Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc

The information for Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc is as of the organization's most recent filing in June '21. This organization is located in Swarthmore, PA. It has been in existence for 45 years, following its founding in 1976.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc's NTEE code is G42. The "G" tells us that the organization is classified along with Voluntary Health Associations & Medical Disciplines. The "42" tells us that the organization is focused on Ear & Throat Diseases. The NTEE describes organizations in this category as voluntary health organizations active in the prevention or treatment of diseases or conditions that affect the head and neck, including the ears, respiratory and upper alimentary systems, face, jaws, and related structures. The related medical specialty is otolaryngology.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of the Internal Revenue Code. This organization happens to be a 501(c)(3) organization. The IRS describes these organizations as those engaged in Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Public Safety, Amateur Sports, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals work.

Perhaps the most accurate way to get a sense of what the organization hopes to achieve is by looking at its mission. The mission of the Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc is to promote equal communication accessibility and cultural awareness to deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing populations by providing communication services, education, and advocacy.

Program Areas

Program Area 1: Education & Outreach: Sign Language Services. This program includes education classes in local schools and outreach classes provided at the organization's workplace and private locations. Deaf teachers are utilized as sign language is their native language. Sensitivity training is also offered to increase awareness of the impact of hearing loss on individuals, deaf culture, and to share communication options and strategies. Additionally, workshops are provided to sign language interpreters to improve their skills. DHCC also offers information about community resources and advocacy to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and/or their families.

Program Area 2: Interpreting services is the largest program of the organization. DHCC recruits and screens qualified American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters to facilitate communication between deaf and hard of hearing individuals who use ASL and hearing individuals who use English. Interpreters are sent to various settings such as hospitals, physician's offices, courts, lawyer's offices, businesses, colleges, universities, public school classes, public school conferences, and any situation where communication occurs. Hard of hearing individuals who do not use ASL gain access through real-time captioning (CART). DHCC also advocates for hearing individuals to hire interpreters and captioners to provide communication access to deaf individuals.

Program Area 3: Emergency Interpreting Services is an essential service provided by DHCC outside of their regular business hours. DHCC has coordinators and interpreters available every evening and holiday to respond to police and medical emergencies. This program is the largest and most comprehensive in the Philadelphia region.

Organization Staffing

Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc is run by Neil Mcdevitt, who is the Executive Director. The organization has 28 employees, none of whom are paid more than $100k per year. Additionally, there are no volunteers supporting the paid staff.

Board Governance

Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc, based on the information provided, appears to be well-governed. The organization has 11 voting members, all of whom are independent, indicating a diverse and unbiased decision-making process. The absence of potential conflicts of interest further strengthens the organization's governance, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interest of the non-profit's mission and beneficiaries. The fact that the organization has not delegated management to an outside firm demonstrates a commitment to maintaining control and oversight internally. This allows for better alignment with the organization's goals and values. Additionally, the documentation of board and committee meetings indicates a transparent and accountable governance structure. The presence of a conflict of interest policy, along with the requirement for disclosure of conflicts, suggests that the organization is proactive in managing potential conflicts and ensuring ethical decision-making. The existence of a written whistleblower policy further enhances transparency and accountability within the organization. The organization's commitment to maintaining a document retention policy and substantiating and reviewing leadership and officer salaries demonstrates a responsible financial management approach. This ensures that resources are utilized effectively and in accordance with the organization's mission. Lastly, the provision of copies of the 990 form to the board prior to filing highlights the organization's commitment to transparency and accountability in financial reporting. Overall, Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc appears to be well-governed, with policies and practices in place to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical decision-making.

Organization Growth

The nonprofit organization, Deaf-Hearing Communication Center Inc, has experienced both growth and decline over the given time period. Contributions and grants received by the organization increased significantly from $71.9K in 2014 to $273.6K in 2020. However, program service revenue decreased from $5.2M in 2014 to $3.3M in 2020. Investment income also saw growth, increasing from -$22,356 in 2014 to $78.3K in 2020. Other revenue remained relatively stable, with a decrease from $62 in 2014 to $0 in 2020. Total revenue decreased from $5.3M in 2014 to $3.7M in 2020. On the expense side, employee salaries increased from $644.9K in 2014 to $1.1M in 2020. However, total expenses decreased from $5.1M in 2014 to $3.6M in 2020. The organization also experienced growth in terms of total employees, with an increase from 23 in 2014 to 28 in 2020. Overall, while some aspects of the organization's operations have grown, such as contributions and investment income, others have declined, such as program service revenue and total revenue.