SUPERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY SYNDROME RESEARCH AWARENESS AND SUPPORT

Not too rare to care!

aka SMAS Patient Assistance   |   Bonham, TX   |  Smasyndrome.org

Mission

It is our goal to assist the uninsured and under-insured in the U.S. receive the medical help they need to treat their SMAS. We also work under the name SMAS Patient Assistance.

Notes from the nonprofit

All of our board members are HIPAA certified to ensure safety and security of personal information.

Ruling year info

2016

President

Tara Williams

Co-Founder

Staci Gruber

Main address

PO Box 555

Bonham, TX 75418 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

47-3314003

NTEE code info

Fund Raising and/or Fund Distribution (E12)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990-N.

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

The problem the SMAS community has is medical education. Many general physicians have only heard of superior mesenteric artery syndrome while in medical school, but have not run into a case personally. The non-profit is working to reach out to Gastrointestinal and Vascular physicians and provide them with pamphlets that discuss SMAS, symptoms, tests, and treatment options. By educating the medical community we hope that people will be diagnosed quicker and their chance of recovery greater.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

SMAS Medical Grants

The medical grants assist US residents with medical travel costs to specialty hospitals, pay medical bills related to SMAS treatment, and any other medical related costs to SMAS such as feeding tube supplies.

Population(s) Served
Adults

Where we work

Videos

Our results

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.

Number of groups brought together in a coalition/alliance/partnership

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Health

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Average number of dollars per person served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Population(s) Served

Health

Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Number of clients served

This metric is no longer tracked.
Totals By Year
Type of Metric

Output - describing our activities and reach

Direction of Success

Increasing

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

The SMAS Patient Assistance strives to educate the medical and general population about superior mesenteric artery syndrome. At the same time, we help those with SMAS pay medical bills, travel costs to specialty hospitals, and other medical related expenses. Ultimately we would like to increase that total amount of money we provide to our grant recipients.

The nonprofit has quarterly t-shirt fundraisers which not only raise awareness, but help fund our grant program. We also encourage people to "donate" their birthday to the SMAS Patient Assistance. By doing so, their friends and family see the nonprofit and have the opportunity to learn about superior mesenteric artery syndrome. This year, the nonprofit is holding an online auction through facebook and ebay to help raise money and awareness.

We have many people that take design ideas for a t-shirt and they create them for free. The t-shirt campaigns raise awareness just from people sharing the link, but purchased shirts are a chance to raise awareness daily. The nonprofit recognizes everyone that donates their birthday to help fund our grants. There is also an international awareness day every January 28th where thousands of people take a moment to learn a fact or two about SMAS to help raise awareness. The nonprofit makes a video including people suffering from this syndrome.

We have begun funding our medical grants and instituted an emergency grant to assist with non-medical emergencies such as rent, groceries, and funeral expenses. On a larger scale, we are working to expand our Board to include 3 physicians so we can begin the process of becoming a recognized member of NORD.

Updated 2/2021: We have 2 physicians who have agreed to be on our Advisor board and have begun the application process to be recognized on NORD. The organization has teamed up with a larger organization to assist with research grant writing and fundraising. Over $35,000 in assistance has been provided to more than 50 SMAS patients.

Financials

SUPERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY SYNDROME RESEARCH AWARENESS AND SUPPORT
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Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

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Connect with nonprofit leaders

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  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

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SUPERIOR MESENTERIC ARTERY SYNDROME RESEARCH AWARENESS AND SUPPORT

Board of directors
as of 02/22/2022
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board co-chair

Tara Williams


Board co-chair

Staci Gruber

Jean Clark

Elouise Larson

Sue Kibby

Reagan Whelan

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

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 ? Not applicable
  • 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

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/2/2022
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

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
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person without a disability

The organization's co-leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Female, Not transgender
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or Straight
Disability status
Person with a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

Transgender Identity

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 02/10/2021

GuideStar 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

Policies and processes
  • 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.