Child Life Society Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CHILD LIFE SOCIETY IMPROVES THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH CYSTIC FIBROSIS (CF) AND OTHER LIFE-THREATENING AND LIFE-SHORTENING GENETIC LUNG DISEASES. OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAM, THE LIFESHINE RESPITE IN KEY WEST, FL, HELPS FAMILIES WITH SICK CHILDREN EXPERIENCE THE REMARKABLE BENEFITS OF THE UNIQUE CLIMATE WITH HEAVILY SALINATED OCEAN AIR IN SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND MAINTAINED FACILITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH CF. OTHER CORE SERVICES INCLUDE: COUNSELING, INFORMATION AND REFERRALS, ASSISTANCE IMPROVING ACCESS TO AND AFFORDABILITY OF CF MEDICINE, EQUIPMENT, THERAPIES, AND TREATMENTS, AND ASSISTANCE MAINTAINING HEALTHIER HOME ENVIRONMENTS TO HELP FAMILIES NAVIGATE THE COMPLEX REQUIREMENTS AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES OF RAISING HEALTHIER CHILDREN WITH CF. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, 90 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN SUFFERING LIFE-THREATENING AND LIFE-SHORTENING IMPACTS OF CYSTIC FIBROSIS BENEFIT FROM AN ARRAY OF SERVICES THROUGH THE INCREDIBLE GENEROSITY OF CHILD LIFE SOCIETY CONTRIBUTORS.
- Income
- $429,785
- Spending
- $308,899
- Spent on programs
- 95%
- Reserves
- -0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 1
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 60 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 28% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 1% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1595% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 57 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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 December 31, 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 (2)
- $294,705 spent. 4A.LIFESHINE RESPITE: CHILD LIFE SOCIETY (CLS) PROVIDES RESPITE TRIPS AT NO COST TO CHILDREN WITH CF AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE HAVE OBSERVED THAT SENDING FAMILIES FOR RESPITE IN LOCATIONS NOT DESIGNED FOR OUR INDIVIDUALS WITH CF LED TO A VARIETY OF UNNECESSARY STRESSORS AND HEALTH RISKS FOR THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. CLS LAUNCHED A MULTI-YEAR CAMPAIGN TO BUILD SPECIALLY-DESIGNED FACILITIES IN WHICH FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH CF WOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY SAFER, LESS STRESS RESPITE. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FUNDED AND BUILT TWO (2) RESPITE HOMES TO-DATE, WITH THE GOAL OF THREE (3) MORE WITHIN TEN (10) YEARS TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR SERVICES. IN 2017, THE TWO LIFESHINE RESPITE HOMES PROVIDED 10 THERAPEUTIC RESPITE TRIPS TO 16 CHILDREN WITH CF AND THEIR FAMILIES (69 TOTAL INDIVIDUALS) AT NO COST TO THE FAMILY. TRIPS INCLUDE AS NEEDED, GROUND TRANSPORTATION, AIRFARE, ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND OTHER EXPENSES. REQUESTS FOR SERVICES CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND INCREASINGLY STRAIN THE CAPACITY OF THE ORGANIZATION TO RESPOND. 4A.LIFESHINE RESPITE: CHILD LIFE SOCIETY (CLS) PROVIDES RESPITE TRIPS AT NO COST TO CHILDREN WITH CF AND THEIR FAMILIES. WE HAVE OBSERVED THAT SENDING FAMILIES FOR RESPITE IN LOCATIONS NOT DESIGNED FOR OUR INDIVIDUALS WITH CF LED TO A VARIETY OF UNNECESSARY STRESSORS AND HEALTH RISKS FOR THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. CLS LAUNCHED A MULTI-YEAR CAMPAIGN TO BUILD SPECIALLY-DESIGNED FACILITIES IN WHICH FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH CF WOULD BE ABLE TO ENJOY SAFER, LESS STRESS RESPITE. WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FUNDED AND BUILT TWO (2) RESPITE HOMES TO-DATE, WITH THE GOAL OF THREE (3) MORE WITHIN TEN (10) YEARS TO MEET THE INCREASING DEMAND FOR SERVICES. IN 2017, THE TWO LIFESHINE RESPITE HOMES PROVIDED 10 THERAPEUTIC RESPITE TRIPS TO 16 CHILDREN WITH CF AND THEIR FAMILIES (69 TOTAL INDIVIDUALS) AT NO COST TO THE FAMILY. TRIPS INCLUDE AS NEEDED, GROUND TRANSPORTATION, AIRFARE, ACCOMMODATION, FOOD AND OTHER EXPENSES. REQUESTS FOR SERVICES CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND INCREASINGLY STRAIN THE CAPACITY OF THE ORGANIZATION TO RESPOND.
- 4B. INFORMATION, REFERRAL & SUPPORT: CHILD LIFE SOCIETY SERVED 83 CHILDREN WITH CF, 25 PARENTS WITH CF, AND 291 OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IN 2017 (90 FAMILIES). BASED UPON NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, CHILD LIFE SOCIETY PROVIDED DIRECT SUPPORT AND RELIEF TO THESE FAMILIES INCLUDING ASSISTANCE OBTAINING VITAMINS, MEDICINE, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, THERAPY, TREATMENTS AND HOUSEHOLD HELP TO ENSURE CF-SAFE HOME ENVIRONMENTS. CHILD LIFE SOCIETY CONDUCTS OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CF, AND TO HELP INCREASE ACCESS TO AVAILABLE SERVICES FOR FAMILIES. IN 2017, WE CONDUCTED THREE (3) EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT HELPED RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATED MORE THAN 310 INDIVIDUALS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, FLORIDA AND CANADA. CHILD LIFE SOCIETY CONDUCTED SEVEN (7) SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS VIA FIVE CONFERENCE CALLS (150-200 INDIVIDUALS) AND TWO DINNERS (42 INDIVIDUALS). 4B. INFORMATION, REFERRAL & SUPPORT: CHILD LIFE SOCIETY SERVED 83 CHILDREN WITH CF, 25 PARENTS WITH CF, AND 291 OF THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS IN 2017 (90 FAMILIES). BASED UPON NEEDS ASSESSMENTS, CHILD LIFE SOCIETY PROVIDED DIRECT SUPPORT AND RELIEF TO THESE FAMILIES INCLUDING ASSISTANCE OBTAINING VITAMINS, MEDICINE, MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, THERAPY, TREATMENTS AND HOUSEHOLD HELP TO ENSURE CF-SAFE HOME ENVIRONMENTS. CHILD LIFE SOCIETY CONDUCTS OUTREACH AND EDUCATION TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CF, AND TO HELP INCREASE ACCESS TO AVAILABLE SERVICES FOR FAMILIES. IN 2017, WE CONDUCTED THREE (3) EDUCATIONAL EVENTS THAT HELPED RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATED MORE THAN 310 INDIVIDUALS IN NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, FLORIDA AND CANADA. CHILD LIFE SOCIETY CONDUCTED SEVEN (7) SUPPORT GROUP MEETINGS VIA FIVE CONFERENCE CALLS (150-200 INDIVIDUALS) AND TWO DINNERS (42 INDIVIDUALS).
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since January 2000.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.
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