North County Connection
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Organization's primary exempt purpose: providing a resource center for the prevention of and recovery from substance abuse, other addictions, and related problems.
- Income
- $120,238
- Spending
- $103,756
- Spent on programs
- 99%
- Reserves
- -31.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 88%
- Employees
- 0
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
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 31% of charities in its peer group (mental health, under $250k).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 59% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 154% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1599% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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
Fair: 54 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (mental health, under $250k).
Independent board
18 of 253 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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.
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 (3)
- $72,513 spent. DROP IN CENTER, PEER COUNSELING, CRISIS TELEPHONE LINE: NCC has a drop-in room with information available and clean and sober socialization. The drop-in rooms are open before, during & after meetings. There is a TV/audio and media area to enjoy. Outside we have a park-like setting for thoughtful conversation & meditation. Our phone line is answered during daytime hours and refers callers to local emergency services when it is not staffed. We have nearly 1,000 drop-ins per year, 400 family crisis calls and an additional 1,200 requesting referrals and information. The serene environment inside and outside of the center is a place for renewal for both the recovery community and the homeless. In 2024 NCC secured grant funding to hire recovery navigators and a grant administrator, and initiated a new peer recovery coach training program.
- $24,453 spent. MEETING ROOMS: We maintain 3 meeting rooms, a childcare room, private and conference rooms for peer supportive services and rooms for sober socialization. These rooms are used by local 12-step groups including AA, NA, SAA, OA, DRA, Al-Anon, Alateen, and CoDA. We recently added SMART Recovery meetings for individuals seeking an alternative to 12-step groups. There are over 18 meetings per week, 52 weeks per year, with average monthly meeting attendance of 1,200, or nearly 15,000 per year. More than 300 regular attendees have children under 18, thus reducing incidences of child abuse, as their parents are seeking support for their clean and sober lifestyle. Of the regular meeting attendees only 52 persons per month are mandated to attend meetings under a court order. This shows that our recovery participants are members of the local community who are voluntarily participating in our programs, and are truly dedicated to attaining and preserving their clean and sober lifestyle. We provide a children's playroom to encourage the parents and to provide a safe, fun and healthy family environment for the children, many of whom have experienced a lot of trauma. The facility is also used on holidays for sober events, when our kitchen allows participants to share meals and fellowship. We average 100+ persons for Thanksgiving and 60+ for Christmas. We are open all day on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, when people in recovery are especially vulnerable to relapse. We also host various other potluck meals during the year and have facilitated weddings and celebrations of life events for members. Isolation and loneliness are major predictors of relapse and peer support is the antidote.
- $5,731 spent. INFORMATION DISSEMINATION: Create and distribute information to educate and facilitate recovery from and prevention of drug and alcohol abuse. We include alcoholics, addicts, spouses, families and loved ones. We provide information on gambling, sexual addiction and overeating. We provide educational opportunities for the participants and other community members with life-affirming and recovery-related topics twice a month. We maintain a facility meeting calendar and distribute a monthly newsletter. We stock all recovery literature that we can find and provide it at no cost. Our volunteers and clients produce, copy and distribute various recovery-related literature to collaborative meetings with many county agencies. Our Board members have been advocates for recovery & treatment services for the past 35 years. We have served on many County social services teams, health groups and agencies. Members are on child welfare boards and the Health Commission in our local government. In 2024 NCC hosted its first "September Recovery Month" awareness activity, which resulted in 10 new volunteers becoming active in its holiday programs and other activities. NCC initiated new educational programs onsite, starting with training on the proper use of Nar-Can for individuals who are in an opioid overdose.
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 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 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 August 1995.
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.