Open Hearts for Orphans Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To provide for the needs of orphans worldwide through medical intervention, financial assistance for adoptive families, and providing the most basic necessities.
- Income
- $734,365
- Spending
- $821,438
- Spent on programs
- 87%
- Reserves
- 2.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $75,000, ceo
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
Fair: 64 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 2.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 12% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1587% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 9 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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
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 (6)
- $385,598 spent. Meeting Basic Needs: -OHFO helped fund a DCF Playroom and Resource Room in Broward County, Florida, creating a safe and comforting transition space for children moving out of crisis situations. -We provided 7 fully furnished homes for widows and orphans in Ugandaeach with solar power, water tanks, latrines, and kitchens positively impacting 35 children and bringing our total homes built to 45. -OHFO funded the release of 17 children from orphanages or prison settings in Uganda. -We financed foster care placements for 30 vulnerable children in Uganda. -OHFO made tuition assistance possible for 80 children in Uganda. -OHFO provided 35 specialized clean-water filters to families in Uganda, along with hands-on training. -We supported 70 vulnerable children in South Florida and Arizona through partner organizations. -OHFO provided graduation gift cards to 75 children in local foster care completing middle school, high school, and college.
- $186,652 spent. Adoption Assistance & Advocacy: -We funded 26 Say Yes adoption grants in 2025. -33 more children came home in 2025 with the help of our grant bringing our total to over 160 families. -Our grants will impact children with multiple special needs from 8 countries - Bulgaria, Colombia, India, Liberia, Poland, Taiwan, Uganda, and USA. -We continued our role as an official Family-Match FRO (Family Recruitment Organization) in Palm Beach County and beyond to connect interested families with adoptable children in our foster system. -We participated in the No More Orphans experience, attracting many open hearts to the plight of vulnerable children and provided resources through our ARISE program. Our ARISE meetings and consultations are available to the local South Florida community, and our hope is that the mission will spread as we strive to bring authentic voices into the conversation.
- $139,983 spent. Medical Intervention for Orphans: -We launched our Hearts of Hope cardiac program in partnership with Upasuaji International creating an unprecedented pathway for in-country care and provided cardiac interventions for six vulnerable children in Uganda. -We funded a hypospadias repair for an orphan. -We funded critical care for Josiah in Uganda, a little boy who was near death. -With our Uganda partners, who saw a continued surge of abandoned and malnourished babies, we provided life-saving baby formula and supplements for 25 babies through our Nurtured Hearts program. -Ann Bartlinski, our Director of Orphan Care and Medical programs traveled to Uganda and carried essential supplies in her luggage, including tins of infant formula. Ann was able to follow up on cases from previous years.
- Meeting Basic Needs, continued - We provided toys for 105 children in Ugandamany receiving a toy for the very first time.
- Adoption Assistance & Advocacy, continued - We continued our partnership with Childrens Home Society (CHS) in Palm Beach County, providing recruitment events for adoptable children in the foster system, where prospective families could attend and participate. We celebrated local adoptions again by providing Welcome Home gift cards to 14 children adopted from foster care into 11 families on National Adoption Day in November.
- Medical Intervention for Orphans, continued - We embarked on our largest scale project to date - refurbishing the pediatric ward of St. Joseph Kitovu Hospital in Masaka, Uganda. By years end, the construction phase was 100% funded and 75% complete. This renovation will change the trajectory of care for vulnerable children in an impoverished rural area.
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 October 13, 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 2017.
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 October 21, 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.