Mission
Charlotte HIV/AIDS People Support, (CHAPS) is an all volunteer organization whose purpose is to provide supplemental food and hygiene products at no cost to persons in need living with HIV/AIDS and their dependents.
The hygienic products, which can not be purchased with food stamps, are vital to a person with a compromised immune system providing personal care and helping to maintain a sanitary environment which enhances their lives through healthier living and helps them maintain their dignity and self respect during this difficult time in their lives.
With today's medications people with HIV are living longer, but still suffer from the side effects of the medications and the disease itself. They no longer have the stamina to work full time and have limited funds. When CHAPS provides supplemental food and hygiene products, clients can use their money to purchase fresh meat, dairy and produce or for medical care.
CHAPS is the only organization in Southwest Florida providing these basic necessities to HIV/AIDS clients.
Leadership
CEO/Executive Director
No Executive Director
Board Chair
Ms Mercie Chick
Board Chair Affiliation
Retired teacher/ Sarasota County Community Volunteer
General Info
Tax Exempt Status
Public Supported Charity
Incorporation Year
1994
State Charitable Solicitations Permit
Yes Jan 2018
State Registration
Yes Jan 2018
Financial Summary
Projected Revenue
$51,425.00
Projected Expenses
$51,425.00
IRS Letter of Determination
Impact Statement
One of the greatest accomplishments that CHAPS has achieved has been the purchase of two commercial freezers which allows clients to get frozen meat in addition to the canned and shelf stable food items we offer. A commercial size refrigerator also enables us to provide fresh fruit and vegetables to our clients.
Each month clients get to choose what food items will best meet their changing dietary needs. The number of food items a client receives is based on their level of need and the number of people in their family (usually 5 to 6 bags of food and hygiene items). The more we are able to give our clients, the more the clients can use their limited funds to purchase medications and other essential items that meet the most basic quality of life needs.
After receiving food items for 3 months, a new client reported that his doctor was very pleased that he had gained 13 lbs.
Another accomplishment has been our ability to increase funding which has allowed CHAPS to increase the overall amount of food distributed while improving the nutritional quality of that food. This has been done even though there has been a substantial increase in the number of people served.
CHAPS serves qualified persons living in Charlotte, DeSoto and South Sarasota Counties. Qualification consists of screening and referral by the local health departments or the Comprehensive Care Clinic to verify health and economic status. We are proud that through increased awareness and cooperation with case managers CHAPS has experienced an 8% increase in clients since January 1, 2017. This indicates that we are reaching more of the people that need our services. This is an accomplishment which is also a challenge for the future. How do we increase our funding to cover the costs of the new clients and how do we recruit additional volunteers to handle the work load?
Our goal is to be able to accommodate those who seek our help without having to limit the orders due to insufficient food/hygiene supply. Ideally we'd like to increase the number of people we serve while maintaining the quantity and quality of the food/hygiene given to each client.
Another goal would be to be able to give each client more food and hygiene products each month. What CHAPS gives them is not enough for a whole month but it is the best that can be done at the present time.
Needs Statement
1. Financial needs:
Food and hygiene products for 1 client for 1 month = $30.00 ($360/year/client). We currently serve approximately 300 people per month.
CHAPS is a partner agency with the Harry Chapin Food Bank which allows us to order food at drastically reduced prices and/or to receive food at no cost. One dollar is equal to eight dollars in purchasing power. Donated funds will allow CHAPS to maximize the amount of food we can purchase at the $1 = $8 rate. We can purchase frozen meat for 9 cents per pound which is a tremendous benefit to our clients.
Rent = $900/month ($10,800/year)
Electric = $300/month ($3,600/year)
2. Volunteers to serve on the board of directors and volunteers to assist with fundraising, public relations and grant writing.
3. Capital and Equipment Replacement:
Generator to run freezer/refrigeration in an emergency ($1649)
Background Statement
CHAPS (Charlotte HIV/AIDS People Support Inc.) is an all volunteer organization which began in 1992 in the living room of 2 women who saw a need in the community. Persons with HIV/AIDS were not getting adequate food and there was no agency providing for them. Friends donated food and money and CHAPS began serving 8 clients and their dependents in Charlotte County. The pantry grew too large for their living room so they moved to a loaned space at a storage facility. The number of clients continued to increase and in 1998 CHAPS moved into the present rented warehouse space.
CHAPS has grown from 8 clients in one county to 400 clients and dependents in three counties. With the exception of August and September 2004 when Hurricane Charlie hit Charlotte County, clients have received food and hygiene products every month for over 23 years.
CHAPS is still all volunteer and it is our vision to be there to meet the needs of the HIV/AIDS people in our community until this disease is conquered. We plan to be here for them "until it is over".
Areas Served
Areas Served Comments
CHAPS serves South Sarasota County (Osprey, Nokomis, Laurel, Venice, North Port and Englewood) and all of Charlotte and DeSoto Counties.
Service Categories
Primary Org Type
Food, Agriculture & Nutrition
Secondary Org Type
Human Services
Tertiary Org Type
Diseases Disorders & Medical Disciplines
Statement from the Board Chair/Board President
CHAPS was started in 1992 because persons with HIV/AIDS were not getting adequate food and there were no agencies to help them. Many food pantries did not want to (or would not) deal with people living with HIV/AIDS. This was also a time when no effective medications were available to fight HIV. Without proper nutrition to help keep them strong, most people who were infected became ill and died.
