YOUTH CONNECTION CHARTER SCHOOL Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

YOUTH CONNECTION CHARTER SCHOOL

EIN 36-4202184 · Elementary & Secondary Schools (B20)

What they do

THE MISSION of YCCS is to ADVOCATE FOR, DEVELOP, and PROVIDE WORLD CLASS EDUCATION for HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS and POST-SECONDARY PLACEMENTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $88.60 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 leaders19 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

89.89%of revenue went to mission work88.6% of expenses · Program services

$101.45spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

11.56%of revenue went to management and office costs11.4% of expenses

$0.41in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

4.5%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.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $739,454 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $265,247 for SHEILA VENSON (EXECUTIVE 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$51,011,144

Mission workProgram services$45,854,91089.89% of revenue88.6% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$5,895,68811.56% of revenue11.4% of expenses

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

Total expenses$51,750,598101.45% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

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: 88.6% mission · 11.4% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.45% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 89.3% mission · 10.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 102.41% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 90.1% mission · 9.9% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 100.35% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 89.9% mission · 10.1% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.30% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 90.8% mission · 9.2% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.60% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 89.8% mission · 10.2% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.79% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 90.3% mission · 9.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.44% of revenue

2016Expense mix: 90.4% mission · 9.6% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.03% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$51,011,144

Expenses$51,750,598

Annual shortfall $739,454 Expenses were higher than revenue 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)$45,854,910 · 88.6% of expenses

Management and office costs$5,895,688 · 11.4% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$51,011,144

Expenses$51,750,598

Assets$21,333,147

Income$51,055,853

Contributions$2,285,202

Mission work (program services)$45,854,910

Management and general$5,895,688

Accounting fees$101,377

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

SHEILA VENSONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $265,247Base $193,518 · Other $71,729

LARRY VAUGHNASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $264,092Base $192,346 · Other $71,746

GERSOM CARRERAOPERATIONS DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $209,329Base $148,196 · Other $61,133

ALBERT BUABENGCOMPTROLLER · 40 hrs/week $201,147Base $144,499 · Other $56,648

TRACY SMITH-BROWNCHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $148,560Base $138,012 · Other $10,548

DONNA COTEDIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION · 40 hrs/week $143,144Base $120,829 · Other $22,315

DIONNE KIRKSEYPRINCIPAL · 40 hrs/week $141,807Base $119,733 · Other $22,074

IRMA PLAXICOPRINCIPAL · 40 hrs/week $139,983Base $117,944 · Other $22,039

ANGELA BALLARDSCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COACH · 40 hrs/week $137,266Base $101,012 · Other $36,254

CRESCENT LAGROONEXECUTIVE ASSISTANT · 40 hrs/week $130,939Base $112,563 · Other $18,376

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 (19)

SHEILA VENSONEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

LARRY VAUGHNASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

GERSOM CARRERAOPERATIONS DIRECTOR

ALBERT BUABENGCOMPTROLLER

TRACY SMITH-BROWNCHIEF EDUCATION OFFICER

DONNA COTEDIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

DIONNE KIRKSEYPRINCIPAL

IRMA PLAXICOPRINCIPAL

ANGELA BALLARDSCHOOL IMPROVEMENT COACH

CRESCENT LAGROONEXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

DR LAURA R JOHNSONVICE PRESIDENT

DR FABRICIO E BALCAZARMEMBER

JAMES E LYLESTREASURER

JERMAINE G MORALESMEMBER

L ALEJANDRO MOLINA ALANISPRESIDENT

CHRISTINE BOWDENMEMBER

RICHARD BLACKMONMEMBER

ARTHUR P WARDMEMBER

ANGELINA GIBSONSECRETARY

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1999
Location: 10 WEST 35TH STREET 11F4-2, CHICAGO, IL 606163717
County: Cook
In care of: LUIS ALEJANDRO MOLINA ALANIS
Primary officer: LUIS ALEJANDRO MOLINA ALANIS, PRESIDENT

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(312) 328-0799

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: CHERRY BEKAERT ADVISORY LLC
NTEE classification: Elementary & Secondary Schools (B20)
IRS tax category: Elementary & Secondary Schools