LEGAL AID OF WESTERN MISSOURI Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

LEGAL AID OF WESTERN MISSOURI

EIN 43-0824638 · International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I80Z)

What they do

Every Day, Missourians Are Denied Access to The Basic Rights to Which They Are Entitled Under The Law, Simply Because They Cannot Afford An Attorney. Legal Aid Provides Free Civil Legal Assistance to People Who Need It Most and Can Afford It Least Within A 40-county Area Where 300,000 People Live In Poverty.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $83.10 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 leaders41 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

85.06%of revenue went to mission work83.1% of expenses · Program services

3.29%of revenue went to fundraising3.2% of expenses

$102.42spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

14.06%of revenue went to management and office costs13.7% of expenses

$3.99in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

84.4%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 $324,061 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $169,960 for ALICIA M JOHNSON (EXECUTIVE DIR.). 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$13,394,838

Mission workProgram services$11,393,65285.06% of revenue83.1% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,883,93714.06% of revenue13.7% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$441,3103.29% of revenue3.2% of expenses

Total expenses$13,718,899102.42% 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: 83.1% mission · 13.7% management · 3.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 102.42% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 83.2% mission · 13.4% management · 3.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.77% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 83.1% mission · 13.3% management · 3.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 21.77% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 83.9% mission · 12.4% management · 3.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.47% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 84.7% mission · 11.7% management · 3.6% fundraisingTotal expenses: 87.28% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$13,394,838

Expenses$13,718,899

Annual shortfall $324,061 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)$11,393,652 · 83.1% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,883,937 · 13.7% of expenses

Fundraising$441,310 · 3.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$13,394,838

Expenses$13,718,899

Assets$54,743,082

Income$14,188,643

Contributions$11,307,612

Mission work (program services)$11,393,652

Fundraising$441,310

Management and general$1,883,937

Executive compensation (total)$260,781

Stocks and bonds$49,859,783

Accounting fees$73,604

Investing fees$239,658

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

ALICIA M JOHNSONEXECUTIVE DIR. · 38 hrs/week $169,960Base $155,000 · Other $14,960

JAMES SMITHDIRECTOR OF LIT. · 38 hrs/week $140,287Base $125,000 · Other $15,287

CHRISTOPHER GIFFINDIRECTOR OF IT · 38 hrs/week $132,448Base $118,655 · Other $13,793

PAMELA BHENDMANAGING ATTORNEY · 38 hrs/week $129,926Base $107,662 · Other $22,264

SILYA SHAWDEPUTY DIRECTOR · 38 hrs/week $127,754Base $113,471 · Other $14,283

TAMA BYRNESDIRECTOR OF FINANCE · 38 hrs/week $109,582Base $100,270 · Other $9,312

FREDDY MAWYINDIR OF FINANCE · 19 hrs/week $103,618Base $100,000 · Other $3,618

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 (41)

ALICIA M JOHNSONEXECUTIVE DIR.

JAMES SMITHDIRECTOR OF LIT.

CHRISTOPHER GIFFINDIRECTOR OF IT

PAMELA BHENDMANAGING ATTORNEY

SILYA SHAWDEPUTY DIRECTOR

TAMA BYRNESDIRECTOR OF FINANCE

FREDDY MAWYINDIR OF FINANCE

KEEGAN TINNEYBOARD MEMBER

VICKI GROOMSBOARD MEMBER

KENNEDY BASHAMBOARD MEMBER

KESIA SMITHTREASURER

LAURA STITHBOARD MEMBER

LINDA BROWNBOARD MEMBER

LINDSEY BACHMANBOARD MEMBER

LISA RAYBOARD MEMBER

MARGARET MAYADVISOR

MATTHEW MCLAUGHLINBOARD MEMBER

MONIQUE ALVARADO-ARELLANOBOARD MEMBER

NATALY PATTERSONBOARD MEMBER

PHYLLIS NORMANBOARD MEMBER

RICHARD LOMBARDOBOARD MEMBER

SEEMA CHAWLABOARD MEMBER

ALEKSANDRA BOGDANOVICBOARD MEMBER

BRODY KEMPTONBOARD MEMBER

AMANDA LOTSPEICHBOARD MEMBER

AMBER CHRISTSECRETARY

AMY FOWLERBOARD MEMBER

ANDREW SPEICHERBOARD MEMBER

ANGELA MCINTYREBOARD MEMBER

ANIKA HICKMANBOARD MEMBER

BEATRIZ IBARRABOARD MEMBER

BLAKE REEVESBOARD MEMBER

KATHY MASONBOARD MEMBER

CHRISTOPHER FRANTZEBOAD MEMBER

CYNTHIA THOMASBOARD MEMBER

FRED SGROIBOARD MEMBER

GARY ABRAMBOARD MEMBER

GILLIAN WILCOXPRESIDENT

HENRY THOMASBOARD MEMBER

JOLIE JUSTUSVICE PRESIDENT

JUDGE CHARLES CURLESSBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1965
Location: 4001 DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR STE 3, KANSAS CITY, MO 64130-2349
County: Jackson
In care of: Alicia M Johnson
Primary officer: Alicia M Johnson, Executive Dir.

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(816) 474-6750

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: January 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: ROBERTS MCKENZIE MANGAN & CUMMINGS PC
NTEE classification: International, Foreign Affairs & National Security (I80Z)
IRS tax category: All Other Legal Services