Fiscal Year 2013–2014 - Leader Dogs for the Blind

Fiscal Year 2013–2014
Leader Dogs for the Blind
Member
International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)
Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
Council of US Dog Guide Schools (CUSDGS)
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
VisionServe Alliance
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER)
Annual Report
For more information about Leader Dogs for the Blind,
go to leaderdog.org or call 888/777.5332.
Leader Dogs for the Blind
1039 S. Rochester Road
Rochester Hills, Michigan 48307-3115
Phone: 248/651.9011 • TTY: 248/651.3713
Toll Free: 888/777.5332
Email: leaderdog@leaderdog.org
leaderdog.org
75
YEARS
1939–2014
Setting our sights on the future
FY 2013 | 2014
BOARD COMMITTEES
Audit Committee
Oversees system of internal controls over financial reporting and annual external audit.
Client Programs and Services Committee
Reviews performance indicators, programmatic outcomes and strategic planning for instructional
programs and services.
Executive Committee (Board Officers only)
Conducts business as is necessary or desirable during those periods when the Board of Trustees
is not in session.
Finance Committee
Oversees fiscal accountability and budgetary affairs.
Governance Committee
Establishes and maintains a dynamic, diverse, engaged and knowledgeable Board of Trustees.
Philanthropy Committee
Oversees development and fundraising activities ensuring that the case for support is strong,
current and based on the organization’s mission and goals.
Technology Committee
Serves as a strategic partner for the Leader Dog team, focuses on aligning core business and technology
so Leader Dog remains in the mainstream of continually evolving technology and IT solutions.
Rita is an avid traveler who never went
anywhere without her husband or another
family member. During her week of
Accelerated Orientation & Mobility Training,
she was already planning what she was
going to do when she returned home with
her increased independence. “I live outside
Atlanta,” said Rita, “And when I get home I’m
going to say, ‘Take me downtown and drop me
off. I’ll be fine!’”
Rita Butler Harris
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FY 2013 | 2014
FY 2013 | 2014
CURRENT BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Executive Officers
Susan Daniels, President and CEO
Lorene Suidan, Vice President/Chief Financial Officer/Assistant Secretary/Assistant Treasurer
Rod Haneline, Vice President/Chief Programs and Services Officer
Officers
John W. Hebert, Board Chair
Margaret Dimond, Vice-Chair
Harold Gardner, Immediate Past-Chair
Greg Guidice, Secretary
Steve Guarini, Treasurer
Trustees
Therese Alfafara
Anna Biliti
Franklin Carmona, DVM
William Carty
Michael Cox
Kathryn Davis
Debbie Dayton
Eric DeGroat
Paul Edwards, M.D.
Paul Hemeryck
Justice Marilyn Kelly
Thomas McNulty, Jr.
Curtis D. Norenberg, PhD, PDG
Thomas O’Masta
Stephen R. Polk
Paul Preketes
Avril Rinn
Lynne Schrage
Rebecca Sorensen
The Honorable Paul Teranes
Douglas Wright
Honorary Trustees
Celia Domalewski
Lon Grossman
Tom Kimble
Bill Klingensmith
Rick Meyer
Douglas Mickelson
James Platzer
Henry Stricker, Jr., PDG
Tom Thompson, PDG
John Villa
CONTENTS
4 5 6–7 9 10 11 Message from Susan Daniels
Mission, Values and History
Fiscal Year 2013–2014 Highlights
Financial Information
Board of Trustees
Board Committee Listings
Future Leader Dog Kellen
Mark has Usher syndrome which affects both his vision and his hearing. “I have about three
degrees of vision which is about the width of my head, and no peripheral vision. When I was first
diagnosed I was always looking down, I stumbled, walked into chairs and thought I was clumsy. I
really had a lot of problems traveling at night.
Life with a Leader Dog means freedom from
running into chairs, stumbling down steps and
falling off curbs. I’m now able to use my very
limited vision to look around me and see what is
going on. It’s really made me realize what I had
been missing in my life.
I’m an investment advisor and I serve on a lot
of boards in my community. My Leader Dogs have
really helped with this, they’ve given me more
opportunities.
With my dogs I’ve been able to help others with
disabilities that think ‘I can’t do it’ and show them
that you just need the right tool—and a Leader Dog
is the best.”
Mark Harris and Leader Dog Hannah
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3
FY 2013 | 2014
FY 2013 | 2014
A Message from Susan Daniels
THE NUMBERS
“$400 dollars and a hatful of ideas.”
Revenue
That doesn’t sound very promising does it? But that is exactly how Donald
Schuur, one of our founders, described the beginning of Leader Dogs for
the Blind. It doesn’t seem like this small group foresaw the impact their
“hatful of ideas” would have on thousands of people who are blind who
wanted to increase their independence by learning to travel with a Leader
Dog. I wonder if they anticipated that the increased confidence of our
clients would lead many to further their education, to apply for a new job,
to move to a larger city...to improve their lives.
In 2014 we celebrated our 75th anniversary. We celebrated over 14,500
guide team teams who have graduated since 1939; we celebrated expanded
service offerings in orientation and mobility, guide dogs for people who are
Deaf-Blind, a summer camp for teens, and personal GPS technology; we celebrated our volunteers,
puppy raisers and breeding host families; and we celebrated our donors, who made it all possible.
It is an honor and a pleasure to serve as the president and CEO of Leader Dogs for the Blind. I
look forward to our continued growth in the years to come.
