Hand County Health Wellness and Community Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR HEALTH CARE & RECREATION.
- Income
- $2.9 million
- Spending
- $33,165
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- Over 10 years of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
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
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 42 out of 100. Higher than 5% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 257 of 7 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
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
0 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 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 (2)
- $21,527 spent. ST. LAWRENCE CARES IS A BRAND NEW ORGANIZATION IN ST. LAWRENCE, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE GROUP WAS FOUNDED IN MAY OF 2021 BY FOUR VERY COMMUNITY-MINDED RESIDENTS, SHELBY WIESELER, ANDREA MUSHITZ, JANSEN NABER, AND HANNAH CAFFEE. THESE FOUR INDIVIDUALS ALL HAD THE SAME DREAM IN MIND: TO MAKE THEIR SMALL TOWN THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE. THEIR MISSION IS SIMPLE, COMPLETE COMMUNITY BASED PROJECTS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE. THROUGH THIS MISSION, THE GOAL OF ST. LAWRENCE CARES IS TO MAKE THE ST. LAWRENCE COMMUNITY AS WELCOMING AS POSSIBLE FOR FAMILIES OF ALL SIZES, CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, AND VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR. TO MEET THEIR GOAL, THE FIRST UNDERTAKING OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ST. LAWRENCE, AS WELL AS MILLER, TO INSTALL A SAFE, FUN, AND EASY TO ACCESS PLAYGROUND. ST. LAWRENCE CARES IS JOINING FORCES WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND BUILD A NEW PLAYGROUND. THE AREA WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PLAYGROUND WITH LOCAL CHILDREN FINALLY HAVING A SAFE, CLOSE TO HOME AND CENTRAL PLACE TO GROW AND PLAY. THE INTENDED PLAYGROUND IS MUCH NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FEATURES MULTIPLE INSTALLATIONS TO MAKE IT WELCOMING AND INVITING FOR ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. THERE CURRENTLY IS NO EASY TO ACCESS COMMUNAL PLAY EQUIPMENT FOR KIDS IN OUR TOWN. THE NEAREST ALTERNATIVE FOR ANY KIND OF PLAY EQUIPMENT IS JUST OVER 3 MILES AWAY, IN THE NEIGHBORING CITY OF MILLER, AT THEIR LOCAL PARK OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THIS PLAYGROUND IS HIGHLY SUPPORTED BY LOCAL CITIZENS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ALIKE. IT WILL BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER AND HAVE LONGTERM POSITIVE IMPACTS IN THE COMMUNITY. MOST DIRECTLY SERVED BY THIS PLAYGROUND, WILL BE THE RESIDENTS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE COMMUNITY, BOTH THOSE WITHIN AND OUT OF CITY LIMITS. INDIRECTLY, THIS PROJECT ALSO BENEFITS MILLER CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO FREQUENTLY COME TO ST. LAWRENCE TO DINE, DO BUSINESS, OR SIMPLY VISIT. ST. LAWRENCE CARES IS A BRAND NEW ORGANIZATION IN ST. LAWRENCE, SOUTH DAKOTA. THE GROUP WAS FOUNDED IN MAY OF 2021 BY FOUR VERY COMMUNITY-MINDED RESIDENTS, SHELBY WIESELER, ANDREA MUSHITZ, JANSEN NABER, AND HANNAH CAFFEE. THESE FOUR INDIVIDUALS ALL HAD THE SAME DREAM IN MIND: TO MAKE THEIR SMALL TOWN THE VERY BEST IT CAN BE. THEIR MISSION IS SIMPLE, COMPLETE COMMUNITY BASED PROJECTS THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE. THROUGH THIS MISSION, THE GOAL OF ST. LAWRENCE CARES IS TO MAKE THE ST. LAWRENCE COMMUNITY AS WELCOMING AS POSSIBLE FOR FAMILIES OF ALL SIZES, CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, AND VISITORS FROM NEAR AND FAR. TO MEET THEIR GOAL, THE FIRST UNDERTAKING OF THE ORGANIZATION IS TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN ST. LAWRENCE, AS WELL AS MILLER, TO INSTALL A SAFE, FUN, AND EASY TO ACCESS PLAYGROUND. ST. LAWRENCE CARES IS JOINING FORCES WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND BUILD A NEW PLAYGROUND. THE AREA WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS PLAYGROUND WITH LOCAL CHILDREN FINALLY HAVING A SAFE, CLOSE TO HOME AND CENTRAL PLACE TO GROW AND PLAY. THE INTENDED PLAYGROUND IS MUCH NEEDED IN OUR COMMUNITY AND FEATURES MULTIPLE INSTALLATIONS TO MAKE IT WELCOMING AND INVITING FOR ALL CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. THERE CURRENTLY IS NO EASY TO ACCESS COMMUNAL PLAY EQUIPMENT FOR KIDS IN OUR TOWN. THE NEAREST ALTERNATIVE FOR ANY KIND OF PLAY EQUIPMENT IS JUST OVER 3 MILES AWAY, IN THE NEIGHBORING CITY OF MILLER, AT THEIR LOCAL PARK OR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. THIS PLAYGROUND IS HIGHLY SUPPORTED BY LOCAL CITIZENS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ALIKE. IT WILL BRING FAMILIES TOGETHER AND HAVE LONGTERM POSITIVE IMPACTS IN THE COMMUNITY. MOST DIRECTLY SERVED BY THIS PLAYGROUND, WILL BE THE RESIDENTS OF THE ST. LAWRENCE COMMUNITY, BOTH THOSE WITHIN AND OUT OF CITY LIMITS. INDIRECTLY, THIS PROJECT ALSO BENEFITS MILLER CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO FREQUENTLY COME TO ST. LAWRENCE TO DINE, DO BUSINESS, OR SIMPLY VISIT.
