GILDA'S CLUB METRO DETROIT
Community is Stronger Than Cancer
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Gilda's Club Metro Detroit is an established leader in providing psychosocial, social and emotional support services for those impacted by cancer, including family members, friends and their children; including the underserved and gap services. In a groundbreaking report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2007 titled, "Cancer Care for the Whole Patient - Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs," the report found that addressing psychosocial needs should be an integral part of quality cancer care. This includes distinguishing psychosocial health needs and linking the patient with crucial psychosocial services that both engages and supports patients in managing their illness and health.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Wellness Group
Weekly emotional support group for adult men and women with any type of cancer after diagnosis and while in treatment
Family/Caregiver Group
Weekly emotional support group for adult men and women who have a family member or friend diagnosed with cancer.
Networking Groups
Groups for members specific to a diagnosis or population (example: Young Adults Group, Parents with a Child Diagnosed Group, Women of Color Group, Breast Cancer Group, Teen Support Group)
Life After Treatment Group
Support Group for adult men and women once they have complete surgery or treatment and are looking to connect around topics they still face (example- side effects, emotional aspect of having been diagnosed, physical limitations they now have, and others)
Workshops
These groups vary and may include but are not limited to: yoga, dance, music, art therapy, nutrition, education
Where we work
External reviews
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of members who receive services (support groups, educational lectures, social and wellness activities).
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
Membership visits represent each time a member participates in a program.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The goals of Gilda's Club Metro Detroit are related to specific Cancer Support Community Standards of Excellence that have been established in five key areas:
(1) comply with governance and organizational structure;
(2) maintain administration and management staff;
(3) increase major gifts in fund and resource development;
(4) increase attendance in program services; and
(5) increase community relations, communications, and outreach.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Strategies to obtain goals include great effort by staff and the Board of Directors.
Gilda's Club Metro Detroit staff includes full-time staff of Executive Director & CEO, Director of Marketing and Events, Program Director, Youth & Volunteer Program Manager. Each of these positions share in establishing policies and procedures to comply with governance and organizational structure on a regular basis.
The Board of Directors consist of 20 members who oversee the administration and management staff. Monthly Board of Directors meeting allow for oversight and direction with interaction between the Board of Directors and staff.
Increasing major gifts is a joint effort between staff and the board with stewardship to existing donors with written communication and acknowledgments appropriate with giving levels. Efforts are continuous to building new relationships and increase donor base.
The Marketing team with the Program & Community Relations Coordinator conduct new member recruitment and assure attendance in programs by conducting outreach programs that include distributing ambassador packets that go to every major cancer center in the area, oncology leaders as well as community gathering places.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Board of Directors has 20 members with a varied background and wealth of life experience with a shared mission to ensure that all people impacted by cancer are empowered by knowledge, strengthened by action and sustained by community. It is this mission that is central to all decisions and efforts of the Board of Directors and all staff.
Gilda's Club Metro Detroit is a well-organized, passionately managed eighteen year old non-profit organization with strong leadership in place at both the staff and board level. Current Executive Director Laura Varon Brown has garnered high regard among staff, board, participants and fellow colleagues. She is an active, vocal, and consistent passionate leader. She along with her board and staff has development clearly defined lines of authority and responsibility.
Administrative staff share a passion to provide members with services to meet this goal. Program staff consists of licensed counselors who oversee the quality and content of services. Each employee has at least a bachelors level education in a field of study that enhances Gilda's Club.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Succession plans and policies are not in place for Executive Director and Program Manager. Training and turnover of staff is an expensive labor costs and having policies in place will reduce that cost when a change of personnel is at hand.
Ebb and flow of program attendance is natural; however, predicting this and planning accordingly with changes of schedules and staff needs is an ongoing challenge.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
-
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 identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
-
Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, 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, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
-
What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for 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.
GILDA'S CLUB METRO DETROIT
Board of directorsas of 02/01/2024
Bill Pumphrey
Carolyn Artman
Quicken Loans
Ilene Beneson Bez
Beneson and Zeleji, C.P.A., P.L.L.C.
Steve Black
Chop Shop Radio
Randall Book
Colliers International
Stuart Bordman
Maddin, Hauser, Wartell, Roth & Heller, P.C.
Thomas Callan
UHY Advisors MI, Inc.
Jeanne Deneweth
Oakland County Board of Canvassers
Stephanie Freeman
Princeton Enterprises
Joseph Gadon
Wells Fargo Advisors
Jack Kemp
Signs By Tomorrow
Tina Ienna
Facebook- Client Partner, Global Marketing
Tracey Papa
Community Volunteer
Lillian Schostak
Community Volunteer
Ellen Sherman
Community Volunteer
Todd Sinclair
GE Capital
Kevin Watson
EDSI Consulting
Ronald Weiner
Lipton Law
Tina Wheeler
Deloitte
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? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
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? Yes -
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? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/28/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.