Help Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of the Help Center, Inc. is to provide information, outreach, direct services, advocacy, crisis counseling, and therapy to clientele in a safe, confidential environment. The intent is to assist clients in gaining insight, clarity, empowerment, client centered solutions, and life improvement in the wake of life's difficulties and in the aftermath of traumatic events.
- Income
- $3.2 million
- Spending
- $2.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 41%
- Employees
- 60
- Volunteers
- 280
- Highest pay
- $105,373, ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 15% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 14% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 50% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 38% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
18 of 254 of 4 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no 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
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
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 June 30, 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 (6)
- $1.3 million spent. THE HELP CENTER PROGRAM (HC) PROVIDES 24/7 SUICIDE/CRISIS COUNSELING AND FOLLOW-UP, AND RESOURCE INFORMATION/REFERRAL TO CALLERS FROM THESE 13 MONTANA COUNTIES: GALLATIN, PARK, MEAGHER, SWEET GRASS, WHEATLAND, BROADWATER, JEFFERSON, MADISON, BEAVERHEAD, SILVER BOW, DEER LODGE, GRANITE AND POWELL COUNTIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE HC IS OPEN TO CLIENT WALK-INS AND PROVIDES SUICIDE PREVENTION/INTERVENTION EDUCATION TO THESE COMMUNITIES AS WELL AS FREE ONGOING COUNSELING TO THOSE WHO CANNOT AFFORD IT ELSEWHERE. THE HELP CENTER PROGRAM OPERATES BOTH THE 211 AND THE 988 LINES FOR THOSE 13 COUNTIES. IN 2025 THE HELP CENTER PROGRAM HAD 15,736 DIRECT SERVICE CONTACTS AND PROVIDED 190 IN-PERSON AND 147 TELEHEALTH/TELEPHONIC FREE MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SESSIONS.
- $338,511 spent. SACKS THRIFT, LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN BOZEMAN, CONTINUES TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE PROGRAMS OF HELP CENTER INC. AS WELL AS MAINTAINING A VOUCHER SYSTEM FOR THOSE IN NEED OR AFFECTED BY DISASTER TO OBTAIN EMERGENCY CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. THEY PROVIDE REUSE-RECYCLE SERVICES FOR THE AREA THROUGH THEIR INNOVATIVE THRIFT STORE PRACTICES. IN 2025 SACKS PROVIDED 832 VOUCHERS TO OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NEED WHO REDEEMED THEM FOR OVER $39,000 IN ESSENTIAL MERCHANDISE/ITEMS.
- $219,590 spent. ON THE MENTAL HEALTH CAMPUS, WHICH WAS PURCHASED IN 2024 WE ARE NEARING COMPLETION OF REPAIRS AND RENOVATIONS. WE ARE NOW WITHIN WEEKS OF HAVING ALL OUR PROGRAMS EXCEPT THE SACKS THRIFT STORE CO-LOCATED ON THIS CAMPUS. WE ARE MAINTAINING THE IMPORTANT COMMUNITY ASSET OF 10 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS DESIGNATED FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WITH SERIOUS DISABLING MENTAL ILLNESS AND ALL UNITS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AND ARE NOW FULLY OCCUPIED.
- $204,747 spent. THE GALLATIN COUNTY CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER (CAC) PROVIDES MEDICAL, LEGAL, AND PERSONAL ADVOCACY, LONG- AND SHORT-TERM CHILD AND TRAUMA SPECIFIC INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY COUNSELING, MEDICAL AND LEGAL OUTREACH AND COORDINATION, CIVIL/LEGAL SERVICES INCLUDING SAFETY PLANNING, PARENTING PLAN ASSISTANCE, COORDINATION AND SCHEDULING OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY FORENSIC INTERVIEWS AND FOLLOW UPS AND MULTIPLE CLIENT CENTERED ASSESSMENTS (TRAUMA, SUICIDE) FOR CHILD VICTIMS OF SEXUAL AND INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE AND THEIR FAMILIES. IN 2025, 293 IN-PERSON CLIENTS (161 CHILDREN & 132 CONCERNED OTHERS) AS WELL AS 14 CHILDREN AND 11 CONCERNED OTHER CLIENTS THROUGH TELEHEALTH/TELEPHONIC WERE PROVIDED WITH THE FULL RANGE OF SERVICES INCLUDING 140 FORENSIC INTERVIEWS, 21 HOSPITAL OUTREACHES CONSISTING OF 14 FORENSIC MEDICAL EXAMS, 237 SUICIDE SCREENINGS AND 397 FREE, CHILD CENTERED, TRAUMA-BASED COUNSELING SESSIONS.
- $166,686 spent. HEARTS & HOMES (H&H) PROVIDES SUPERVISED FAMILY VISITATION, CUSTODY EXCHANGE, VISIT COACHING, THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS AND PARENTING CLASSES. IN 2025, ENDING ON JUNE 30TH, H&H PROVIDED 313 HOURS OF FAMILY VISITATION AND VISIT COACHING. 25 PARENTS TOOK PART IN CLASSES AND SERVICES. IN FY25-26, THE EXPERIENCED STAFF OF HEARTS & HOMES WILL BE ASSISTING THE GALLATIN CASA/GAL PROGRAM TO TAKE OVER THE VISITATION SERVICES OF HEARTS & HOMES. CHILDRENS SERVICES, INCLUDING PARENTING CLASSES WILL BE MOVED UNDER OTHER HELP CENTER INC. PROGRAMS.
- $146,096 spent. THE SEXUAL ASSAULT COUNSELING CENTER (SACC) PROVIDES MEDICAL, LEGAL AND PERSONAL ADVOCACY, LONG- AND SHORT-TERM TRAUMA BASED COUNSELING AND THERAPIES, CASE AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, MEDICAL AND LEGAL OUTREACH, VISA CONSULTATION, HUMAN TRAFFICKING IDENTIFICATION, CONSULTATION AND OUTREACH, FOLLOW-UPS AND ADDITIONAL BRIEF INTERVENTIONS LIKE SUICIDE AND TRAUMA ASSESSMENTS TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL AND INTERPERSONAL VICTIMIZATION AND THEIR CONCERNED OTHERS. IN 2025, SACC PROVIDED 144 IN-PERSON AND 281 TELEHEALTH/TELEPHONIC CLIENTS WITH THE FULL RANGE OF SERVICES INCLUDING 61 HOSPITAL OUTREACHES CONSISTING OF 60 FORENSIC EXAMS, 138 SUICIDE SCREENINGS AND 786 FREE, TRAUMA-BASED COUNSELING SESSIONS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 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 June 1973.
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.
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.