Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
Creating inclusive communities that span generations and cultures to prevent and relieve isolation and loneliness
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
EIN: 04-2681294
Mission
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly is a nonsectarian, nonprofit volunteer-based organization committed to relieving isolation and loneliness among the elderly. We offer, to people of good will, the opportunity to join the elderly in friendship and celebration of life.
Ruling year
1986
Executive Director
Ms. Nikki Shults
Main address
2 Park Plaza Ste 314
Boston, MA 02116 USA
Formerly known as
Little Brothers of the Poor
EIN
04-2681294
Senior services
Population served
Seniors
Low-income people
NTEE code
Senior Centers/Services (P81)
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
Reports and documents
Download annual reports Download other documentsWhat we aim to solve
According to a LeadingAge report, Intergenerational Programming in Senior Housing: From Promise to Practice (2017), many individuals who transition into senior housing find it difficult to establish new social connections and integrate into a new community, resulting in isolation and loneliness. Older adults who live in public housing are particularly prone to these difficulties as many residents live alone, have lower incomes, struggle with chronic health conditions, and have fewer social supports. They may also have difficulty navigating transportation systems which require physical and linguistic capabilities.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Intergenerational CitySites
In partnership with service-learning and community engagement programs at several Boston colleges and universities, we offer weekly intergenerational activities in senior housing, adult day programs, and senior centers.
Digital Dividends
Classes of 10-15 adults in public senior housing are given laptops and six-months of internet connectivity free of charge along with weekly training provided by college students from our partner organizations. Digital Dividends was born from the COVID19 pandemic and aims to close the digital divide for low-income older adults.
Creative Connections
Many older adults living in public/affordable housing face barriers (logistical, economic, and linguistic/cultural) to accessing arts training. Through Creative Connections, LBFE-Boston seeks to overcome these barriers by bringing arts instruction to residents where they live, free of charge; providing materials and supplies; and offering linguistically and culturally informed content.
Community Connections
We support one-time and short-term opportunities for intergenerational engagement. Previous examples include multi-week art courses, ice cream socials, and ongoing partnerships with schools and nearby assisted living facilities.
Special Events
Each summer LBFE hosts a picnic at Larz Anderson Park in Brookline for older adults and volunteers to spend time in good company. Additionally, LBFE hosts a Thanksgiving Day luncheon for older adults and sponsors supply and gift drives for older adults.
Where we work
Accreditations
Generations United Program of Distinction 2022
Affiliations & memberships
Affiliate/Chapter of National Organization (i.e. Girl Scouts of the USA, American Red Cross, etc.) - Affiliate/chapter 2010
External reviews
Photos
Videos
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?
Through LBFE Boston’s recent program evaluation and strategic planning process, we examined the Boston community of older adults and considered how we may best meet community needs. Our major goals/objectives for our clients and our organization include:
Both older and younger program participants will learn and grow from having mutually beneficial intergenerational relationships.
Organic, one-to-one relationships will form between students and older adults through informal conversations and activities.
Older adults will be given a platform to meet their neighbors, make new friends, and build social support within their own housing community, creating nearby lifelines in times of crisis.
LBFE Boston’s programs will help to prevent and relieve isolation and loneliness among older adults and students.
LBFE Boston will utilize volunteer resources to serve a greater number of non-English speaking older adults, including “linguistically isolated” adults – those who live in homes in which all members age 14 and older have limited English proficiency.
LBFE Boston will offer flexible opportunities for today’s volunteers.
LBFE will achieve greater visibility in communities.
Through cost-efficient community-based programming, LBFE will reach more seniors while utilizing fewer financial resources.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In the last three years, LBFE has reimagined our program model to best serve the next generation of older adults. A major part of our strategy was based on our participation in the Age-Friendly Boston initiative data collection and focus groups. One recommendation of the initiative was to offer adults more opportunities for informal sharing and interaction in their neighborhoods; we at LBFE Boston recognize the importance of community involvement and purposeful engagement. Our new model, based off of our CitySites program, is designed around PREVENTING isolation and loneliness rather than just RELIEVING it. This is done through building up micro-communities and moving programs to where older adults live - senior housing buildings. Further, the state’s recent Aging in Massachusetts initiative recommended encouraging cross-generational opportunities for interaction and connection through partnerships; our new model focuses on building relationships across generations, recognizing that each program participant, regardless of age, has something to teach, contribute, and give.
