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Young Leadership Addiction Awareness Inc

EIN 84-1971832 · Westport, CT

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood86 out of 100GovernanceStrong97 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

The mission of Generation S.O.S. is helping teens and young adults make life-saving decisions about substance misuse and other mental health issues.

Income
$463,301
Spending
$468,522
Spent on programs
84%
Reserves
8.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 62%
Employees
0
Volunteers
45
Highest pay
$150,000, ceo and secretary

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 86 out of 100. Higher than 77% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 8.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 13% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    8 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 0% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    84% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 97 out of 100. Higher than 91% of charities in its peer group (mental health, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 18 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    12 of 15

    Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 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 (3)
  1. $218,301 spent. Generation S.O.S.s widely acclaimed prevention program, recently featured on CBS Evening News Eye on America, helps teens before mental health problems develop into life-threatening conditions that are exceedingly difficult to treat. In 2025, we reached over 100,000 students nationwide. Our peer-to-peer program brings young speakers who have struggled with and overcome crippling mental health and substance misuse challenges into schools and community organizations to share their stories and offer hope and help. These stories are raw, relatable, and incredibly inspiring. They encourage honest conversations and reduce the stigma around mental health and substance misuse. Students learn warning signs, coping skills and, importantly, to ask for help if theyre struggling. Our schoolwide Generation S.O.S. assemblies have inspired students to start Generation S.O.S. clubs around the country and to continue honest dialogue about mental health throughout the year.
  2. $107,142 spent. In 2025, Generation S.O.S. put significant effort behind two initiatives to greatly expand our reach, and connect within communities facing distinct mental health and substance misuse challenges. We significantly increased the number of meetings in under-resourced communities in Manhattan, Harlem, and the Bronx. We have forged new partnerships with NYJTL, New York Edge, KIPP schools, and Mama Foundation for the Arts, which are building our presence in these communities. Our Correctional Community Initiative brings Zoom meetings from male and female correctional facilities in Ohio and Virginia to schools nationwide. This is an invaluable opportunity for teens and young adults to hear the difficult stories of other young adults that led them to substance misuse, crime and incarceration, and understand that we are all more similar than different. The response to this initiative has been extraordinary, and we intend to partner with many more correctional facilities.
  3. $67,602 spent. In 2025, we began building a comprehensive video library of our speakers for schools and community organizations to use, at no cost, to reach audiences where and when Generation S.O.S. is unable to participate in-person or via Zoom. We are creating videos for use with middle school, high school, and college-age students, reflecting varied socioeconomic backgrounds and discussing a range of mental health and social challenges that often lead to trauma in the lives of our youth. This library will also be made available to our nonprofit partners who have their own unique distribution channels, including New York Junior Tennis & Learning in the Bronx, New York Edge, the Center for Hope and Healing in Houston, and the Skeer Lab at Tufts University Medical School, among others. These videos will help us continue to drive down the delivery cost of bringing Generation S.O.S. to teens and young adults everywhere.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending September 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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 October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since September 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.