Transplant House
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
SEE SCHEDULE "O".
- Income
- $3.6 million
- Spending
- $3.1 million
- Spent on programs
- 82%
- Reserves
- 52.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 75%
- Employees
- 30
- Volunteers
- 2,700
- Highest pay
- $1.0 million, president & ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 52.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 41% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1582% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 73 out of 100. Higher than 21% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
5 of 252 of 4 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
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
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 December 31, 2024, 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)
- $2.5 million spent. TRANSPLANT HOUSE, D/B/A GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE, IS A TAX-EXEMPT PENNSYLVANIA NONPROFIT CORPORATION FORMED IN SEPTEMBER 2008 FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROVIDING TEMPORARY LODGING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ADULT AND PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS WHO TRAVEL TO PHILADELPHIA FOR THEIR LIFESAVING AND LIFE-ENHANCING TRANSPLANT TREATMENT. ITS CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES EDUCATION TO TRANSPLANT PROFESSIONALS AND TRANSPLANT COMMUNITY MEMBERS, INCLUDING TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS, IN SUPPORT OF THE TRANSPLANT JOURNEY REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY.CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O.GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE IS AFFILIATED WITH TWO OTHER PENNSYLVANIA NONPROFIT CORPORATIONS, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS TAX-EXEMPT UNDER SECTION 501(A) BY REASON OF BEING DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE: GREATER DELAWARE VALLEY SOCIETY OF TRANSPLANT SURGEONS, OPERATING UNDER THE NAME GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM, AND TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION. GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM (GIFT OF LIFE) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1974 TO IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF RECOVERING AND SHARING KIDNEYS TO ITS CONSTITUENTS IN THE TRI-STATE AREA COMPRISED OF THE EASTERN HALF OF PENNSYLVANIA, SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY, AND THE ENTIRE STATE OF DELAWARE. DURING THE PAST FIVE DECADES, GIFT OF LIFE EXPANDED ITS SERVICES TO SUPPORT THE DONATION OF ALL ORGANS AND TISSUE. SINCE 1974, GIFT OF LIFE HAS COORDINATED MORE THAN 59,000 LIFE-SAVING ORGANS FOR TRANSPLANT, AND MORE THAN 2 MILLION TISSUE TRANSPLANTS HAVE RESULTED FROM THE GENEROSITY OF DONORS AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN 1998, GIFT OF LIFE'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHED TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION AS THE CHARITABLE ARM TO SUPPORT ITS PROGRAMS THROUGH EDUCATION, RESEARCH, SERVICES TO DONOR FAMILIES AND RECIPIENTS AND AS A STEWARD FOR BROADER COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND FUNDRAISING ACTIVITIES REGARDING ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION. ONE INITIATIVE IDENTIFIED AT THE TIME OF INCORPORATION WAS THE CREATION OF A RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE TYPE OF PROGRAM TO SERVE THE FAMILIES OF PATIENTS AWAITING TRANSPLANTS AND RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP CARE IN THE PHILADELPHIA REGION. BOTH GIFT OF LIFE DONOR PROGRAM AND TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION BOARDS APPROVED MOVING FORWARD WITH THE PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AT 401-415 CALLOWHILL IN JUNE 2007 FOR THE FUTURE SITE OF GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE. FUNDS FOR THE LAND PURCHASE WERE PROVIDED BY A GRANT FROM TRANSPLANT FOUNDATION. CONSTRUCTION OF GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE COMMENCED IN THE FALL OF 2009 AND ITS DOORS OFFICIALLY OPENED TO TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN JULY 2011. GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE FEATURES THIRTY-TWO GUEST ROOMS, SERVING UP TO FOUR FAMILY MEMBERS PER ROOM, AND PROVIDES A PLACE WHERE FAMILIES UNDERGOING SIMILAR EXPERIENCES CAN SHARE TIME TOGETHER WHILE THEIR LOVED ONES