Specifically, our CitySites program brings youth and older adults together on a weekly basis for programs chosen by the participants. The programs include tech cafes, arts and crafts, games, language exchange, conversation circles and more. The CitySites program is growing; in the last several months we have expanded the number of program sites from ten buildings to 17, and we are now engaging 375 older adults weekly. Our goal is to continue expanding CitySites this year and be operating in 20 buildings by next fall.
In 2021 we launched our Digital Dividends program to work towards bridging the digital divide. Older adults living in public senior housing are invited to join a semester long digital literacy class. Students receive a Chromebook free of charge, and are loaned a hotspot with internet connectivity for the duration of the program. College students come weekly for instruction and support.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
In 2015, LBFE Boston conducted a thorough program evaluation and transformed our program model from the traditional one-to-one Friendly Visiting model to community-based programming. Our vision for this new and innovative model is to build inclusive communities that span generations and cultures to prevent and relieve isolation and loneliness. This shift introduced our new core program, CitySites, through which university students host weekly, intergenerational social activities at public and private senior housing buildings across the city of Boston. The CitySites program brings youth and older adults together on a weekly basis for programs chosen by the adult participants, on-site where they live. LBFE is the only organization in Boston focused on bringing older adults and college students together for mutually beneficial social interactions.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
LBFE Boston administers surveys to CitySites older adults and student volunteers at the beginning and end of each semester. For older adults, we measure social isolation, loneliness, self-reported health, and health service utilization. Surveys are available in multiple languages. For student volunteers, we request information about academic pursuits, health behaviors, perception of age stereotypes, and self-esteem.
In addition to evaluation surveys, senior participants and volunteers are asked to complete a satisfaction survey at the end of each semester. While the evaluation surveys measure outputs and outcomes, the satisfaction surveys measure the quality and relevance of programs. They are used to make the individual experience more enjoyable and enriching.
At the conclusion of a recent CitySites program, 100% of surveyed seniors indicated that:
They feel like they are part of a community.
It feels good to get out of the house.
They look forward to the CitySites program each week.
They feel more connected to their neighbors.
The activities improve their mood.
They would help a neighbor or ask a neighbor for help (up from 52% at the beginning of the program).
62% of seniors also indicated they noticed improvements in their physical health.
This coming year we are working with Northeastern's Public Evaluation Lab to continue our program monitoring and evaluation efforts to more accurately measure our impact, and to replicate our success in 24 senior housing communities in Boston.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
We serve older adults living in senior housing in the City of Boston. We collect feedback from both the older adults and students in our programs.
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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
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
One of our locations where we host Tech Cafes we had a lot of participant feedback that they wanted a more structured program to learn to use Zoom. We then created two classes - Learn 2 Zoom for new users, and Zoom+ for people who want to learn more about the additional features and how to host their own meetings.