Expenses
Expenses (excluding Capital Campaign)
for the year ended June 30, 2014
Revenue (excluding Capital Campaign)
for the year ended June 30, 2014
$779,569
$4,288,020
$4,281,144
$2,054,549
$3,000,655
Estates and bequests
Other contributions
Investment and misc.
Sincerely,
$1,303,816
$1,779,630
$10,424,232
Lions clubs donations
Grants
Programs and services
General and administrative
Philanthropy (fundraising)
Susan M. Daniels
President & CEO
Other
Net
Assets
Net
Assets
Five
Year
Five YearTrend
Trend
“Before I [trained with] my first Leader
30000000 30
I wouldn’t go anywhere and my stress
25000000 25
level was really high. Then my first
20000000 20
Leader Dog opened up the world to me
and my stress level went way down.
I am a healthier person because
of my Leader Dogs, both mentally and
physically.”
Millions
Dog, I suffered a lot from depression.
$10,726,863
$11
15000000 15
$3
$3,179,664
10000000 10
5000000
$11
$11,254,178
5
0 0
20102010
2011
2011
Unrestricted
Rachel Slater and Leader Dog Parfait
4
2012
2012
Permanently Restricted
Unrestricted
Perm Restricted
2013
2013
2014
2014
Temporarily Restricted
Temp Restricted
LEADER DOGS FOR THE BLIND
Summarized Statement of Activities
For the year ended June 30, 2014
Revenue
Total before Capital Campaign $14,403,937
Capital Campaign revenue
9,451,950
Total revenue
23,855,887
Expenses
Total before Capital Campaign 13,507,678
Capital Campaign expenses
573,265
Total expenses
14,080,943
Change in net assets
9,774,944
Net assets, beginning of year
15,385,761
Net assets, end of year
$25,160,705
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FY 2013 | 2014
FY 2013 | 2014
HIGHLIGHTS
JULY 1, 2013
2013
First Urban Training
in Chicago
Clients who live, work
or travel in big city
environments had the
opportunity to train
with their new Leader
Dogs in one of the
busiest cities in the U.S.
Mutual of America
Community
Partnership Award
2013 Governor Hugh L.
Carey Award Recipient
Honoring an
outstanding example
of partnership between
for profit, nonprofit
and public sectors.
Received for Prison
Puppies, where Leader
Dog puppies are placed
with offenders in
correctional facilities
in several states.
Program partners:
Iowa Department of
Corrections, Lions
Clubs International and
Purina Pro Plan.
Berger Trust
Grant of $560,000
established the
Berger Working Team
Veterinary Care Fund
to provide financial
resources to restore a
Leader Dog to service.
2014
First Deaf-Blind Warm
Weather Training
Deaf-Blind clients
completed guide dog
training in Florida
to aid the American
Sign Language (ASL)
and tactile sign
communication which
can be hampered by
gloves and mittens.
JUNE 30, 2014
75th Anniversary of
founding on April 4, 1939
GuideStar® Exchange
Gold Participant
To obtain Gold level,
Leader Dog provided
financial information and
a Charting Impact report
including goals, strategies,
capabilities and progress.
This confirms our belief in
being transparent to our
stakeholders regarding our
finances and strategies
AER Michigan Award
(Association for Education
and Rehabilitation of the
Blind and Visually Impaired)
Presented to an
organization that has
made a significant
contribution to the field
of blindness and/or in
the service of persons
who are blind or visually
impaired in Michigan.
Charity Navigator
4-Star Rating
Given to charities
which exceed industry
standards and
outperforms most
charities in its Cause.
Canine Development Center
Plans Underway
100% Board of Trustee
participation in the capital
campaign for a redesigned
Canine Development Center
that will positively impact the
health, well-being and training
of all future Leader Dogs.
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7
FY 2013 | 2014
FY 2013 | 2014
Clients Served
Mission
To empower people who are blind or visually impaired with lifelong skills for independent daily travel.
200 Guide Dog Training (Seven Deaf-Blind)
75 Accelerated Orientation & Mobility (O&M) Training
157 GPS devices issued
21 Summer Experience Camp
Programs
Guide Dog Training is a 26-day residential training program matching hand-selected, highly
trained dogs with people who are legally blind, or both deaf and blind.
Values
• Do what is right
• Respect and compassion
• Passion for the work
• Superior experience
• Teamwork
• Innovation
• Safety
Accelerated O&M Training is the only seven-day residential orientation and mobility program
in the U.S. providing clients with cane skills to become safer, more independent travelers.
GPS Technology empowers clients to identify their current location and plan their own travel
route, rather than relying on others to fill this need.
Summer Experience Camp is a unique summer camp for 16- and 17-year-olds who are legally
blind, combining fun and leadership activities with an introduction to guide dogs.
History
It all began in 1938 when Charles A. Nutting, Donald P.
Schuur and S.A. Dodge led the Uptown Lions Club of
Detroit in establishing an organization to train guide dogs
for people who are blind. Their motivation was Dr. Glenn
Wheeler, a fellow Lion whose attempts to be accepted by
another guide dog organization proved unsuccessful.
On April 4, 1939, Lions
Leader Dog Foundation was
incorporated as a Michigan
nonprofit. In May 1939, the
Foundation leased a small farm in Rochester Hills, Michigan to house
their new venture. Fifty dollars per month rented a farmhouse for the
clients and staff, a barn for the dogs and a garage.
In 1940, the name was changed to Leader Dog League for the Blind.
The final name change to Leader Dogs for the Blind came in 1952.
In 2014 Leader Dogs for the Blind celebrated 75 years of service and
still occupies the same location in Rochester Hills, Michigan.
75
YEARS
1939–2014
Setting our sights on the future
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