83 Middlesex Street North Chelmsford, MA 01863 |
[P] (978) 251-8191 [F] (978) 251-5225 |
www.mfhouse.net [email protected] Kevin Coffey |
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INCORPORATED: 1990
Printable Profile (Summary / Full) EIN 04-3103404 |
![]() LAST UPDATED: 06/27/2018 |
Organization DBA |
My Father's House |
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Former Names | -- |
Organization received a competitive grant from the Boston Foundation in the past five years | No |
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Mission StatementMORE »Life Saver Ministries is a non-denominational, faith-based organization that operates a residential parenting program, called My Father’s House, for homeless pregnant and parenting young women between the ages of 13 and 21 and their children. We welcome young women regardless of their religious beliefs. Our parenting and life-skills education program has two main priorities. Our first priority is to provide our clients with a safe, healthy, and stable living environment. Our second, and equally important, priority is to equip these young women with the tools they will need to care for themselves and their children, to become self-sufficient, and not become homeless again. |
Mission StatementLife Saver Ministries is a non-denominational, faith-based organization that operates a residential parenting program, called My Father’s House, for homeless pregnant and parenting young women between the ages of 13 and 21 and their children. We welcome young women regardless of their religious beliefs. Our parenting and life-skills education program has two main priorities. Our first priority is to provide our clients with a safe, healthy, and stable living environment. Our second, and equally important, priority is to equip these young women with the tools they will need to care for themselves and their children, to become self-sufficient, and not become homeless again. |
Fiscal Year | Jan 01, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017 |
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Projected Income | $365,000.00 |
Projected Expense | $365,000.00 |
For more details regarding the organization's financial information, select the financial tab and review available comments.
Life Saver Ministries is a non-denominational, faith-based organization that operates a residential parenting program, called My Father’s House, for homeless pregnant and parenting young women between the ages of 13 and 21 and their children. We welcome young women regardless of their religious beliefs.
Our parenting and life-skills education program has two main priorities. Our first priority is to provide our clients with a safe, healthy, and stable living environment. Our second, and equally important, priority is to equip these young women with the tools they will need to care for themselves and their children, to become self-sufficient, and not become homeless again.
Life Saver Ministries is a 501c3 tax-exempt non-profit organization that is licensed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and has provided housing and educational services to homeless pregnant and parenting teenage girls and their children since 1990. Although licensed by the state, we receive no state or federal funding.
Our first phase consisted of recruiting and training volunteer families (shepherding homes) who would open their hearts and homes to a young woman who was pregnant and had no place to turn. The young woman stayed with the family for the duration of her pregnancy and for three months postpartum with her child. During this time, mothers received instruction in prenatal care, life skills, and baby care, and counseling from the shepherding home parents in conjunction with Life Saver Ministries staff. Community agencies were accessed to supplement the program services. Seven shepherding homes were operating by 1994.
At the end of 1993, we purchased a building that had most recently housed a nursing home and had been deserted for five or six years. It suffered from water damage from burst pipes and years of neglect and vandalism, but it was structurally sound and suited our needs perfectly.
Over a period of four years, while continuing to work with young women in our shepherding homes and counseling programs, and with the help of dozens of volunteers who sacrificed thousands of hours of their time, and donations from many local individuals, churches, and businesses, we renovated My Father's House. Our effort has been described as “transforming a place that sheltered people at the end of their lives to one of new beginnings.”
My Father’s House opened in November, 1997. Since then, young mothers and their children have been living and learning in My Father’s House. The average stay is about nine months to a year, although several of our families have remained in the program for as long as two to four years.
In 2010 we developed our Transitional Assistance and Care (TAC) visitation team to meet with mothers who have moved on from our program. The TAC team meets with clients in their new living situation and helps facilitate the young families’ transition to independent living.
Among the 30 largest municipalities in Massachusetts, Lowell has the 5th highest teen birth rate, the 3rd highest teen mother infant mortality rate, and ranks near the bottom (24th) in adequate prenatal care for pregnant teens. Lawrence has the highest teen birth rate and similar rankings in the other categories.
The population we serve is pregnant and/or parenting women up to the age of twenty-one. My Father’s House is located just outside the city of Lowell, MA and ten miles from Lawrence, MA.
Upon entering our program, all clients are scheduled for medical appointments. Expectant mothers are enrolled in birthing classes. Prenatal, infant and child care, and child development education is provided in-house and through collaboration with area agencies. Children are evaluated and enrolled in early intervention programs.
Since My Father’s House opened in 1997, more than 250 children have been evaluated for early intervention.
An adolescent mother’s education level is one of the best indicators of small children’s outcome. Education is a priority in our program. Every client who has not completed high school must enroll in school.
