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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: March 2025 Expires: March 2027

Second Sense

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(312) 236-8569
1 N La Salle St Ste 3300
Chicago, IL, 60602-4019
https://www.second-sense.org/
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Second Sense meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
Second Sense inspires individuals to move beyond vision loss and believe in their abilities. Through client-centered support and training, they learn new skills, build confidence and realize their value in our community. Together we are changing society’s perception of human potential.

Year, State Incorporated:
1947, IL

Vision loss is about more than just loss of sight. It is about loss of identity, loss of mobility and loss of independence. Second Sense works with our clients to provide the emotional support and practical
training that allows them to move beyond vision loss and live active, productive lives.

Second Sense offers training programs to help our clients regain their confidence and independence. All our program staff are vision rehabilitation professionals (Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists and Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists).

Our programs fall into three areas, which often overlap:
Daily Living Skills include all the activities of daily living that have become challenging due to vision loss. Examples are cooking, cleaning, grooming, money management, medication management, reading, hobbies and organization.
Technology training focuses on both mainstream and assistive technology. Clients learn to use PCs, laptops and phones/tablets with assistive software. All these devices can be used to increase their
independence.
Orientation and Mobility teaches clients to travel safely and independently using a white cane. They learn to walk around their homes without banging their shins, travel outside to their mailbox, walk through their neighborhood, cross streets and travel on public transit or Uber.

We provide most of our training through individual lessons (90% of all training). We have found that as the complexity of training topics increases individual training yields higher levels of client satisfaction and outcomes.

All of our services are free-of-charge to anyone with vision loss: no paperwork and no referrals required. Our programs in Daily Living, Orientation and Mobility, and Assistive Technology have a direct and
immediate impact on the quality of our clients' lives. Our programs empower our clients, encouraging them to take control of their lives, not become dependent upon our services.

We focus on each client's individual needs and goals to develop a training plan to reach those goals. Clients learn how to perform tasks independently and confidently — encouraging them to remain integrated in their families and communities.

For the year ended June 30, 2024, Second Sense's program expenses were:

Independent Living Services $342,445
Orientation and Mobility $318,210
Adaptive Technology $257,335
Total Program Expenses $917,990

Chief Executive
Steven Zelner, Executive Director

Chair of the Board
Mr. Brett Christenson, Board President

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Marquette Associates

Board Size
7

Paid Staff Size
7

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.)

% of Related Contributions on Fundraising: 6.41%

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Second Sense's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2024.

Source of Funds
Contributions and grants $764,885
Government grants $221,929
Special events, net of expenses of $17,656 $131,326
Contributed services $25,844
Net investment income $12,135
Product sales $4,423
Total Income $1,160,542

Programs: 78% Fundraising: 6% Administrative: 16%

Total Income $1,160,542
Total expenses: $1,182,441
  Program expenses $917,990
  Fundraising expenses $73,336
  Administrative expenses $191,115
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $-21,899
Beginning Net Assets $627,487
Other Changes In Net Assets $0
Ending Net Assets $605,588
Total Liabilities $161,343
Total Assets $766,931

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

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Report completed by:
BBB of Chicago & Northern Illinois