for children growing up in intergenerational poverty.

$358Kprogram expense
02

Education Program

This program provides education advocacy services for all children and teens in the Dream Path and when possible scholarships to attend private school through the Alternative Education Program. There are currently 12 children in private education at schools including Sr. Thea Bowman Catholic School in East St.

$95Kprogram expense
03

Youth Programming

Through this program, Join Hands builds relationships, increases self esteem, and broadens the horizons of children 8-12 in two public housing projects in East St. Louis. Through the Girls Clubs and Boys Clubs and other youth classes and programs, we provide recreational, educational, and athletic opportunities to approximately 80…

$20Kprogram expense

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$9K

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$694K
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$694K
Money outPt IX
$830K
Ln 25
Programscol B$652K
Managementcol C$65K
Fundraisingcol D$113K
Owns and owesPt X
$240K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$127K
Total assetsLn 16$275K
LiabilitiesLn 26$35K
PeoplePt VI, VII
10
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a7
IndependentVI 1b7
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$694K
Government grantsLn 1e$61K
Total revenueLn 12$694K
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$127K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$127K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$8K
Total assetsLn 16$275K
LiabilitiesLn 26$35K
Net assetsLn 32$240K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 518
VolunteersI 689
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 FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$217K$127K
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$13K$8K
Total assetsLn 16$409K$275K
LiabilitiesLn 26$32K$35K
Net assetsLn 32$377K$240K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$157K$74K$8K$75K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$428K$404K$11K$14K
Management feesLn 11a$7K$2K$5K$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$16K$0$16K$0
Office expensesLn 13$8K$1K$4K$3K
OccupancyLn 16$46K$45K$1K$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$4K$4K$17$48
InsuranceLn 23$10K$2K$8K$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$74K$69K$5K$9
All other expensesLn 24e$79K$51K$8K$21K
Total functional expensesLn 25$830K$652K$65K$113K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $94K$131K−$37K$44K 990 PDF
FY2024 $641K$754K−$113K$81K 990 PDF
FY2023 $981K$924K$57K$194K 990 PDF
FY2022 Not on file
FY2021 Viewing $694K$830K−$137K$240K 990 PDF
FY2020 $722K$720K$1K$377K 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 FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $693,728 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $721,602$693,728
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $721,602$693,728
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$0
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $414,832$585,328
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $305,489$244,936
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $720,321$830,264
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $1,281−$136,536
Part VI · Governance 7 of 7 board members independent, 4 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body7
VI-1b Independent voting members7
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 $693,728 across 4 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$60,678
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$633,050
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$693,728
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $0 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$693,728
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $830,264 across 10 lines filed
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $73,568 · Management $8,174 · Fundraising $75,225$156,967
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $403,790 · Management $10,659 · Fundraising $13,912$428,361
IX-11a Management feesPrograms $2,435 · Management $4,723 · Fundraising $0$7,158
IX-11c Accounting feesPrograms $0 · Management $15,840 · Fundraising $0$15,840
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,106 · Management $3,946 · Fundraising $3,005$8,057
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $44,623 · Management $1,012 · Fundraising $0$45,635
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $4,318 · Management $17 · Fundraising $48$4,383
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $1,881 · Management $8,397 · Fundraising $0$10,278
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $69,421 · Management $4,743 · Fundraising $9$74,173
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $50,701 · Management $7,743 · Fundraising $20,968$79,412
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $651,843 · Management $65,254 · Fundraising $113,167$830,264
Part X · Balance sheet $275,265 assets, 12 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $217,380$127,329
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $153,959$102,146
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $24,017$35,024
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $525$2,362
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $12,787$8,404
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $408,668$275,265
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $32,078$35,211
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $32,078$35,211
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $351,842$234,261
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $24,748$5,793
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $376,590$240,054
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $408,668$275,265
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $240,054 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$693,728
XI-2 Total expenses$830,264
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$136,536
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$376,590
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$240,054

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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