South Hills Interfaith Ministries
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SHIM MOBILIZES COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND IMPLEMENTS SUSTAINABLE PROGRAMS THAT COMPASSIONATELY HELP OUR NEIGHBORS MEET BASIC NEEDS, ACHIEVE SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND BUILD COMMUNITY.
- Income
- $5.0 million
- Spending
- $4.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- 13.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 68%
- Employees
- 70
- Volunteers
- 293
- Highest pay
- $167,885, 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
Strong: 91 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (religion, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.1 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 12% of income.
Income trend
10 of 15Income fell 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (religion, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 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 (3)
- $3.2 million spent. SHIM WAS FOUNDED IN 1968 BY A MINISTER, A RABBI, AND A PRIEST WHO JOINED TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE GROWING NEED THAT PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH HILLS WERE EXPERIENCING. BEGINNING AS AN INFORMATION AND REFERRAL CENTER IN SOUTH HILLS VILLAGE MALL AND OFFERING YOUTH PROGRAMMING AND INTERFAITH ACTIVITIES, SHIM CONTINUED TO ADAPT OVER THE YEARS TO THE EVER-CHANGING NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. FROM CONNECTING PEOPLE TO EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MID-1980S, TO HELPING PEOPLE WHO WERE STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS IN THE EARLY 1990S, SHIM GREW TO BE THE TRUSTED HUMAN SERVICE AGENCY SERVING THE SOUTH HILLS. IN THE EARLY 2000S, THOUSANDS OF BOSNIAN REFUGEES WERE RESETTLED IN THE SOUTH HILLS AFTER ESCAPING A WAR-TORN COUNTRY AND SEEKING A NEW LIFE IN AMERICA. WITH THE SUPPORT FROM THE ALLEGHENY COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES, SHIM ESTABLISHED A FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER AND EXPANDED PROGRAMMING TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT FAMILIES. SINCE THEN, MANY OTHER REFUGEES FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAVE BEEN RESETTLED IN THE SOUTH HILLS. TODAY, SHIM PROVIDES FOOD, CLOTHING, FINANCIAL AID, EDUCATION, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND A HOST OF OTHER SERVICES TO PEOPLE IN NEED IN PITTSBURGH'S SOUTHERN SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOODS. WITH 27 FULL-TIME AND 10 PART-TIME STAFF MEMBERS, AND HUNDREDS OF VOLUNTEERS, SHIM SERVES MORE THAN 8,500 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY. SHIM'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE OFTEN MEASURED BY ITS ABILITY TO MEET THE NEED IN THE SOUTH HILLS COMMUNITY. IN THE LAST YEAR:-SHIM PROVIDED OVER 9,000 POUNDS OF FOOD PER DISTRIBUTION TO 8,500 INDIVIDUALS-SHIM'S 14 COMMUNITY GARDENS PROVIDED 17,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE TO SHIM PANTRIES. -APPROXIMATELY 3,900 INDIVIDUALS ATTEND PANTRY DISTRIBUTIONS EACH MONTH, 35% OF WHOM ARE CHILDREN, 17% OF WHOM ARE SENIORS, AND 7% OF WHOM ARE DISABLED. -SHIM SERVED APPROXIMATELY 300 INDIVIDUALS WITH UTILITY ASSISTANCE, HELPING TO AWARD $71,000. -FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS AIDED 181 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH $110,000 IN EMERGENCY GRANT FUNDING.
