Healing Abuse Working for Change Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO CREATE SOCIAL CHANGE BY TAKING ACTION AGAINST PERSONAL AND SOCIETAL PATTERNS OF VIOLENCE AND OPPRESSION. HAWC PROVIDES SERVICES AND SUPPORT TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN 23 CITIES AND TOWNS ON MASSACHUSETTS' NORTH SHORE.
- Income
- $3.0 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 77%
- Reserves
- 6.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 62%
- Employees
- 42
- Volunteers
- 227
- Highest pay
- $148,728, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 6.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 20% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1576% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $858,625 spent. COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS:HAWC MAINTAINS TWO COMMUNITY BASED OFFICES IN SALEM AND LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS WHERE ADVOCATES PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT GROUPS. CLIENTS ARE ALSO SEEN IN PERSON AT A COMMUNITY PARTNER SITE IN GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. LIKEWISE, LEGAL SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE DIRECTLY OUT OF FIVE REGIONAL COURTS IN SALEM, PEABODY, GLOUCESTER AND LYNN. THE ORGANIZATION PRIORITIZES THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE MULTIPLE COMMUNITY LOCATIONS IN ORDER TO REMOVE TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS AND MAXIMIZE ACCESSIBILITY OF SERVICES. EACH OF THE COMMUNITY BASED OFFICES ARE CO-LOCATED WITH COMPLIMENTARY HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS SUCH AS THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSITIONAL ASSISTANCE, WIC, COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS AND CAREER COUNSELING. LIKEWISE, MOST SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY BASED ON THE SURVIVOR'S PARTICULAR NEEDS AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS HYBRID SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL MAXIMIZES CLIENT CHOICE AND REDUCES BARRIERS TO SERVICE.
- $526,205 spent. EMERGENCY SHELTER AND HOUSING:HAWC'S EMERGENCY SHELTER PROVIDES A SIX TO TWELVE MONTH PROGRAM FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BECOME HOMELESS AS A RESULT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. WHILE IN THE SHELTER PROGRAM, SURVIVORS PARTICIPATE IN INTENSIVE ONE-ON-ONE ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT GROUPS. ADVOCACY INCLUDES HOUSING SEARCH SUPPORT, CONNECTION TO VARIOUS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS INCLUDING JOB READINESS COUNSELING, SCHOOL, DAYCARE AND EARLY INTERVENTION ENROLLMENT FOR CHILDREN. GROUP SUPPORT INCLUDES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 101 AND PARENTING SUPPORT. SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN INCLUDES STORY HOUR, VISITS WITH A THERAPY DOG AND STRUCTURED PLAYTIME WITH PALS. ONCE PERMANENT HOUSING IS SECURED, HAWC PROVIDES MOVING EXPENSES, FURNITURE AND HOUSING GOODS, AND SHORT-TERM RENTAL ASSISTANCE, AS AVAILABLE. HAWC PARTICIPATES IN THE STATEWIDE EMERGENCY HOTLINE, SAFELINK, WHICH LINKS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS TO SHELTERS WITH VACANCIES.
- $539,754 spent. LEGAL SERVICES:SURVIVORS EXPERIENCE AN AVERAGE OF ONE TO THREE LEGAL ISSUES WHEN SEEKING TO END AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP. WITH HELP FROM HAWC'S LEGAL SERVICES, ABUSE SURVIVORS CAN LEARN ABOUT AND ENFORCE THEIR RIGHTS IN COURT. HAWC'S TRAINED LEGAL ADVOCATES, STAFF ATTORNEYS AND PRO BONO ATTORNEYS PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING SUPPORT:LEGAL ACCOMPANIMENT: ABUSE SURVIVORS APPLYING FOR ABUSE AND HARASSMENT PREVENTION ORDERS IN THE FIVE LOCAL COURTS IN HAWC'S SERVICE AREA CAN ACQUIRE SUPPORT IN THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND DURING HEARINGS, DISCUSS INDIVIDUALIZED SAFETY PLANS, AND RECEIVE REFERRALS FOR OTHER HAWC SERVICES.LEGAL CONSULTATIONS: ABUSE SURVIVORS SEEKING ADVICE ON CUSTODY ISSUES, DIVORCE HEARINGS, HOUSING AND IMMIGRATION CONCERNS, OR OTHER LEGAL MATTERS RESULTING FROM ABUSE, CAN ATTEND FREE LEGAL CLINICS RUN BY STAFF AND PRO-BONO ATTORNEYS.DIRECT REPRESENTATION: IN HIGH-RISK CASES, DEPENDING ON HAWC'S AVAILABILITY, ABUSE SURVIVORS CAN ACQUIRE DIRECT LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
- $123,416 spent. EDUCATION AND OUTREACH: HAWC PROVIDES VIOLENCE PREVENTION EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS AND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL YOUTH SERVING ORGANIZATIONS TO INCREASE AWARENESS ABOUT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS, WARNING SIGNS OF ABUSE AND EXPLORE WAYS FOR FRIENDS AND BYSTANDERS TO GET INVOLVED TO REDUCE BULLYING AND AGGRESSION.HAWC IS AN IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCE PROVIDING EDUCATION AND TRAINING ON HOW TO SUPPORT SURVIVORS. HAWC FREQUENTLY PROVIDES TRAINING FOR THE STAFF OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS, SUCH AS HEAD START AND LOCAL PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IT IS HAWC'S GOAL TO EMPOWER OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO PROVIDE TRAUMA INFORMED CARE AND MAKE REFERRALS TO HAWC.THE ORGANIZATION TRAINS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS WHO ASSIST IN PROVIDING HOTLINE SUPPORT, COURT ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT GROUP FACILITATION. THROUGH SPECIAL EVENTS AND SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT THE ORGANIZATION SEEKS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE INITIATIVES THAT EMPOWER SURVIVORS AND WORK TO ELIMINATE OPPRESSION IN ALL ITS FORMS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since November 1978.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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