Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Jewish Community Center

EIN 43-0681477 · Saint Louis, MO

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE ST. LOUIS JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER ENRICHES LIVES, BUILDS COMMUNITY, PROMOTES INCLUSIVITY AND CREATES MEANINGFUL JEWISH EXPERIENCES.

Income
$26.1 million
Spending
$25.6 million
Spent on programs
80%
Reserves
1.9 months of spending
Largest source of income
fees for its services, 56%
Employees
1,034
Volunteers
884
Highest pay
$248,086, president and 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

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 66% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.9 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 5% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 2% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 1% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    80% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    31 of 31 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (4)
  1. $8.7 million spent. HEALTH AND WELLNESS - THE JCC FITNESS DEPARTMENT SERVES A POPULATION AS DIVERSE AS ST. LOUIS ITSELF. WE HAVE ALL AGES, RELIGIONS, AND ETHNICITIES REPRESENTED IN A COMMON GOAL OF SELF-IMPROVEMENT AND FOSTERING A STRONGER COMMUNITY. WITHIN THE WALLS OF OUR TWO ST. LOUIS LOCATIONS, WE PROVIDE THOUSANDS OF GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES, SMALL GROUP PERSONAL TRAINING AND ONE-ON-ONE PERSONAL TRAINING, AS WELL AS A WELL-EQUIPPED FITNESS CENTER. IN 2024, WE SERVED OVER 14,500 UNIQUE MEMBERS AND AVERAGED CLOSE TO 38,000 SCANS PER MONTH. WHILE WE CATER TO MANY CLIENTS, WE EMPHASIZE INDIVIDUALITY THROUGH OUR PRIVATE CONSULTATIONS FOR EVERY MEMBER.
  2. $3.5 million spent. EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION - THE JCC EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FAMILIES, IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING QUALITY CARE AND EDUCATION THAT EMBRACES THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN'S MIND, BODY AND SOUL. WE STIMULATE THE MINDS OF YOUNG CHILDREN THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE AND INDIVIDUALIZED CURRICULUM IMPLEMENTED BY A WELL-TRAINED STAFF IN A SAFE, NURTURING, AND DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENT. CHILDREN DEVELOP THEIR BODIES AND ARE ENCOURAGED TO ADOPT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS THROUGH A PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT UTILIZES THE BEST OF THE JCC'S RESOURCES IN FITNESS, RECREATION, AND AQUATICS. THE SOUL IS NURTURED THROUGH LIVING JEWISH VALUES AND JEWISH EXPERIENCES IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT APPRECIATES AND RESPECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES PARTICIPATING IN OUR PROGRAM. RECOGNIZING THAT NOT ALL FAMILIES CAN AFFORD HIGH QUALITY CARE AND EDUCATION FOR THEIR CHILDREN, THE JCC PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES IN NEED. BOTH FACILITIES ARE ACCREDITED BY MISSOURI VOLUNTARY ACCREDITATION AND UTILIZE THE PROJECT CONSTRUCT CURRICULUM.
  3. $3.2 million spent. CAMP SABRA IS A PREMIER JEWISH SLEEPAWAY CAMP IN NORTH AMERICA BUILDING UPON OUR RICH TRADITIONS WHICH BEGAN IN 1938. SABRA IS A MAGICAL COMMUNITY THAT FOSTERS LIFE-LONG FRIENDSHIPS, JEWISH IDENTITY, AND ENCOURAGES SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL GROWTH. SABRA ACCOMPLISHES THIS BY EMPLOYING HIGHLY QUALIFIED, WELL-TRAINED STAFF WHO UTILIZE OUR UNIQUE FACILITIES TO PROVIDE THESE EXPERIENCES. OUR FAMILIES CONTINUE TO TELL US THROUGH SURVEYS WHICH BENCHMARK OUR PERFORMANCE AGAINST OTHER CAMPS THAT OUR PROGRAMMING (OUTDOOR ADVENTURE/EDUCATION, CULTURAL PROGRAMMING, WATER AND LAND SPORTS) AND STAFF QUALITY IS SUPERIOR TO OTHER CAMPS. RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF A CAMP EXPERIENCE FOR ALL CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF ECONOMIC RESOURCES - THE JCC PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO MAKE THE SABRA EXPERIENCE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE. CAMP SABRA IS ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN CAMPING ASSOCIATION.
  4. $4.9 million spent. JEWISH COMMUNITY LIFE THE J HAS LONG SERVED AS THE TOWN SQUARE OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY WELCOMING PLACE WHERE FAMILIES OF ALL AFFILIATIONS CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE AND AT HOME. WE ARE DEDICATED TO MEETING THE EVOLVING NEEDS OF OUR MEMBERS, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, AND THE ENTIRE ST. LOUIS REGION. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE OFFER A WIDE VARIETY OF JEWISH-CENTERED EVENTS AND PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AT EVERY STAGE OF LIFE.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1953.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.