Touching Heart
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Our mission is to teach children the joy of giving and to build the next generation of compassionate leaders. Through our after school programs, workshops, summer camps, and events, Touching Heart creates hands-on opportunities for children to actively experience the great joy that comes from helping others. Since 2010 our programs have impacted over 24,000 children. The end result is that our children have helped over 6,000 individuals over the years, and continue to do so.
- Income
- $48,745
- Spending
- $53,950
- Spent on programs
- 96%
- Reserves
- 72.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 46%
- Employees
- 1
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $3,250, co-founder and executive director and chair
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
Good: 74 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 72.3 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 11% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 64% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1596% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Strong: 94 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (human services, under $250k).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 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
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
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 (3)
- $7,906 spent. Kids On A Mission (KOAM) - Touching Heart coaches work with a leadership team of 3-5 children to select a cause, then plan and implement an event to raise funds to bring about positive change in the lives of children in need. Touching Heart partners with carefully selected local causes that benefit local children and international orphanages. Using a child-led, project-based learning curriculum developed by Touching Heart, these young leaders learn practical life and business skills including goal-setting, marketing, budgeting, public speaking and project management. They experience the joy of working as a team together to help others in need, and most of them can't wait to do it again! Children in our programs see the impact of their efforts through photographs, letters, conference calls and video. Touching Heart believes that children seeing the actual results of their giving actions is critical to inspiring children to continue to give. Examples of Kids on a Mission events include a fashion show, Minecraft tournament, basketball and soccer tournaments, a princess tea party and a art gallery sale. Since 2010, over 5,000 kids led or participated in Kids on a Mission events, benefitting over 14,000 children locally and internationally from the funds raised from the events. The children help organize the Backpack distributions, Fun Day and the Holiday Party.
- $1,008 spent. School Programs - In Touching Heart's classes and clubs, participants take action to help others and learn about the impact they can have to make the world a better place. They complete hands-on service projects such as preparing food for homeless shelters and making fleece scarves and blankets for children in need. They also learn about issues such as clean water and hunger eradication, and participate in leadership development activities and compassion and empathy exercises. Elementary school classes consist of eight one-hour sessions, while middle school and high school programs are yearlong clubs. Since 2015 Touching Heart classes and clubs were held in over 26 schools in Fairfax and Loudoun County in VA, Montgomery County in MD and Brooklyn in NY. With over 700 children attending the programs, they in turn helped over 5,500 children in need. Touching Heart classes and clubs have grown quickly, mostly through word-of-mouth, and received rave reviews from parents and participants.
- $43,047 spent. Touching Heart has had long-standing relationships with local organizations that help children in need including the Arlington, Fairfax and Loudon County Foster Care Programs, Fairfax County Family Services, and Cornerstones in Herndon. Touching Heart helps children right here in our community with local projects and programs. In 2022 Touching Heart kids participated in assembling lunches and creating cold care packs for local homeless shelters, organizing Summer Fun Fair and Winter Holiday Parties for Fairfax County foster children and their families, providing backpacks and school supplies to foster children in various counties. Touching Heart also has conducted stringent reviews of several international orphanages, selecting only a few to be our partners. We are very selective on who we partner with, as we provide these orphanages with significant funding for specific projects.
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 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 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 November 2009.
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.