SILVER2023

CARES OF WASHINGTON

Opening Doors, Saving Lives

Seattle, WA   |  www.caresofwa.org

Mission

Our mission is to support people with disabilities and low incomes to realize their purpose, potential, and strength

Ruling year info

2003

CEO

Mr. Lars Nowack

Main address

1833 N 105th st suite 202

Seattle, WA 98133 USA

Show more contact info

EIN

13-4237286

NTEE code info

Employment Procurement Assistance and Job Training (J20)

Services to Promote the Independence of Specific Populations (P80)

Nonprofit Management (S50)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2020, 2019 and 2018.
Register now

Communication

Blog

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Cares of Washington is working to address the growing income inequality and support people in reaching economic stability.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

Supported Employment Services

This program provides job readiness, job placement and long-term employment support to people with developmental disabilities.

We provide the following services to participants and employers include: assessment of abilities and interests, job readiness training, job development, job modification, job training, job placement, retention services and career advancement support.

Clients work with staff to identify their interests, enhance their work skills, and clear hurdles that have previously prevented employment. Our strengths-based approach allows clients to focus their employment search on jobs that best meet their interests and needs. Our services include:
 
Identifying clients’ choice in type of work, geographical area, and number of employment hours
Skills assessment and training (some clients may be placed in a volunteer role to develop pre-employment skills)
Training in resume writing, application completion, interview skills, job search resources, communication skills, and time management
Assistance to individuals with disabilities to increase independent work skills and prepare for their life-transition into an unfamiliar work atmosphere. 

CARES works with both clients and employers to cultivate a mutually-beneficial partnership that places individuals in jobs that fit their interests and skill-level while adding value for employers by filling the recruitment needs that employers have identified. Our services include:

Placement assistance, including for individuals with disabilities, in jobs that provide opportunities for stable employment, wage progression, career advancement, and economic self-sufficiency
Recruitment and placement services for employers to hire reliable, skilled and knowledgeable employees

Following job placement, CARES provides clients with long-term follow-up services that promote their ability to maintain employment.  Our services, provided to clients at the location of their employment and/or in their homes, include:
 

Job coaching, mentoring, and ongoing training
Connection to service partners that provide housing, transportation to-and-from work, and child care, etc
Working with employers to meet the accommodation needs of clients with disabilities.

Population(s) Served
People with intellectual disabilities
Adults

– Companies, post secondary schools, training programs, apprenticeship programs partner with CFS for participant support/coaching. A coach works one-on-one with clients to set and support their employment goals and help them build personal resiliency and financial assets. Our services, provided to clients at the location of their employment and/or in their homes, include:
 

 

·         Life-skills coaching
 

 

·         Financial management coaching
 

 

·         Career advancement coaching
 

 

 

 

- Clients gain the financial and money management skills necessary to become and remain financially stable, independent, and resilient through both one-on-one and group services that include:

Income tax filing assistance
Assistance to  individuals with disabilities to access disability benefits
Money management plan based on setting a budget and achieving financial goals
Techniques to reduce debt, improve credit ratings, eliminate reliance on payday lenders

Population(s) Served
Adults
Families
Economically disadvantaged people
Unemployed people
Veterans

- Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Ticket To Work
These programs provide employment services to participants eligible for employment-related services through DVR and TTW fee for service contracts. This program includes providing work-based assessments, job placement and retention and job coaching.
We annually assists more than 400 individuals with disabilities to locate and secure employment. Clients work with staff to identify their interests, enhance their work skills, and clear hurdles that have previously prevented employment. Our strengths-based approach allows clients to focus their employment search on jobs that best meet their interests and needs. Our services include:
 

Identifying clients’ choice in type of work, geographical area, and number of employment hours
Skills assessment and training (some clients may be placed in a volunteer role to develop pre-employment skills)
Training in resume writing, application completion, interview skills, job search resources, communication skills, and time management
Assistance to individuals with disabilities to increase independent work skills and prepare for their life-transition into an unfamiliar work atmosphere.

- CARES works with both clients and employers to cultivate a mutually-beneficial partnership that places individuals in jobs that fit their interests and skill-level while adding value for employers by filling the recruitment needs that employers have identified.

Population(s) Served
People with disabilities
Adults

Where we work

Awards

City of Seattle May 1st, 2013 is Cares of WA day. 2013

City of Seattle

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

To develop long term sustainable revenue and funding sources to support all program services.

Goal # 1 strategies:
o Increase the diversity among funding sources
o Set and reach target percentages for classes of funding
o Increase sustainable non government funding

Goal # 2 strategies:
o Increase scope of services provided
o Provide greater access to services
o Increase movement towards self-sufficiency within clients own potential

Goal # 3 strategies:
Work towards enrolling 3-4 new CFS companies
Create and implement social media strategy
Recruit 3 new board members

Cares of Washington has a diverse and capable staff group that is working towards achieving the agency's strategic plan goals listed in the previous sections.
Our board of directors are committed to completing the strategic plan goals as well, lending their professional and personal resources to meet the outcomes.
We are financially stable and have the infrastructure to achieve our goals.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We demonstrated a willingness to learn more by reviewing resources about feedback practice.
done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?

    Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Paper surveys, Case management notes,

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,

  • With whom is the organization sharing feedback?

    The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners,

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded,

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, The people we serve tell us they find data collection burdensome, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection,

Financials

CARES OF WASHINGTON
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more about GuideStar Pro.

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

CARES OF WASHINGTON

Board of directors
as of 02/01/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Nitant Singh

Microsoft corporation

Term: 2019 - 2023

Lars Nowack

CEO, Cares of Washington

Donavan Lam

Evergreen treatment Services

Nitant Singh

Microsoft Corporation

Adam Harrell

Meta corp

Steve Norman

Price Waterhouse Cooper

Julie Breeden

Blackbaud

Al Herron

StemTac Foundation

Jake Nibly

Tola Capitol

Joe Castro

UW graduate student

Ratna Kompella

Microsoft Corp

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 2/1/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
White/Caucasian/European
Gender identity
Male
Sexual orientation
Heterosexual or straight
Disability status
Person with a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 02/01/2023

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
  • We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Policies and processes
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.