ARE AWAITING OR UNDERGOING THEIR LIFE-SAVING TRANSPLANT. A LARGE COMMUNAL KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM ALLOW FAMILIES TO INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER AND FIND THE SUPPORT AND STRENGTH THEY NEED TO HELP THEM NAVIGATE THIS EXTREMELY CHALLENGING SITUATION. ADDITIONAL GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE SERVICES INCLUDE SHUTTLE TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM THE HOSPITALS, SECURE PARKING, LAUNDRY FACILITIES, AN INDOOR ACTIVITY CENTER, FITNESS CENTER, WIRELESS COMPUTER/INTERNET ACCESS AND LIBRARY AND LEARNING RESOURCES. NO MEDICAL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED AT GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE; IT IS INTENDED TO BE A COMFORTABLE AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR FAMILY MEMBERS. GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE PRIMARILY SERVES OUT-OF-TOWN FAMILIES LIVING MORE THAN 25 MILES AWAY WITH A FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS A PATIENT AWAITING A TRANSPLANT OR RECEIVING FOLLOW-UP CARE AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING PHILADELPHIA-AREA TRANSPLANT CENTERS: -JEFFERSON EINSTEIN PHILADELPHIA HOSPITAL-CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA-ST. CHRISTOPHER'S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN -TEMPLE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL-THOMAS JEFFERSON UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL-UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HEALTH SYSTEM PROGRAM STATISTICS FOR 2024: IN 2024, GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE PROVIDED THE FOLLOWING SUPPORT: 9,964 LODGING NIGHTS OF CARE TO 185 UNIQUE FAMILIES 7,711 HOURS OF SUPPORT FROM GUEST SERVICE VOLUNTEERS 1,382 TRIPS TO AND FROM AREA HOSPITALS 36,160 MEALS TO FAMILIES THROUGH THE HOME COOK HEROES PROGRAM 236 HOURS OF DIRECT COUNSELING TO TRANSPLANT CAREGIVERS AND PATIENTSPOPULATION SERVED: GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE HOSTS SOLID ORGAN TRANSPLANT CANDIDATES, RECIPIENTS, LIVING DONORS, AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO LIVE AT LEAST 25 MILES AWAY FROM THE FACILITY. MANY GUESTS RESIDE IN COUNTIES LOCATED IN PA, NJ, DE, AND NY, AND OTHERS HAVE TRAVELED FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND EVEN INTERNATIONALLY, TO RECEIVE TRANSPLANT CARE IN PHILADELPHIA.IN 2022 GIFT OF LIFE FAMILY HOUSE WAS RENAMED TO GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE IN HONOR OF ITS VISIONARY FOUNDER, HOWARD M. NATHAN. PROGRAMS: CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM THE TRANSPLANT JOURNEY IS OFTEN AN OVERWHELMING AND CHALLENGING EXPERIENCE, MARKED BY COMPLEX MEDICAL DECISIONS, EXTENDED TIME AWAY FROM HOME, AND THE FINANCIAL STRAIN OF ONGOING TREATMENT AND TRAVEL WHILE WAITING SOMETIMES FOR MONTHS OR YEARS FOR "THE CALL," THAT MOMENT A PATIENT IS NOTIFIED THAT A LIFE-SAVING ORGAN IS AVAILABLE. THE CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM WAS FORMED TO PROVIDE TRANSPLANT FAMILIES WITH EDUCATION AND SUPPORT AS THEY NAVIGATE THE PRE- AND POST-TRANSPLANT EXPERIENCE. THE CAREGIVER LIFELINE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF TWO PRIMARY AREAS OF FOCUS: INTERNAL SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES STAYING AT GIFT OF LIFE HOWIE'S HOUSE, AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT FOR CAREGIVERS AND TRANSPLANT PATIENTS THROUGHOUT GIFT OF LIFE'S REGION AND BEYOND. INTERNALLY, A FULL-TIME SOCIAL WORK TEAM IS AVAILABLE ON-SITE FOR INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, SUPPORT GROUPS, RESOURCES, REFERRALS, AND ADVOCACY FOR FINANCIAL, EMPLOYMENT AND INSURANCE CONCERNS. EXTERNALLY, THE PROGRAM PROVIDES EDUCATION BY WAY OF A DIGITAL LIBRARY ADDRESSING THE ABOVE AREAS, EDUCATIONAL WEBINARS ON TRANSPLANT TOPICS, VARIOUS VIRTUAL AND ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS FOR TRANSPLANT PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS, AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS TO THE REGIONAL TRANSPLANT HOS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, 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 October 13, 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 2024.
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 September 2008.
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 October 21, 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.