With today's medications, people with HIV are living longer but still suffer from the side effects of the medications and the disease itself. As the disease progresses, so does the cost. Special lab tests, hospitalization or extended home care and help with activities of daily living are all very costly. Most of our clients no longer have the stamina to work and have very limited incomes. Some of our clients do get food stamps but they are never sufficient and do not cover necessities like toilet paper and hygiene supplies which are vital to a person with a compromised immune system.
For over 25 years, our all volunteer organization has been dedicated to providing high quality food and hygiene items which have enhanced the lives of our clients by helping to keep them nourished and better able to fight off infections.
Finding dedicated board members or volunteers is a challenge because of the social stigmas attached to the disease and the people we serve. This also holds true when it comes to fundraising and food drives. We continually work on community awareness to let people know that HIV does not discriminate. CHAPS serves the young, the middle aged, the senior citizen...the White, Black, the Hispanic, male and female. We have a few clients who have been so touched by the care and compassion that they have received at CHAPS that they now are talking about their personal experiences at funding allocation presentations or other fundraising events. Their experiences are a very powerful tool in our public awareness efforts.
CHAPS has continued to serve more people every year. Each year we have been able to distribute more food than the prior year which is a testament to the strength, compassion and dedication of our Board of Directors and volunteers who logged over 5300 volunteer hours in 2016. We plan to stand by and support each client as long as the need is there.
Statement from the CEO/Executive Director
CHAPS does not have a CEO
CEO/Executive Director
CEO/Executive Director
No Executive Director
CEO Term Start
0
CEO/Executive Director Email
n/a
Former CEOs/Executive Directors
Staff & Volunteer Statistics
Full Time Staff
0
Part Time Staff
0
Staff Retention Rate %
N/A
Professional Development
No
Contractors
0
Volunteers
40
Management Reports to Board
Yes
CEO/Executive Director Formal Evaluation
N/A
Senior Management Formal Evaluation
N/A
Non-Management Formal Evaluation
N/A
Collaborations
CHAPS currently collaborates with a number of agencies. SunCoast Cathedral MCC of Venice contributes hygiene products on a monthly basis. The Church has a "Partnering with Charity" program that also provides financial support for the pantry.
St. James Episcopal Church provided turkeys, chickens and hams for our clients at Thanksgiving and Christmas.
We participate in the Harry Chapin Food Bank/Wink Walk to end Hunger as a Fundraiser and then purchase a great deal of our food from the Food Bank to make our dollars go further. $1 equals $8 in purchasing power.
CHAPS has partnered with Hedges HealthMart Pharmacy of Sarasota which allows us to purchase hygiene items at their cost. This partnership has resulted in a 13% savings in the cost of these products. Because of this savings, we now offer additional hygiene items to our clients.
We participate in two annual United Way of South Sarasota County Walk-a-thons to obtain additional funds for pantry needs.
We participate in the annual Postal Food Drive. We usually obtain about 11,000 pounds of food.
Relationships have been developed with Wal-Mart, Save A Lot, Publix, Winn Dixie, ALDI, Dollar General and Dollar Tree. This helps insure that CHAPS receives the best price available on food and hygiene items.
H.E.L.P. in Charlotte County provides CHAPS with food and hygiene products that have been purchased with proceeds from H.E.L.P. (His Ever Loving People) fundraisers.
The CHAPS President attends workshops to learn more about working with non-profits, boards, fundraising, and collaborating with community members.
External Assessments and Accreditations
Risk Management Provisions
Government Licenses
Organization Licensed by the Government
No
Plans
Fundraising Plan
No
Communication Plan
No
Strategic Plan
No
Strategic Plan Years
3
Strategic Plan Adopted
May 2014
Management Succession Plan
No
Continuity of Operations Plan
No
Policies
Nondiscrimination Policy
Yes
Whistle Blower Policy
No
Document Destruction Policy
No
Directors and Officers Insurance Policy
Yes
Policies and Procedures
No
Board Chair
Board Chair
Ms Mercie Chick
Company Affiliation
Retired teacher/ Sarasota County Community Volunteer
Board Term
Jan 2017 to Dec 2019
Board Chair Email
merciechick@comcast.net
Board Members
Constituency Includes Client Representation
Yes
Board Ethnicity
African American/Black
0
Asian American/Pacific Islander
0
Caucasian
11
Hispanic/Latino
1
Native American/American Indian
0
Other
0 0
Board Gender
Male
7
Female
5
Unspecified
0
Governance
Board Term Lengths
2
Board Term Limits
0
Board Orientation
Yes
Number of Full Board Meetings Annually
12
Board Meeting Attendance %
81
Board Self-Evaluation
Yes
Written Board Selection Criteria
No
Board Conflict of Interest Policy
Yes
% of Board Making Monetary Contributions
100
% of Board Making In-Kind Contributions
100
Fiscal Year Projections
Fiscal Year Begins
2017
Fiscal Year Ends
2017
Projected Revenue
$51,425.00
Projected Expenses
$51,425.00
Total Projected Revenue includes "in-kind" contributions/ donations
No
Organization has Endowment
No
Capital Campaign
Currently In a Capital Campaign
No
Campaign Purpose
Campaign Goal
Campaign Dates
0 to 0
Amount Raised To Date
0 as of 0
Audit/Financial Documents
Historical Financial Review
CEO/Executive Director Compensation
Tax Credits
No
Solvency
Short Term Solvency