The Miami Herald Charities Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
HERALD CHARITIES IS PRIMARILY INVOLVED IN THE ACCUMULATION OF FUNDS FOR CHARITABLE AND BENEVOLENT PURPOSES FOR THE AID OF THE NEEDY OR WORTHY INDIVIDUALS AND NOT FOR PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
- Income
- $404,562
- Spending
- $589,279
- Spent on programs
- 74%
- Reserves
- 7.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 7
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 68 out of 100.
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 46% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 21% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1574% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 255 of 5 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.
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 September 30, 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 (2)
- $329,604 spent. HOLIDAY WISHBOOK PROGRAM: THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES UNDER THE HOLIDAY WISHBOOK PROGRAM, WHEREBY READERS OF THE MIAMI HERALD AND EL NUEVO HERALD ARE SOLICITED TO DONATE FUNDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEEDY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PROFILED IN THE NEWSPAPERS. THE HERALD CHARITIES, INC. PROFILES NEEDY PEOPLE IN THE MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY'S NEWSPAPER DURING THE THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO, THE MIAMI HERALD HAS CHAMPIONED THE NEEDS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE IN THE SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY. IN 1952, THE MIAMI HERALD LEND-A-HAND FUND WAS INCORPORATED TO FORMALIZE THESE EFFORTS. IN DECEMBER 1982, THE MIAMI HERALD PUBLISHED ITS FIRST WISH BOOK IN AN EFFORT TO SPOTLIGHT NEEDY INDIVIDUALS IN SOUTH FLORIDA. THE MIAMI HERALD CHARITIES WAS OFFICIALLY FOUNDED IN 1995 TO OFFER READERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A NEIGHBOR'S LIFE. SINCE THEN, THE MIAMI HERALD READERS, TOGETHER WITH SPANISH-LANGUAGE READERS OF EL NUEVO HERALD, HAVE CONTRIBUTED SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS TO ASSIST SOME OF THE NEEDIEST PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WISHES RANGED FROM FOOD, CLOTHING, AND TOYS FOR THE HOLIDAYS TO MORE DESPERATELY NEEDED ITEMS SUCH AS MEDICAL SERVICES, WHEELCHAIRS, HOUSING AND HOME REPAIRS, FURNITURE AND DENTAL WORK. IN EARLY OCTOBER MORE THAN 600 NON-PROFIT SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA WERE CONTACTED TO NOMINATE CLIENTS FOR THE WISH BOOK PROGRAM. SPECIFICALLY, WISH BOOK CANDIDATES ARE CLIENTS FOR WHOM THE AGENCIES HAVE ALREADY EXPENDED AVAILABLE FUNDING, BUT WHOSE NEEDS GO BEYOND THE AGENCY'S RESOURCES. THE NOMINEES ARE SCREENED BY THE WISH BOOK TEAM AND THE MIAMI HERALD REPORTERS WORK DILIGENTLY TO PROFILE AS MANY CASES AS POSSIBLE EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON, RUNNING FROM THANKSGIVING DAY THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR. CURENTLY PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON. HOLIDAY WISHBOOK PROGRAM: THE ORGANIZATION OPERATES UNDER THE HOLIDAY WISHBOOK PROGRAM, WHEREBY READERS OF THE MIAMI HERALD AND EL NUEVO HERALD ARE SOLICITED TO DONATE FUNDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NEEDY INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PROFILED IN THE NEWSPAPERS. THE HERALD CHARITIES, INC. PROFILES NEEDY PEOPLE IN THE MIAMI HERALD MEDIA COMPANY'S NEWSPAPER DURING THE THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO, THE MIAMI HERALD HAS CHAMPIONED THE NEEDS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE IN THE SOUTH FLORIDA COMMUNITY. IN 1952, THE MIAMI HERALD LEND-A-HAND FUND WAS INCORPORATED TO FORMALIZE THESE EFFORTS. IN DECEMBER 1982, THE MIAMI HERALD PUBLISHED ITS FIRST WISH BOOK IN AN EFFORT TO SPOTLIGHT NEEDY INDIVIDUALS IN SOUTH FLORIDA. THE MIAMI HERALD CHARITIES WAS OFFICIALLY FOUNDED IN 1995 TO OFFER READERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN A NEIGHBOR'S LIFE. SINCE THEN, THE MIAMI HERALD READERS, TOGETHER WITH SPANISH-LANGUAGE READERS OF EL NUEVO HERALD, HAVE CONTRIBUTED SEVERAL MILLION DOLLARS TO ASSIST SOME OF THE NEEDIEST PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY. WISHES RANGED FROM FOOD, CLOTHING, AND TOYS FOR THE HOLIDAYS TO MORE DESPERATELY NEEDED ITEMS SUCH AS MEDICAL SERVICES, WHEELCHAIRS, HOUSING AND HOME REPAIRS, FURNITURE AND DENTAL WORK. IN EARLY OCTOBER MORE THAN 600 NON-PROFIT SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES IN SOUTH FLORIDA WERE CONTACTED TO NOMINATE CLIENTS FOR THE WISH BOOK PROGRAM. SPECIFICALLY, WISH BOOK CANDIDATES ARE CLIENTS FOR WHOM THE AGENCIES HAVE ALREADY EXPENDED AVAILABLE FUNDING, BUT WHOSE NEEDS GO BEYOND THE AGENCY'S RESOURCES. THE NOMINEES ARE SCREENED BY THE WISH BOOK TEAM AND THE MIAMI HERALD REPORTERS WORK DILIGENTLY TO PROFILE AS MANY CASES AS POSSIBLE EVERY HOLIDAY SEASON, RUNNING FROM THANKSGIVING DAY THROUGH THE FIRST WEEK OF THE NEW YEAR. CURENTLY PLANS ARE UNDERWAY FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON.
- $105,000 spent. SILVER KNIGHT AWARDS: THE ORGANIZATION ALSO SPONSORS THE SILVER KNIGHT AWARDS, WHICH HONOR OUSTANDING SCHOLASTIC ACCHIEVEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 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 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 September 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 March 1953.
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.
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