CENTRAL JERSEY LEGAL SERVICES INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

CENTRAL JERSEY LEGAL SERVICES INC

EIN 21-0684259 · Legal Services (I80)

What they do

PROVIDES FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN NON-CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS or MATTERS to PERSONS FINANCIALLY UNABLE to AFFORD LEGAL ASSISTANCE IN MERCER COUNTY, MIDDLESEX COUNTY, and UNION COUNTY, NEW JERSEY

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $87.40 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders30 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

86.56%of revenue went to mission work87.4% of expenses · Program services

$98.99spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

12.44%of revenue went to management and office costs12.6% of expenses

$0.45in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

94.6%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $252,713 for DEBBIE MORGAN (DEPUTY DIRECTOR). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$15,047,866

Mission workProgram services$13,024,68286.56% of revenue87.4% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,871,67012.44% of revenue12.6% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations0.00% of revenue0.0% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$151,5141.01% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$14,896,35298.99% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 87.4% mission · 12.6% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.99% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 86.7% mission · 13.3% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.51% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 86.2% mission · 13.8% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 85.35% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 87.9% mission · 12.0% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.01% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 86.3% mission · 13.7% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 96.10% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 84.6% mission · 15.3% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 107.43% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 84.9% mission · 15.0% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.12% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 85.6% mission · 14.3% management · 0.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.08% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$15,047,866

Expenses$14,896,352

Annual surplus $151,514 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$13,024,682 · 87.4% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,871,670 · 12.6% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$15,047,866

Expenses$14,896,352

Assets$6,640,692

Income$17,226,353

Contributions$14,235,513

Mission work (program services)$13,024,682

Management and general$1,871,670

Executive compensation (total)$310,996

Stocks and bonds$1,578,770

Accounting fees$31,999

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

DEBBIE MORGANDEPUTY DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $252,713Base $189,346 · Other $63,367

WENDY CUFFS-LAKECHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER · 35 hrs/week $235,354Base $173,749 · Other $61,605

JENNIFER TANNERDIRECTOR OF GRANTS · 35 hrs/week $234,636Base $172,905 · Other $61,731

DANIEL RUBINDEPUTY DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $228,036Base $167,370 · Other $60,666

JANICE CHAPINEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $216,330Base $193,532 · Other $22,798

LUIS FRANCOSENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY · 35 hrs/week $196,949Base $177,339 · Other $19,610

MARYSOL ROSADO THOMASDEPUTY DIRECTOR · 35 hrs/week $182,896Base $165,888 · Other $17,008

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (30)

DEBBIE MORGANDEPUTY DIRECTOR

WENDY CUFFS-LAKECHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

JENNIFER TANNERDIRECTOR OF GRANTS

DANIEL RUBINDEPUTY DIRECTOR

JANICE CHAPINEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

LUIS FRANCOSENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY

MARYSOL ROSADO THOMASDEPUTY DIRECTOR

MICHELLE MCNAIRBOARD MEMBER

MARITZA RODRIGUEZ ESQBOARD MEMBER

NERLENE MAYERSSECRETARY

NIKKI J DAVIS ESQBOARD MEMBER

RICHARD B GELADE ESQVICE-PRESIDENT

ROBERT CALCHIBOARD MEMBER

STEPHEN A SATKIN ESQBOARD MEMBER

THE HONORABLE TRAVIS FRANCISBOARD MEMBER

VALERIE J CAMARA ESQBOARD MEMBER

W LOIS KAHAGI ESQBOARD MEMBER

WILLIAM P ISELE ESQBOARD MEMBER

MICHAEL B MCCULLEY ESQBOARD MEMBER

MAURISNA JOSEPHBOARD MEMBER

ANGELO A STIO IIIBOARD MEMBER

MARIA VELEZ ESQBOARD MEMBER

JOAN DOUGLASSBOARD MEMBER

JAQUELINE WILLIAMSBOARD MEMBER

JAMES A TARELLA ESQPRESIDENT

ERIC B LEVINE ESQBOARD MEMBER

ELISE WOOLFORDBOARD MEMBER

E MARTIN DAVIDOFF CPA ESQBOARD MEMEBR

DEMETRICE R MILES ESQTREASURER

APRIL C BAUKNIGHT ESQBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1956
Location: 317 GEORGE ST STE 201, NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ 08901-2008
County: Middlesex
In care of: JANICE CHAPIN
Primary officer: JANICE CHAPIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailcjls@lsnj.org Phone(732) 249-7600

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: NISIVOCCIA LLP
NTEE classification: Legal Services (I80)
IRS tax category: Legal Services