Since My Father’s House opened in 1997, more than 225 young women have furthered their education.
Clients also receive education in parenting, budgeting, nutrition, hygiene and health-care, communication, employment, healthy relationships, housing, self-advocacy, and finding and using community resources.
Most of our clients are from low-income families and have not been exposed to the cultural and recreational opportunities that abound in this area. We have weekly outings to museums, farms, concerts, parades, libraries, etc.
To ease our clients’ transition to independence, we offer a follow-up visitation program to all residents as they leave our program. This program helps ensure our clients do not become homeless again.
Since 2010, 40 families have taken part in
our follow-up visitation program.
Life Saver Ministries and My Father’s House are supported entirely by private donations, fundraising events, and grants from foundations. We receive no government funding. Each year, we need to raise our entire budget to operate our residential parenting and follow-up programs, as well as take care of the maintenance and improvement of our property.
STATEWIDE
NORTHEAST REGION, MA
The majority of our clients are from Lowell and Lawrence, MA, because that is where the highest concentration of pregnant or parenting teenage girls in our area are located, but we also have had clients from 47 other cities and towns in Massachusetts.
No
The Residential Parenting Program at My Father’s House provides a safe home and a nurturing environment for pregnant and parenting single women ages thirteen to twenty-one and their children. While living at My Father’s House, mothers are required to complete high school and to continue their education or career training and find employment. They participate in weekly classes, groups, and individual counseling sessions to learn parenting skills, life skills, and communication skills. Our goal is to work with them to become independent, self-sufficient, contributing adults and successful parents. Our latest project is to extend these services to mothers who have moved on from our program to help ensure a successful transition to independence. |
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Budget | $355,000.00 |
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Category | Housing, General/Other Homeless Shelter |
Population Served | Children and Youth (0 - 19 years) Families At-Risk Populations |
Program Short-Term Success | During orientation, we work with residents to locate medical and dental providers for mothers and children and applying for Masshealth if necessary. Clients enroll in a local high school or GED program to obtain the tools to earn a living and support her children. They also find safe childcare for their children while they attend school. Each parent begins an intake with a local early intervention program to determine where her children are developmentally. Parents begin weekly in-house classes in child development and parenting skills and meet with our Family Specialist to work on evaluations, strategies and activities for healthy child development. Our on-site counselors work with the mothers to develop a service plan for themselves and their children. Our House Manager begins working with parents immediately on the planning and preparation of nutritious meals, maintaining a healthy and safe environment, and developing schedules and routines to facilitate these goals. |
Program Long-Term Success | Staff is available 24 hours a day to provide care and instruction through classes, counseling sessions, family meetings, and referrals to outside services. Regular attendance is required at high school or a GED program for the parents, while the children continue to attend an educational daycare center. When a parent graduates from school, she is encouraged to enroll at the local college and/or begin job training or work. All parents are encouraged to obtain a driver’s license and begin saving money personally and through our program savings plan toward moving on to their own apartments. Housing search classes begin shortly after arrival and all parents keep an updated list of housing authorities and apartments to which they have applied. Introducing parents to local cultural and recreational activities is provided through weekly staff organized outings and through use of a number of volunteers who work with individual families. |
Program Success Monitored By | Each resident meets weekly with the Program Director and Resident Advisor to monitor progress and adjust service and behavior plans as needed. As the resident indicates a positive mastery of skills and attitudes she has monthly and bimonthly reviews that indicate her readiness to move up our level system acquiring new privileges and more independence. As she nears completion of goals in her service plan a departure plan begins. Money management, time management, household skills, health and safety skills, parenting skills, education completion, job inquiry and housing applications are all indicators that the parent is moving forward and becoming more able to care for herself and children independently. Clinical staff meets weekly and checks with other collaterals in the assessment of her readiness when appropriate. |
Examples of Program Success | One of our first residents was a teenage immigrant who had arrived in this country on a fiancé visa, became pregnant, and was a victim of domestic violence. We assisted her in obtaining health insurance, prenatal care, and enrolling in an ESL program. She delivered a healthy child, attended all of our classes, and went on to obtain her driver’s license, a certificate in nursing, and a job at a local nursing home. She became involved with local groups of her culture and after two years moved into a small apartment of her own. She continued working and received a Section 8 voucher. Her daughter continued in the daycare she had been attending since a baby until she was able to enroll in the local schools. During her time at MFH, she worked with a lawyer to obtain a permanent visa. She was successful in getting her work visa, which allowed her and her daughter to finally take a trip to her country of birth. She has maintained contact with our staff and volunteers over the years. |
As families begin the departure process, we
invite them to participate in our TAC (Transition and Care) visitation program
which assists them in their new homes with maintaining or locating services
while providing support and care during their time of transition.
