Choose Healthy Life
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
CHOOSE HEALTHY LIFE (CHL) IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON PROVIDING THE BLACK CHURCH THE OLDEST AND MOST TRUSTED INSTITUTION IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY - WITH THE NECESSARY RESOURCES, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO ADDRESS HEALTH DISPARITIES IN HARD-TO-REACH COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE DELIVERY OF HEALTH SERVICES AND COMMUNITY WELLNESS PROGRAMS. OUR PROVEN, SUSTAINABLE, AND SCALABLE MODEL THAT BRINGS TOGETHER FAITH AND SCIENCE IS BASED ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A TRAINED FAITH-BASED HEALTH NAVIGATOR IN EACH CHL CHURCH. WE'RE AT THE FOREFRONT OF SHAPING THE HEALTH EQUITY FIELD TO ADDRESS SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, AS WELL AS A LEADER ON THE GROUND IN PROVIDING HEALTHCARE SERVICES AND HANDS-ON ACTION WITH VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. WE AREN'T JUST DISCUSSING THE PATH TOWARDS HEALTH EQUITY - WE'RE PAVING IT. FOUNDED IN 2021 DURING THE HEIGHT OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, CHOOSE HEALTHY LIFE FUNDED 120 CHURCHES ACROSS 13 STATES THAT CONDUCTED OVER 3,700 EVENTS AND VACCINATED AND TESTED OVER 110,000 INDIV
- Income
- $2.8 million
- Spending
- $5.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 91%
- Reserves
- 1.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 49%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 7
- Highest pay
- $143,333, president &
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: 45 out of 100. Higher than 17% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
10 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 1.4 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 15% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 105% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 72% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1591% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 256 of 6 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
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 (1)
- $5.1 million spent. CHOOSE HEALTHY LIFE (CHL) IS A NONPROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BY WORKING THROUGH THE BLACK CHURCH, ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. CHL PROVIDES RESOURCES, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO CHURCHES TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES, IMPROVE HEALTH LITERACY, AND CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO PREVENTIVE CARE. THROUGH A TRAINED FAITH-BASED HEALTH NAVIGATOR WORKFORCE EMBEDDED IN LOCAL CHURCHES, CHL CONDUCTS COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS THAT OFFER HEALTH EDUCATION, RISK SCREENING, TESTING, VACCINATION SUPPORT, AND REFERRALS TO CARE. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO REACH INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OTHERWISE FACE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES. DURING THE YEAR, CHL SUPPORTED CHURCHES IN MULTIPLE STATES THAT DEPLOYED FULL-TIME HEALTH NAVIGATORS TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH AND HEALTH ACCESS EVENTS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2021, CHL HAS HOSTED MORE THAN 11,000 OUTREACH EVENTS, SERVED OVER 350,000 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH TESTING AND VACCINATION INITIATIVES, AND PROVIDED PREVENTIVE HEALTH SCREENINGS TO MORE THAN 35,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CHL WORKS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HEALTH DISPARITIES AND INFORM POLICYMAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE NEED FOR EQUITABLE HEALTH POLICIES THAT IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE, PREVENTION SERVICES, AND TREATMENT OPTIONS IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. CHOOSE HEALTHY LIFE (CHL) IS A NONPROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING HEALTH OUTCOMES IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES BY WORKING THROUGH THE BLACK CHURCH, ONE OF THE MOST TRUSTED INSTITUTIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. CHL PROVIDES RESOURCES, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT TO CHURCHES TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HEALTH SERVICES, IMPROVE HEALTH LITERACY, AND CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO PREVENTIVE CARE. THROUGH A TRAINED FAITH-BASED HEALTH NAVIGATOR WORKFORCE EMBEDDED IN LOCAL CHURCHES, CHL CONDUCTS COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS THAT OFFER HEALTH EDUCATION, RISK SCREENING, TESTING, VACCINATION SUPPORT, AND REFERRALS TO CARE. THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DESIGNED TO REACH INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY OTHERWISE FACE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING TRADITIONAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES. DURING THE YEAR, CHL SUPPORTED CHURCHES IN MULTIPLE STATES THAT DEPLOYED FULL-TIME HEALTH NAVIGATORS TO CONDUCT COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH AND HEALTH ACCESS EVENTS. SINCE ITS FOUNDING IN 2021, CHL HAS HOSTED MORE THAN 11,000 OUTREACH EVENTS, SERVED OVER 350,000 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH TESTING AND VACCINATION INITIATIVES, AND PROVIDED PREVENTIVE HEALTH SCREENINGS TO MORE THAN 35,000 INDIVIDUALS. IN ADDITION TO DIRECT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CHL WORKS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF HEALTH DISPARITIES AND INFORM POLICYMAKERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE NEED FOR EQUITABLE HEALTH POLICIES THAT IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE, PREVENTION SERVICES, AND TREATMENT OPTIONS IN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES.
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 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 June 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 August 2022.
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.