- SHIM PROGRAMMING OPERATES AT FOUR SITES IN BETHEL PARK, BALDWIN, WHITEHALL BOROUGH, AND WEST MIFFLIN. WHILE SERVING THE GREATER ALLEGHENY COUNTY REGION, SHIM'S PROGRAMS PRIMARILY SERVE THE COMMUNITIES OF BALDWIN-WHITEHALL, BETHEL PARK, BRENTWOOD, WEST MIFFLIN, CASTLE SHANNON, DORMONT, GREENTREE, MT. LEBANON, SOUTH PARK, AND UPPER ST. CLAIR. CHILDREN AND FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE FOREIGN-BORN, ARE A PARTICULAR FOCUS OF SHIM PROGRAMS. SHIM SERVES MORE THAN 400 CHILDREN ACROSS ALL YOUTH PROGRAMS. MANY CHILDREN ENROLL AT A YOUNG AGE AND STAY ENGAGED THROUGH THEIR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. -LAST YEAR ALL 10 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM GRADUATES STARTED KINDERGARTEN WITHOUT NEEDING LANGUAGE SERVICES. -IN 2025, FOR THE THIRTEENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, 100% OF YOUTH MENTORING SENIORS GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL. 15 HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS GRADUATED, MOST OF WHOM ARE NOW ENROLLED IN COLLEGE. -SHIM'S AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AND YOUTH MENTORING WERE RECIPIENTS OF A 2018 APOST QUALITY AWARD-IN 2019 YOUTH MENTORING RECEIVED THE EXCELLENCE IN MENTORING AWARD FROM THE MENTORING PARTNERSHIP OF SOUTHWESTERN PA. -SHIM PROVIDED 1,700 BACKPACKS WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES IN 2025.TO SUPPORT KIDS FROM BIRTH TO GRADUATION, SHIM OFFERS HOME VISITS, AN EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM, AFTER SCHOOL, YOUTH MENTORING, AND SUMMER CAMP. SHIM PROVIDES ESSENTIAL RESOURCES AND WORKSHOPS FOR FAMILIES INCLUDING NURTURING PARENTING CLASSES, GROUP COUNSELING, ENRICHING FAMILY ACTIVITIES, AND IMMIGRANT SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS (ISAC). WOMEN AND MEN GAIN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH WOMEN'S GROUP, FAMILY GROUP, AND DAD'S GROUP. ADDITIONALLY, BILINGUAL STAFF PROVIDE WALK-IN SUPPORT AT SHIM'S FAMILY CENTER. FORTY-TWO INDIVIDUALS ATTENDED NURTURING PARENTING CLASSES, AND 17 DADS COMPLETED THE FATHERHOOD PROGRAM. SHIM ASSISTED OVER 300 CLIENTS THROUGH WALK-IN SUPPORT AT SHIM'S FAMILY CENTER.
- SHIM ACCOMPLISHES THE GOAL OF BUILDING COMMUNITY BY BRINGING TOGETHER NEIGHBORS OF ALL FAITHS AND LIFE EXPERIENCES THROUGH THE COMMUNITY GARDENS PROGRAM, CHECKMATES, AND A VERY ROBUST VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. AS AN ANCHOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION IN THE SOUTH HILLS, SHIM CONTINUOUSLY ADAPTS AND EXPANDS TO PROVIDE CRUCIAL PROGRAMS TO NEIGHBORS IN NEED. SHIM KNOWS THAT A COMMUNITY'S STRENGTH COMES FROM THE INVOLVEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT OF ITS MEMBERS. OVER 300 VOLUNTEERS DONATED 15,000 HOURS IN 2024. SOME VOLUNTEERS ATTEND FAMILY VOLUNTEER EVENTS OR GROUP VOLUNTEER EVENTS. BY OFFERING THESE INFORMATIVE EXPERIENCES TO CHILDREN AND INDIVIDUALS UNABLE TO COMMIT TO WEEKLY VOLUNTEER HOURS, SHIM SHARES VALUABLE INFORMATION TO MORE COMMUNITY MEMBERS, BROADENING THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBURBAN POVERTY IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING 57 YEARS AGO, SHIM VALUES THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS PROGRAMS. SHIM STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH REFUGEE AND IMMIGRANT FAMILIES TO UNDERSTAND AND ASSESS NEEDS, TO ENGAGE PARENTS IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, AND TO IMPROVE PROGRAM OFFERINGS. SHIM'S CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL FAMILIES ALLOWS PARENTS TO FEEL COMFORTABLE ENTRUSTING SHIM TO THE CARE OF THEIR CHILDREN. SHIM STAFF MEMBERS ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S SUCCESS. SHIM LEADERSHIP IS COMMITTED TO HIRING CULTURALLY DIVERSE STAFF, ESPECIALLY THOSE FROM WITHIN THE IMMIGRANT AND REFUGEE COMMUNITIES BEING SERVED. STAFF MEMBERS ARE TRAINED IN MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID, TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE, MENTORSHIP BEST PRACTICES AND MORE TO ENSURE COMPASSIONATE AND INFORMED RELATIONSHIP BUILDING WITH CLIENTS. CONSISTENT LEADERSHIP COMBINED WITH GENEROUS COMMUNITY SUPPORT POWERS SHIM'S CRITICAL SERVICES. SHIM IS POISED TO PROVIDE CONSISTENT MEANINGFUL CARE TO NEIGHBORS NOW AND INTO THE FUTURE.
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 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 June 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 June 1970.
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.
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.