The TAC visitation team works with the
parents on child development skills and behavioral techniques, measuring
success in improved health and behaviors in the children. They encourage
mothers to continue or locate services with other resources, such as early
intervention, Healthy Families, local therapists, food pantries, support groups
and other support services in their area. They assist with transferring doctors
and other health care providers. The team also works with these young parents
on nutrition and health, assisting them with budgeting, time management and job
support.
The TAC team provides follow-up services to
young families for up to two years.
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Budget | $16,000.00 |
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Category | Human Services, General/Other Family Services for Adolescent Parents |
Population Served | Children and Youth (0 - 19 years) Families At-Risk Populations |
Program Short-Term Success | When a family moves on from My Father's House, we set up a departure plan and offer them the opportunity to have our TAC teams to work with them from their new location to maintain continuity and services. Initial calls are made by our TAC team supervisor to set up weekly or biweekly meetings keeping a positive working relationship with our families. At the initial meetings we review health and safety concerns, checking on their environment to be sure they have what they need to keep them and their children safe and healthy. We review budget issues, and make sure they are managing and getting to all necessary appointments, and are continuing with their education. We offer transportation and or babysitting for job interviews. |
Program Long-Term Success | We continue meeting with the family in their home for up to two years. During that time our goal is to assist them in furthering their independence by encouraging them to no longer rely on public assistance, helping them with their driving license and shopping for cars, working with them on managing their bank accounts and saving money and locating support services for themselves and their children. The meetings become less frequent and task oriented as the mothers demonstrate their ability to manage independently. |
Program Success Monitored By | TAC teams record all activities and successes as they occur for each family. We strongly encourage mothers who do not have their own apartment with their children to find work that enables them to do so. We continue to encourage saving money and using resources wisely, meeting financial obligations on time. We look for evidence that the children are eating nutritionally, attending all doctor appointments on time, attending a local daycare or school regularly, and working with early intervention and other support services if needed. As parents find employment we help them with obtaining a vehicle which gives them more freedom to find work they choose and an apartment that does not require being on a public transportation line. We want our parents to advocate for themselves and their children in their schools and communities without relying on team intervention, participating in community activities and events with other families. |
Examples of Program Success | A young woman arrived at MFH having two children, but only able to keep one with her. During her time at our program she completed her GED, found medical help for her son who had difficulty hearing, and was reunited with her daughter. When she completed our program, we worked with her to locate an apartment near public transportation. The TAC team visited her regularly to assist her in setting up her apartment, making sure she had enough food, locating furnishings, and putting new locks on the door. She was working only part-time and was having difficulty meeting her financial obligations. We worked with her on advocating for more hours, updating her resume and attending job interviews. She found a new job that paid well enough to meet her needs. The children continued with early intervention and local childcare improving in all their skills. She continues to keep in touch to let us know how they are all doing, and she and her children are healthy and moving forward. |
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CEO/Executive Director | Mr. Kevin Coffey |
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CEO Term Start | Oct 1990 |
CEO Email | [email protected] |
CEO Experience | Kevin Coffey is co-founder of Life Saver Ministries. He holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Massachusetts in mathematics and economics. Kevin founded and operated a photography and graphic arts company for fourteen years and a security systems company for ten years. He has been the executive director of Life Saver Ministries for twenty-seven years. |
Co-CEO | -- |
Co-CEO Term Start | -- |
Co-CEO Email | -- |
Co-CEO Experience | -- |
Name | Start | End |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Title | Experience/Biography |
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Michelle Barnard | House Manager | -- |
Catherine Coffey | Program Director | Catherine Coffey is co-founder of Life Saver Ministries. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Simmons College in education and a master’s degree from Leslie College in counseling. Catherine has twelve years experience teaching and counseling students in elementary schools. As the program director of Life Saver Ministries, she has twenty-two years of experience counseling single parent mothers, planning educational and training programs, educational guidance, and accessing services and providing referrals within the community and surrounding towns. |
Sharon Desrochers | Client Advisor | -- |
Award | Awarding Organization | Year |
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-- | -- | -- |
Affiliation | Year |
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-- | -- |
Member of state association of nonprofits? | No |
