Overview
What is Bernie's Book Bank?
Bernie's Book Bank is a nonprofit organization based in Lake Bluff, Illinois, committed to enhancing book ownership among underprivileged children in the Chicagoland area. Established in 2009, Bernie's Book Bank has distributed over 23 million quality children's books to date, primarily through schools and WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) programs. Their operations involve sourcing books from various partners, processing them for quality and age-appropriateness, and distributing them to under-served children. The organization operates with a large pool of volunteers, maximizing the donation of quality books and ensuring each child receives a minimum of 12 books annually until they complete 6th grade. Currently, Bernie's Book Bank serves over 300,000 underprivileged children in the Chicagoland area. During 2022, they procured, processed, and distributed 2.3 million books, celebrating the distribution of their 23rd millionth book since inception.
Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
What are the reviews and ratings of this charity?
Charity Navigator rating: 85%, Three-Star out of Four Star rating.
Bernie's Book Bank demonstrates strong accountability and financial management, highlighted by its perfect score of 95 in this area. The organization has a fully independent board and adheres to rigorous oversight practices, ensuring transparency and responsible stewardship of donations. Their commitment to financial integrity is further illustrated by a high program expense ratio, indicating that most funds are directed toward their mission.
User feedback reveals a positive perception of the organization, with reviews praising its mission to provide free books to underserved children. A review from Jonny Imerman emphasizes the importance of Bernie's Book Bank's work and acknowledges the dedication of the team, showcasing strong community partnerships and support for their cause.
While Bernie's Book Bank holds a solid overall rating, there is room for improvement in its impact and measurement score, currently at 60. The organization aims to expand its reach and enhance its operational capabilities, particularly as it sets strategic goals for growth in the Greater Milwaukee Area by 2025.
This AI summary has been generated from information found on Charity Navigator and Great Nonprofits.
Is Bernie's Book Bank legitimate?
Bernie's Book Bank is a legitimate nonprofit organization registered as a 501(c)(3) entity. Bernie's Book Bank submitted a form 990, which is a tax form used by tax-exempt organizations in the U.S., indicating its operational transparency and adherence to regulatory requirements. Donations to this organization are tax deductible.
Heare are some key statistics you may want to consider:
Executive Compensation: $316,236
Professional Fundraising Fees: $0
Other Salaries and Wages: $1,343,643
For more financial information, click here
Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
What is the mission statement of Bernie's Book Bank?
Bernie's Book Bank focuses on distributing high-quality children's books to under-served children throughout a particular region. The organization's mission is to significantly increase book ownership among under-served infants, toddlers, and school-age children by sourcing, processing, and distributing new and gently used children's books. Bernie's Book Bank performs these functions exceptionally well through partnerships, volunteer work, and targeted distribution to schools and programs such as WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). The organization's efforts reach over 300,000 children annually, providing each child with at least 12 books per year until they complete 6th grade. During 2022, Bernie's Book Bank procured, processed, and distributed 2.3 million books while welcoming back volunteers.
Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
Who is the CEO of Bernie's Book Bank?
Darrin Utynek is the Chief Executive Officer of Bernie's Book Bank. The CEO's salary of Bernie's Book Bank is $178,758 and their total compensation is $182,613.
Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
What is the revenue of Bernie's Book Bank?
Bernie's Book Bank's revenue in 2022 was $5,790,172.
Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
Who are the executives of Bernie's Book Bank and what are their salaries?
The average compensation at Bernie's Book Bank during 2022 was $36,886. There are 45 employees and 35000 volunteers at Bernie's Book Bank.
Here are 24 key members and their salaries (Bernie's Book Bank's CEO's salary is $178,758 and their total compensation is $182,613):
- Compensation: $178,758
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Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
Where can I find the form 990 for Bernie's Book Bank?
Bernie's Book Bank's most recent form 990 was submitted in 2022 and can be accessed here.
Official website here: www.berniesbookbank.org
Learn more at the official website: www.berniesbookbank.org
Mission Statement of Bernie's Book Bank
Bernie's Book Bank, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to increasing book ownership among under-served children throughout Chicago. Their mission is to source, process, and distribute high-quality children's books. Bernie's Book Bank collaborates with schools, businesses, book publishers, and distributors to collect a large volume of new and gently used children's books. The organization manages the collection process, relieving the burden from schools and organizations, and maximizing the donations of quality books.
Once collected, the books undergo a thorough processing at Bernie's Book Bank's center, with the help of a large pool of volunteers. Each book is carefully reviewed for quality, sorted into age-appropriate reading levels, labeled with a Bernie's Book Bank sticker, and packed into distribution-ready bags containing six books. Bernie's Book Bank then distributes these bags to large populations of under-served children, primarily through identified schools based on free and reduced lunch percentages and WIC (Women, Infant, and Children) programs. Each child served receives a minimum of 12 books annually, from birth through sixth grade, creating a continuum of distribution.
Bernie's Book Bank serves more than 300,000 under-served children in Chicago each year, distributing 12 quality books annually until the child completes sixth grade. In 2022, the organization procured, processed, and distributed 2.3 million books, while welcoming back volunteers on a full-time basis, resulting in 30,000 volunteer hours and marking the distribution of their 23rd millionth book since their founding in 2009.
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Impact
October, 2024
Bernie's Book Bank has a significant impact by enhancing book ownership among underserved children in the Chicagoland area. Since its inception in December 2009, the organization has sourced, processed, and distributed approximately 23 million quality children's books. This initiative addresses a critical gap in access to reading materials, with a focus on infants, toddlers, and school-age children.
The effort includes three main functions: sourcing books through partnerships with schools, businesses, and publishers; processing them with the help of a large pool of volunteers; and distributing bags of books to children in need. Each child benefits from receiving a minimum of 12 quality books annually from birth through sixth grade, fostering a love for reading and learning.
In 2022 alone, Bernie's Book Bank procured, processed, and distributed 2.3 million books, a testament to its operational effectiveness. Through its work, the organization plays a crucial role in youth development, helping over 300,000 children by providing essential resources that contribute to their academic growth and personal development.
This information is meant to be a general summary of Bernie's Book Bank. Please take the time to review official sources before making any decisions based upon the content provided here.
Financials
This financial information is from Propublica.
Other financial information:
This information is from the most recently submitted tax form from this organization, which was in 2022.
- Investment Income: $10,120
- Gross Receipts: $6,744,357
Assets and Liabilities:
- Total Assets: $7,083,176
- Total Liabilities: $2,599,529
- Net Assets: $4,483,647
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Organization Details
Founding Year
2009
Phone
(847) 780-7323Principal Officer
Darrin Utynek
Main Address
917 NORTH SHORE DRIVE, LAKE BLUFF, IL, 60044
Website
www.berniesbookbank.orgNTEE Category
Code: O50 - Youth development
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