NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES INC

EIN 51-0198935 · Legal Services (I80)

What they do

NEIGHBORHOOD LEGAL SERVICES, INC. (NLS) SEEKS EQUITABLE JUSTICE BY PROVIDING ACCESS to LEGAL ADVICE, REPRESENTATION, and EDUCATION to THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITIES WHO, DUE to FINANCIAL VULNERABILITY, DISABILITY, DISCRIMINATION, or ABUSE, REQUIRE ASSISTANCE and PROTECTION of THEIR CIVIL LEGAL RIGHTS. SERVING ERIE, NIAGARA, GENESEE, WYOMING, and ORLEANS COUNTIES, NLS AIMS to CREATE THE GREATEST ACCESS to THE JUSTICE SYSTEM for LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS and THOSE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES to PURSUE GOALS THAT WILL INCREASE BOTH THE STABILITY and THE QUALITY of THEIR LIVES.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $87.80 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 2025The charity has a recent tax report to read.

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

They name their leaders31 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

86.31%of revenue went to mission work87.8% of expenses · Program services

$98.27spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

11.96%of revenue went to management and office costs12.2% of expenses

$0.47in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

97.5%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.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $211,158 for MELISSA MENDOLERA (DIRECTOR OF FINANCE). 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 2025

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$16,485,971

Mission workProgram services$14,229,61886.31% of revenue87.8% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,971,90411.96% of revenue12.2% of expenses

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

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$284,4491.73% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$16,201,52298.27% 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

2025CurrentExpense mix: 87.8% mission · 12.2% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 98.27% of revenue

2024Expense mix: 88.2% mission · 11.8% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 94.34% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 88.1% mission · 11.9% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.94% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 86.5% mission · 13.5% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 99.61% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 84.9% mission · 15.1% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.97% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 84.9% mission · 15.1% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 113.02% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 85.3% mission · 14.7% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.17% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 88.5% mission · 11.5% management · 0.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 106.15% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$16,485,971

Expenses$16,201,522

Annual surplus $284,449 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)$14,229,618 · 87.8% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,971,904 · 12.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$16,485,971

Expenses$16,201,522

Assets$7,665,041

Income$16,485,971

Contributions$16,074,247

Mission work (program services)$14,229,618

Grants given$9,980,545

Average grant$140,571

Management and general$1,971,904

Executive compensation (total)$479,686

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2025

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

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

MELISSA MENDOLERADIRECTOR OF FINANCE · 40 hrs/week $211,158Base $186,577 · Other $24,581

LAUREN E BREENEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (TO AUGUST 2025) · 40 hrs/week $203,820Base $188,385 · Other $15,435

KEISHA WILLIAMSDEPUTY DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $196,279Base $180,000 · Other $16,279

VERA VENKOVADEPUTY DIRECTOR · 32 hrs/week $163,604Base $141,930 · Other $21,674

JOHN M ZONITCHSUPERVISING ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $163,566Base $139,933 · Other $23,633

DIANA PROSKESUPERVISING ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $159,744Base $125,120 · Other $34,624

TODD SCHIFFMACHERSUPERVISING ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $159,563Base $133,241 · Other $26,322

JENNIFER DILLONSUPERVISING ATTORNEY · 40 hrs/week $149,885Base $137,960 · Other $11,925

CASSANDRA CONNIFFCONTROLLER · 40 hrs/week $149,591Base $142,333 · Other $7,258

WILLIAM OCONNELLEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (STARTING AUGUST 2025) · 40 hrs/week $88,676Base $79,615 · Other $9,061

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 (31)

MELISSA MENDOLERADIRECTOR OF FINANCE

LAUREN E BREENEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (TO AUGUST 2025)

KEISHA WILLIAMSDEPUTY DIRECTOR

VERA VENKOVADEPUTY DIRECTOR

JOHN M ZONITCHSUPERVISING ATTORNEY

DIANA PROSKESUPERVISING ATTORNEY

TODD SCHIFFMACHERSUPERVISING ATTORNEY

JENNIFER DILLONSUPERVISING ATTORNEY

CASSANDRA CONNIFFCONTROLLER

WILLIAM OCONNELLEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (STARTING AUGUST 2025)

OCTOBER REEDBOARD MEMBER

CARINA SCHOENBERGERBOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

DAVID NELSONBOARD MEMBER (TO JUNE 2025)

DIANA BLOOMBOARD MEMBER

SHANE GREENETREASURER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

SAM SMITHTREASURER (TO JUNE 2025)

ROBIN EDWARDSBOARD MEMBER

RICHARD J SCHECHTERBOARD MEMBER

PATRICK LONGBOARD MEMBER (TO JUNE 2025)

PATRICK HINESBOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

PAMELA THIBODEAUSECRETARY (STARTING JUNE 2025)

HEATHER ABRAHAMBOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

MICHAELLE SCHWACHPRESIDENT (TO JUNE 2025)

ELAINE DIALLOBOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

MARGARET SROKABOARD MEMBER (TO JUNE 2025)

ELISE CASSARBOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

KERISHA HAWTHORNE-GREERPRESIDENT (STARTING JUNE 2025)

GRACE GOLANDOBOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

JULIA HEFTKABOARD MEMBER (STARTING JUNE 2025)

JONATHAN LACEYVICE PRESIDENT (STARTING JUNE 2025)

GRACE PIETROCARLOBOARD MEMBER

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1976
Location: 237 MAIN ST STE 400, BUFFALO, NY 14203-2725
County: Erie
In care of: WILLIAM O'CONNELL
Primary officer: WILLIAM OCONNELL, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(716) 847-0650 Officer phone(716) 634-0700

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2025
Tax period began: January 1, 2025
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: TSA ADVISORS LLC
NTEE classification: Legal Services (I80)
IRS tax category: Legal Services
Grant-giving organization: Yes