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Name of state association | -- |
External Assessment or Accreditation | Year |
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-- | -- |
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Number of Full Time Staff | 4 |
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Number of Part Time Staff | 16 |
Number of Volunteers | 35 |
Number of Contract Staff | 0 |
Staff Retention Rate % | 94% |
Ethnicity | African American/Black: 2 Asian American/Pacific Islander: 0 Caucasian: 18 Hispanic/Latino: 0 Native American/American Indian: 0 Other: 0 Other (if specified): -- |
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Gender | Female: 19 Male: 1 Not Specified 0 |
Organization has Fundraising Plan? | No |
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Organization has Strategic Plan? | No |
Years Strategic Plan Considers | -- |
Management Succession Plan | -- |
Business Continuity of Operations Plan | -- |
Organization Policies And Procedures | Yes |
Nondiscrimination Policy | Yes |
Whistle Blower Policy | No |
Document Destruction Policy | -- |
Directors and Officers Insurance Policy | Yes |
State Charitable Solicitations Permit | Yes |
State Registration | Yes |
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Management Reports to Board? | Yes |
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CEO Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Senior Management Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Non Management Formal Evaluation and Frequency | Yes Annually |
Board Chair | Mr. Kevin Coffey |
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Board Chair Company Affiliation | Life Saver Ministries |
Board Chair Term | June 2017 - |
Board Co-Chair | -- |
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Board Co-Chair Company Affiliation | -- |
Board Co-Chair Term | - |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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Mr. Benjamin Cacace | EMD Millipore Corporation | Voting |
Mr. Kevin R. Coffey | Life Saver Ministries | Voting |
Ms. Kathleen Gendron | Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union | Voting |
Mr Kristian Lokere | Analog Devices | Voting |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Name | Company Affiliations | Status |
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-- | -- | -- |
Ethnicity | African American/Black: 0 Asian American/Pacific Islander: 0 Caucasian: 4 Hispanic/Latino: 0 Native American/American Indian: 0 Other: 0 Other (if specified): -- |
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Gender | Female: 1 Male: 3 Not Specified 0 |
Board Term Lengths | 3 |
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Board Term Limits | -- |
Board Meeting Attendance % | 90% |
Written Board Selection Criteria | Under Development |
Written Conflict Of Interest Policy | Yes |
Percentage of Monetary Contributions | 100% |
Percentage of In-Kind Contributions | -- |
Constituency Includes Client Representation | No |
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Fiscal Year | Jan 01, 2017 to Dec 31, 2017 |
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Projected Income | $365,000.00 |
Projected Expense | $365,000.00 |
Form 990s | |
Audit Documents | |
IRS Letter of Exemption |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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Total Revenue | $372,252 | $325,866 | $348,112 |
Total Expenses | $342,085 | $350,817 | $337,123 |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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Foundation and Corporation Contributions |
-- | -- | -- |
Government Contributions | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Federal | -- | -- | -- |
State | -- | -- | -- |
Local | -- | -- | -- |
Unspecified | -- | -- | -- |
Individual Contributions | $341,180 | $294,231 | $306,518 |
Indirect Public Support | -- | -- | -- |
Earned Revenue | $3,508 | $3,122 | $3,975 |
Investment Income, Net of Losses | $3 | $3 | $3 |
Membership Dues | -- | -- | -- |
Special Events | $23,236 | $24,497 | $31,557 |
Revenue In-Kind | $4,180 | $3,525 | $5,021 |
Other | $145 | $488 | $1,038 |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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Program Expense | $319,093 | $328,735 | $312,505 |
Administration Expense | $19,026 | $18,469 | $19,628 |
Fundraising Expense | $3,966 | $3,613 | $4,990 |
Payments to Affiliates | -- | -- | -- |
Total Revenue/Total Expenses | 1.09 | 0.93 | 1.03 |
Program Expense/Total Expenses | 93% | 94% | 93% |
Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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Total Assets | $271,418 | $242,544 | $266,711 |
Current Assets | $78,559 | $42,026 | $55,757 |
Long-Term Liabilities | -- | -- | -- |
Current Liabilities | $47,093 | $48,386 | $47,602 |
Total Net Assets | $224,325 | $194,158 | $219,109 |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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1st (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
2nd (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
3rd (Source and Amount) |
-- -- |
-- -- |
-- -- |
Endowment Value | -- |
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Spending Policy | -- |
Percentage(If selected) | -- |
Credit Line | No |
Reserve Fund | No |
How many months does reserve cover? | -- |
Are you currently in a Capital Campaign? | No |
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Capital Campaign Purpose | -- |
Campaign Goal | -- |
Capital Campaign Dates | - |
Capital Campaign Raised-to-Date Amount | -- |
Capital Campaign Anticipated in Next 5 Years? | -- |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities | 1.67 | 0.87 | 1.17 |
Fiscal Year | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
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Long-term Liabilities/Total Assets | 0% | 0% | 0% |
No Other Documents currently available. |
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