Well Spouse Association
When one is sick, two need help
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
WSA Programs and Services
WSA coordinates a network of peer support groups throughout the US and Canada attended by members who are all spousal caregivers or well spouses.
WSA publishes "Mainstay", a quarterly newsletter circulated to 1,600 people. Mainstay is written by and for our members and is dedicated to the issues faced by well spouses.
We produce and host webinars and symposia on topics of interest to well spouses.
WSA produces an annual National Conference and several regional respite weekends each year.
WSA maintains an active social media presence for 24x7 support and for people who cannot attend our events. This includes our website, which hosts a online forum for members, an active Facebook group, a Reddit subreddit, and a Twitter feed.
WSA also provides continuing support for members whose spouses have died.
Where we work
Awards
Rosalynn Carter Caregiving Award/Nat’l Quality Caregiving Coalition 1994
Rosalynn Carter Caregiving Institute
Caregiver Award 2000
Health Insurance Plan (HIP) of NY
External reviews

Photos
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
Who are the people you serve with your mission?
The spouses and partners of people living with chronic illness and/or disability.
-
How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Community meetings/Town halls,
-
How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
-
What significant change resulted from feedback?
Prior to the pandemic, most of our events were held in person, and people loved to meet other members. Peer support is our model, after all. We shifted to a Zoom model for our events during the pandemic which has been well-received, with one exception - surveys showed that people wanted our larger events on Zoom to have more member interaction. We have been able to use smaller Zoom meetings for some events to encourage members to build connections between each other directly.
-
With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,
-
How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
It encourages accountability and ensures we are responding to their needs for support.
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback,
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback,
Financials
Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more
about GuideStar Pro.
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Well Spouse Association
Board of directorsas of 02/22/2022
Bob Mastrogiovanni
No affilation
Term: 2021 - 2022
Terri Corcoran
No Affiliation
Donna Amato
No Affiliation
Gerald Bishop
No Affiliation
Lawrence Bocchiere III
No Affiliation
Robert Mastrogiovanni
No Affiliation
Al Kozin
Barry Appelbaum
Jane Lupo
Laurel Wittman
Rona Auster
Sheldon Friedman
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
-
Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? No -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? No -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as: