Friendship Community
Impacting the World with Capabilities
Friendship Community
EIN: 23-1892383
Mission
Friendship Community is a Christian ministry cultivating capabilities of Individuals with Intellectual Disability and Autism in south central Pennsylvania since 1972. Our Vision is "Impacting the World with Capabilities". Friendship Community provides residential settings and support services for Individuals, who with their families, desire a Christian program. Friendship Community offers a variety of services - including day programs, self-advocacy, job and vocational skills training, community integration and much more. Meaningful activities are planned to provide stimulation for the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of each person.
Ruling year
1988
CEO
Mary Ellen Farber
Main address
1149 E Oregon Rd
Lititz, PA 17543 USA
EIN
23-1892383
Visual arts
Human services
Group homes
Population served
Adults
People with psychosocial disabilities
People with intellectual disabilities
NTEE code
Human Service Organizations (P20)
Visual Arts Organizations (A40)
IRS subsection
501(c)(3) Public Charity
IRS filing requirement
This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Tax forms
Communication
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Workforce crisis, aging in place and the high needs of care and support are the three major issues the Intellectual Disability/Autism (ID/A) industry and Friendship Community (FC) are facing. FC provides accessible homes, home care and day programs. The Professional Support Team assists with activities of daily living and fosters independence and abilities. State regulations and excessive documentation create unnecessary burdens and distractions for staff. Funding has limited wage increases over the last 10 years, which has caused extreme turnover in Direct Support Professionals; therefore, we actively advocate for higher wages, since we are Medicaid dependent. Through organized rallies, educational meetings, active partnerships with Chambers of Commerce and businesses, County and State Associations and fellow Providers, FC strives to address the lack of resources, community integrated opportunities and relationships to support this ID/A population appropriately.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Residential Services
Provides community group home living for adults with intellectual disability and autism
Home Based Services
Provides support for adults with intellectual disability and autism to live as independently as possible
Friendship Heart Gallery & Studio
Provides Artists with intellectual disability and autism the means to learn artistic skills to create and market this art
Lifesharing Services
Matches adults with intellectual disability and autism with families who are willing to open up their home and lives for a long-term commitment
Spiritual Nurture
Provides spiritual enrichment for adults with intellectual disability and autism
Where we work
Affiliations & memberships
Chamber of Commerce 2022
External reviews
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of clients in residential care
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Related Program
Residential Services
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
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?
FC aims to accomplish a stable workforce, fiscal strength to endure the volatile funding environment and competence to provide necessary life care services to those with ID/A.
FC identifies annual goals according to strategic planning related to the current environmental scan.
Currently, the goals are:
1. Nurture a R.I.S.E. Culture (Values - Relationships, Integrity, Spirituality, and Excellence)
2. Diversify Income Streams
3. Strengthen Financial Performance
4. Establish Proactive Strategies for Future Expansion/Growth
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
FC promotes a culture of Respect, Communication, Collaboration & Competence. We strive to incorporate these 4 pillars in all communication & operations throughout FC and when representing FC in the greater community.
Professional Development Plans, which incorporate these pillars, are utilized for every Team Member in order to promote professional & personal growth.
Learning Enhancement (training), Mentoring, Coaching, various Team Building efforts, Fiscal Audits, Donor Transparency, etc...promote FC's strategies for best practices & positive outcomes for Team Members & ID/A Participants alike.
Legislative advocacy & education is ongoing. Integration & education with community partners enhances awareness & engagement.
The organization strives to be an innovative leader positioning FC for sustainability & growth into the future. An example is the Friendship Heart Gallery, located in the Lancaster Art District, which has grown from 6 to 77 Artists, within the last 10 years.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The experienced & committed Executive & Leadership Teams, in conjunction with the Board, strive to perpetuate the established strategies throughout FC. Through careful selection of Team Leaders & Members, who are communicative, committed & flexible, training focuses on their development towards purposeful competence.
FC is continually seeking creative ways to recruit and retain incredible Team Members. The Team networks with appropriate community resources in order to accomplish this goal.
FC has committed capital in focused areas in order to accomplish the established goals, such as, adding key positions in Operations, HR & Finance departments, as well as through Quality Council, Safety, Risk & Finance Committees, Corporate Compliance, Contentment Surveys and Exit Interviews & the ongoing monitoring of schedules & workload.
Legislative advocacy & education is an imperative accomplished through State and Local Associations, FC & other grassroots advocacy efforts.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The liquidation of assets (3 personal care homes & The Old Mill Apartments) that caused financial stress to the organization occurred since 2014.
The ongoing process of culture change and transformational thinking began in 2014. Collaboration, respect & communication, within the realm of all Leadership & Management Teams, is evident. Ongoing efforts to promote these goals, among the DSPs and Administrative staff are practiced daily.
A restructuring of the Operations Team enabled promotions, which increased development of leaders with grassroots knowledge & experiential input, greater accountability & promoted career ladder movement within the organization.
FC implemented an empowerment practice to promote greater efficiencies, while reducing costs.
FC implemented Team Member retention strategies, which include flexible scheduling, a small loan program, a robust benefit package with options and a matching retirement investment option, to name a few.
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2020 info
1.08
Months of cash in 2020 info
2.7
Fringe rate in 2020 info
29%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Friendship Community
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
Friendship Community
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jul 01 - Jun 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
This snapshot of Friendship Community’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
| Profitability info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $494,155 | $1,271,850 | $1,774,992 | $638,767 | $735,379 |
| As % of expenses | 3.8% | 10.0% | 12.5% | 4.1% | 4.7% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$67,327 | $896,436 | $1,400,539 | $200,869 | $264,974 |
| As % of expenses | -0.5% | 6.8% | 9.6% | 1.3% | 1.6% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $13,542,287 | $13,796,492 | $15,926,654 | $16,187,205 | $16,406,015 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 0.0% | 1.9% | 15.4% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| Program services revenue | 90.7% | 93.5% | 93.8% | 94.8% | 94.8% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other grants and contributions | 5.9% | 6.3% | 5.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% |
| Other revenue | 3.4% | 0.1% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.2% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $13,157,560 | $12,759,619 | $14,205,472 | $15,579,109 | $15,646,096 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | 4.6% | -3.0% | 11.3% | 9.7% | 0.4% |
| Personnel | 80.5% | 80.0% | 81.8% | 82.9% | 84.0% |
| Professional fees | 3.0% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 2.5% | 2.6% |
| Occupancy | 4.5% | 5.1% | 4.3% | 4.5% | 4.4% |
| Interest | 1.8% | 0.9% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.5% |
| Pass-through | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 10.1% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.5% | 8.5% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $13,719,042 | $13,135,033 | $14,579,925 | $16,017,007 | $16,116,501 |
| One month of savings | $1,096,463 | $1,063,302 | $1,183,789 | $1,298,259 | $1,303,841 |
| Debt principal payment | $2,936,294 | $1,323,546 | $238,812 | $81,585 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $515,904 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $17,751,799 | $15,521,881 | $16,518,430 | $17,396,851 | $17,420,342 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 0.9 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.7 |
| Months of cash and investments | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 1.4 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 2.1 | 3.8 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $982,911 | $173,454 | $273,008 | $240,095 | $3,559,952 |
| Investments | $352,252 | $270,565 | $509,073 | $693,580 | $704,409 |
| Receivables | $1,082,061 | $1,254,858 | $1,847,197 | $2,083,730 | $1,254,487 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $11,187,611 | $11,216,124 | $11,672,772 | $11,031,456 | $10,989,017 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 57.4% | 60.2% | 60.6% | 59.6% | 62.6% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 62.5% | 47.5% | 38.9% | 39.1% | 49.1% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $2,409,665 | $3,306,101 | $4,706,640 | $4,907,509 | $5,172,483 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $288,181 | $68,627 | $14,675 | $0 | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $91,040 | $91,440 | $91,565 | $95,265 | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $379,221 | $160,067 | $106,240 | $95,265 | $112,765 |
| Total net assets | $2,788,886 | $3,466,168 | $4,812,880 | $5,002,774 | $5,285,248 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
CEO
Mary Ellen Farber
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Friendship Community
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Friendship Community
Board of directorsas of 02/14/2023
Board of directors data
Chuck Albert
C.J. Albert Jr. Consulting LLC
Term: 2023 - 2026
Chuck Albert
C.J. Albert Jr. Consulting LLC
Mike Hurst
Meridian Products
Ryan Curran
Fulton Financial Corporation
Rhonda Kurtz
Case New Holland
Sylvia Kauffman
Kauffman Family Limited Partnership
Lynda Wolfe
Retired - McNeil Consumer Pharmaceuticals
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 ? 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? 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
No data
Race & ethnicity
No data
Gender identity
No data
No data
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Professional fundraisers
Fiscal year endingSOURCE: IRS Form 990 Schedule G
Solicitation activities
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