Defend the Fatherless Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
To be one more reason for families to say, "Yes" to vulnerable children through foster care, adoption, and kinship care. Defend the Fatherless meets this mission by serving the physical, emotional, educational, spiritual and financial needs of the local foster and adoptive community.
- Income
- $982,894
- Spending
- $879,192
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 9.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 91%
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $163,412, executive director
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
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 9.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 36% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 8 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
Good: 76 out of 100. Higher than 56% of charities in its peer group (human services, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 7 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
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.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
6 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 (7)
- $486,785 spent. In 2025 Defend the Fatherless had 543 visits to the Foster Closet and subsequently served 1,072 children. During a visit to the Foster Closet, families are able to "shop" at no cost for items including: diapers, wipes, clothing, shoes, socks, underwear, car seats, baby equipment and other essentials. Among other items, we have provided families with cribs, bassinets, bunk beds, twin beds, mattresses, swings, changing tables, exersaucers, strollers, double strollers, infant car seats, toddler car seats, swings, jumperoos, baby carriers, shoes, new socks, new underwear, diapers, wipes, clothes, winter coats, backpacks, school supplies, hats/gloves, bikes and blankets/sheets. Items are donated through the community and are not paid for by Defend. The items are then given away to families at no cost. The Beds for Kids In Care program (a sub program of the foster closet) experienced tremendous growth in 2025. It has been widely used by social workers in hopes of keeping sibling sets together or even in Family Preservation in effort to provide a safe and comfortable place for children to sleep while a biological parent is working with DSS. A total of 396 beds were provided.
- $48,134 spent. For the fifth year, Defend the Fatherless partnered directly with the York County Department of Social Services (DSS) to provide Christmas to every York County child in foster care. This year, 162 children were served. Over $19,000 was raised through the on-line Santa's Helper campaign, 23 local churches and businesses hosted physical angel trees that helped to collect gift cards, totalling over $17,000. Funding for the program and through this joint community effort, equated to $36,000 and was collected to fund the program in just three short weeks! The gift cards collected were given directly to local foster families to allow them the joy of shopping for the foster children in their care and provide a connection opportunity between foster child and foster parent!
- $37,237 spent. Defend the Fatherless collected 500 pairs of specifically wished for shoes through their Back 2 School Shoe Drive. This is equivalent to approximately $29,000 in shoe donations. Also collected were 150 backpacks and school supplies with a $40 value each which equals $6000. We also collected and gave away school supplies in the approximate dollar amount of $1000. Defend spent $1200 on this program for the purchase of additional shoes, socks and school supplies that were not donated in-kind.
- $11,541 spent. Mental Health Scholarship Program: To help offset the cost of trauma based mental health services Defend the Fatherless offers a Mental Health Scholarship. Families are required to apply for the scholarship, services must be verified by Defend the Fatherless and receipts are required. Families are eligible to be reimbursed up to $500 per family per year.
- $10,099 spent. Connection Events Program: Connection and respite continue to be a huge need for the families Defend the Fatherless serves. The family structure of the foster and adoptive family is unique and it is important for the families served by Defend the Fatherless to feel a sense of community and belonging. Defend hosted 47 Connection and Respite Opportunities up from 21 Connection and Respite Opportunities. Nearly 1,300 people were served through these engagement events.
- $6,000 spent. Adoption Grant Program: In 2025 $6,000 was awarded to three different families each to offset the cost of adoption fees. Families applied for the adoption grant and the board of directors met to discuss who would receive the grants. Defend the Fatherless received $1,000 in restricted funding to assist with this program.
- $202,546 spent. Allocation of wages, payroll taxes, and other operating expenses
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 December 2019.
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.