- $8,000 spent. BACKPACK BUDDIES PROGRAM: IN 2009, HANNAH CAFFEE BEGAN WORKING ON HER GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT. SHE DECIDED THERE WAS A TRUE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP NEEDY FAMILIES AND THEIR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. SHE DECIDED TO DO A BACKPACK BUDDIES PROGRAM THAT WOULD PROVIDE FILLED BACKPACKS AT NO COST TO THESE FAMILIES. THE FIRST YEAR THE PROGRAM GAVE 17 BACKPACKS AWAY. EACH YEAR, THE NUMBERS INCREASED WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER IN 2015 - 53 BACKPACKS ON AVERAGE, THIS PROGRAM GIVES 30 BACKPACKS A YEAR. AFTER HANNAH WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE, THE PROGRAM WAS DIRECTED BY LIZ WELK WITH HELP FROM SYLVIA WIESELER. AFTER LIZ WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE, TAYLOR SCHLECHTER DIRECTED THE PROGRAM AND LATER HAD HER SISTER CALLIE HELP OUT. CALLIE SCHLECHTER IS CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR. THE ADULT SUPERVISOR CONTINUES TO BE TAMMY CAFFEE WHO TAKES CARE OF FINANCIALS WITH GRANT APPLICATIONS AND FUNDRAISING AS NEEDED. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH PROVIDING A ROOM WHERE SCHOOL SUPPLIES CAN BE STORED AND WHERE THE BACKPACKS CAN BE ASSEMBLED. THEY HAVE ALSO PROVIDED MONEY TO HELP THIS PROGRAM. OTHER SUPPORTERS OVER THE YEARS HAVE INCLUDED MILLER AREA FOUNDATION, SENIOR CITIZENS OF HAND COUNTY, HAND COUNTY MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION, PRESBYTERIAN AND LUTHERAN WOMEN AND MOST RECENTLY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. THIS PROGRAM HAS ALSO RECEIVED PRIVATE DONATIONS AS WELL. IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, WE GAVE AWAY 35 BACKPACKS TO NEEDY KIDS IN THE MILLER AREA WE ESTIMATE THAT OVER 400 BACKPACKS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AWAY SINCE 2009. HANNAH' S CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM REMAIN THE SAME: 1.CONFIDENTIALITY - ONLY ONE PERSON KNOWS WHO RECEIVES THE BACKPACKS. 2.QUALITY - BACKPACKS GIVEN ARE BRAND NEW AND IN THE LATEST STYLES TO GIVE CHILDREN CONFIDENCE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. 3.EFFICIENCY - BACKPACKS ARE DISTRIBUTED BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. BACKPACK BUDDIES PROGRAM: IN 2009, HANNAH CAFFEE BEGAN WORKING ON HER GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT. SHE DECIDED THERE WAS A TRUE NEED IN OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP NEEDY FAMILIES AND THEIR SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN. SHE DECIDED TO DO A BACKPACK BUDDIES PROGRAM THAT WOULD PROVIDE FILLED BACKPACKS AT NO COST TO THESE FAMILIES. THE FIRST YEAR THE PROGRAM GAVE 17 BACKPACKS AWAY. EACH YEAR, THE NUMBERS INCREASED WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER IN 2015 - 53 BACKPACKS ON AVERAGE, THIS PROGRAM GIVES 30 BACKPACKS A YEAR. AFTER HANNAH WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE, THE PROGRAM WAS DIRECTED BY LIZ WELK WITH HELP FROM SYLVIA WIESELER. AFTER LIZ WENT AWAY TO COLLEGE, TAYLOR SCHLECHTER DIRECTED THE PROGRAM AND LATER HAD HER SISTER CALLIE HELP OUT. CALLIE SCHLECHTER IS CURRENTLY THE DIRECTOR. THE ADULT SUPERVISOR CONTINUES TO BE TAMMY CAFFEE WHO TAKES CARE OF FINANCIALS WITH GRANT APPLICATIONS AND FUNDRAISING AS NEEDED. THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HAS BEEN VERY GENEROUS WITH PROVIDING A ROOM WHERE SCHOOL SUPPLIES CAN BE STORED AND WHERE THE BACKPACKS CAN BE ASSEMBLED. THEY HAVE ALSO PROVIDED MONEY TO HELP THIS PROGRAM. OTHER SUPPORTERS OVER THE YEARS HAVE INCLUDED MILLER AREA FOUNDATION, SENIOR CITIZENS OF HAND COUNTY, HAND COUNTY MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION, PRESBYTERIAN AND LUTHERAN WOMEN AND MOST RECENTLY VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL. THIS PROGRAM HAS ALSO RECEIVED PRIVATE DONATIONS AS WELL. IN THE SUMMER OF 2020, WE GAVE AWAY 35 BACKPACKS TO NEEDY KIDS IN THE MILLER AREA WE ESTIMATE THAT OVER 400 BACKPACKS HAVE BEEN GIVEN AWAY SINCE 2009. HANNAH' S CRITERIA FOR THE PROGRAM REMAIN THE SAME: 1.CONFIDENTIALITY - ONLY ONE PERSON KNOWS WHO RECEIVES THE BACKPACKS. 2.QUALITY - BACKPACKS GIVEN ARE BRAND NEW AND IN THE LATEST STYLES TO GIVE CHILDREN CONFIDENCE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. 3.EFFICIENCY - BACKPACKS ARE DISTRIBUTED BEFORE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.
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 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 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 March 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 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.