Crosswinds Youth Services Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
With a commitment to helping runaway, homeless, and other young people in crisis, the organization now known as Crosswinds Youth Services was incorporated in Brevard County in 1974. That year, Crosswinds opened its first program - an emergency children's shelter. Over 50 years later, Crosswinds, a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, has grown to become a leading provider of youth services in the area, offering a wide variety of programs for young people and their families. Crosswinds is accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA) for achieving the highest standards of professional practices for its servcies. Robert E. Lehton Children's Shelter offers emergency shelter 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for children under the age of 18 who have run away, are homeless, are awaiting foster care placement or in respite, or who are experiencing serious family or other crises. The program provides safe, supervised shelter, nutricious meals and snacks, and other basic necessities.
- Income
- $3.4 million
- Spending
- $3.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- -0.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 91%
- Employees
- 65
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $225,000, ceo
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
Fair: 56 out of 100. Higher than 27% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 23% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 4% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 2% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 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
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 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
0 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 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 (1)
- $3.1 million spent. Crosswinds offers a range of services for vulnerable children, youth, and young adults who may be runaway, homeless, transitioning from foster care, or who are otherwise in crisis or at risk. Services include, but are not limited to, emergency children's shelter; assessments; individual, group, and family counseling;independent living services;life and social skills training; parenting training; case management; civil citation for youngmisdemenor offenders; street outreach and information and referral.
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 January 1976.
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.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.