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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
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, It is difficult to get honest feedback from the people we serve, It is difficult to translate evaluation materials
Financials
Financial documents
Download audited financialsRevenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2022 info
50.50
Months of cash in 2022 info
1.7
Fringe rate in 2022 info
17%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
Revenue & expensesFiscal Year: Oct 01 - Sep 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Oct 01 - Sep 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: Oct 01 - Sep 30
SOURCE: IRS Form 990
This snapshot of Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly’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 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | -$52,473 | $908,122 | $66,375 | $117,987 | -$499,758 |
| As % of expenses | -12.1% | 208.8% | 12.9% | 19.5% | -61.9% |
| Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | -$74,221 | $890,973 | $61,867 | $113,479 | -$502,844 |
| As % of expenses | -16.3% | 197.1% | 11.9% | 18.6% | -62.1% |
| Revenue composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $380,098 | $1,397,118 | $565,580 | $637,562 | $614,762 |
| Total revenue, % change over prior year | 20.5% | 267.6% | -59.5% | 12.7% | -3.6% |
| Program services revenue | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Investment income | 2.8% | 0.9% | 9.2% | 6.5% | 6.2% |
| Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 17.0% | 8.9% |
| All other grants and contributions | 89.5% | 21.1% | 94.2% | 73.0% | 81.8% |
| Other revenue | 7.6% | 78.0% | -3.4% | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| Expense composition info | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses before depreciation | $432,406 | $434,945 | $516,077 | $604,489 | $807,098 |
| Total expenses, % change over prior year | -1.6% | 0.6% | 18.7% | 17.1% | 33.5% |
| Personnel | 60.1% | 60.2% | 58.2% | 64.9% | 53.6% |
| Professional fees | 4.1% | 3.6% | 13.4% | 4.9% | 14.2% |
| Occupancy | 7.5% | 9.3% | 7.0% | 6.1% | 4.7% |
| Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Pass-through | 0.7% | 0.5% | 7.8% | 4.0% | 0.0% |
| All other expenses | 27.6% | 26.3% | 13.7% | 20.2% | 27.6% |
| Full cost components (estimated) info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses (after depreciation) | $454,154 | $452,094 | $520,585 | $608,997 | $810,184 |
| One month of savings | $36,034 | $36,245 | $43,006 | $50,374 | $67,258 |
| Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed asset additions | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total full costs (estimated) | $490,188 | $488,339 | $563,591 | $659,371 | $877,442 |
Capital structure indicators
| Liquidity info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Months of cash | 0.6 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 2.1 | 1.7 |
| Months of cash and investments | 12.8 | 50.3 | 45.2 | 41.1 | 23.1 |
| Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 10.8 | 47.6 | 41.7 | 37.9 | 21.0 |
| Balance sheet composition info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash | $20,714 | $31,028 | $186,991 | $107,184 | $117,367 |
| Investments | $439,543 | $1,792,228 | $1,756,858 | $1,961,442 | $1,433,505 |
| Receivables | $21,094 | $2,863 | $9,844 | $55,981 | $68,479 |
| Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $847,252 | $32,292 | $32,293 | $32,293 | $32,293 |
| Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 44.9% | 33.1% | 47.1% | 61.0% | 70.6% |
| Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 0.5% | 0.3% | 3.1% | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Unrestricted net assets | $857,149 | $1,748,122 | $1,809,989 | $1,923,468 | $1,420,624 |
| Temporarily restricted net assets | $114,742 | $114,730 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Permanently restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Total restricted net assets | $114,742 | $114,730 | $113,706 | $193,360 | $184,179 |
| Total net assets | $971,891 | $1,862,852 | $1,923,695 | $2,116,828 | $1,604,803 |
Key data checks
| Key data checks info | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
Executive Director
Ms. Nikki Shults
Anchored by her lifelong history of working with older adults, Nikki brings a proven record of leadership and management in both the non-profit and public sectors. Most recently, Nikki served as Volunteer Coordinator for LBFE, where she managed all aspects of LBFE's volunteer program. She became the Executive Director in January of 2015 and has led the organization through a programmatic transformation rooted in community engagement and equity. Previous to LBFE, Nikki held positions with the US Peace Corps, including that of Health Economic Development Adviser in Ethiopia, and also worked in both policy and case management at the Agency of Aging in Connecticut. Nikki holds a BA in Gerontology and a MBA in Health Care Management from Quinnipiac University.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly
Board of directorsas of 03/23/2023
Board of directors data
Kristein Scudieri
Stratos Consulting
Term: 2022 -
William Pitman
Mass DOT
Julia Wengrovitz
athenahealth
Nikki Shults
Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly
Rosemary McAndrew
MRM Inc
Kristen Scudieri
Stratos Consulting
Monee Vance
Big Sister
Diane Noel
Fidelity
Ram Konduru
Aviskaran Technologies
Kelsey Trimm
Brown University
Alifia Waliji-Banglawala
Care Dimensions
James Brown
Hebrew Senior Life
Richard Saporito
RPS Savings Consultants
Tiffany Huynh
Taurus Holdings
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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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
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 06/07/2021GuideStar 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 review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- 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 use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- 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.
Professional fundraisers
Fiscal year endingSOURCE: IRS Form 990 Schedule G
Solicitation activities
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