Form 990 for tax year 2023

Totals

Total revenue

$2,446,869

Total expenses

$2,107,386

Contributions and grants received

$2,213,004

Grants paid

$0

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$88,538

Other revenue

$145,327

Total assets, end of year

$4,793,660

Total liabilities, end of year

$2,170,770

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$2,622,890

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$1,792,371

Management and general expenses

$121,433

Fundraising expenses

$193,582

Program service expenses (Part III)

$1,792,371

Program services were 85.1% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2023

• CANDLELIGHTERS IS THE FIRST AND OLDEST NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION IN NEVADA SERVING FAMILIES COPING WITH CHILDHOOD CANCER. TWO FAMILIES, EACH WITH A CHILD IN CANCER TREATMENT, FOUNDED CANDLELIGHTERS IN 1978, BELIEVING THAT FAMILIES COULD FIND STRENGTH, KNOWLEDGE, AND COMFORT BY BANDING TOGETHER. FOR FORTY-FIVE YEARS, OUR MISSION HAS BEEN TO PROVIDE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, QUALITY OF LIFE PROGRAMS, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AFFECTED BY CHILDHOOD CANCER. OUR SERVICES ARE A CRITICAL LIFELINE FOR FAMILIES FACING A CANCER DIAGNOSIS. ON A DAILY BASIS, WE HELP FAMILIES COPE WITH THE EMOTIONAL TRAUMA AND FINANCIAL HARDSHIP EVOKED BY A CHILDHOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS. ALL TOO OFTEN, FAMILIES FALL APART FROM THE STRESS OF THE CHILD'S DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, POTENTIAL RELAPSE, AND, SOMETIMES, DEATH, LEAVING PARENTS AND SIBLINGS FEELING ISOLATED, DEPRESSED, AND VULNERABLE. OUR PURPOSE IS TO ALLEVIATE THE ISOLATION MANY FAMILIES FEEL AT THE TIME THEIR CHILD IS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND PROVIDE ACCESS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES, MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND FAMILY SUPPORT TO ENSURE THEIR ABILITY TO FOCUS ON THE MOST CRITICAL ELEMENT OF CANCER TREATMENT-THEIR CHILD'S SURVIVAL. ALL SERVICES ARE PROVIDED TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY, AT NO COST. OUR PROGRAMS FALL INTO THREE KEY AREAS: FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE MANY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THE SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL STRESS AND HARDSHIP A CHILDHOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS CREATES FOR A FAMILY. WHILE DEALING WITH THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT OF A CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND THE IMMEDIATE NEED TO BEGIN TREATMENT, PARENTS ALSO FACE THE UNEXPECTED AND UNPLANNED INCREASE IN FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS, COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH A CANCER DIAGNOSIS. OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES DUE TO MEDICAL CO-PAYMENTS, PRESCRIPTION COSTS, AND OTHER ADDITIONAL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH CANCER TREATMENT COUPLED WITH UNPAID TIME OFF TO CARE FOR THE DIAGNOSED CHILD CREATES FINANCIAL INSTABILITY WITHIN THE HOME. CANDLELIGHTERS ALLOCATES UP TO 4,000 PER CALENDAR YEAR PER FAMILY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. QUALIFYING EXPENSES INCLUDE RENT OR MORTGAGE, UTILITIES, GAS, AND LOCAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS. CANDLELIGHTERS ALSO PROVIDES A MEDICAL AND PRESCRIPTION CO-PAYMENT REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM. THE REIMBURSEMENT IS BASED ON A SLIDING SCALE THAT FACTORS IN HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WITHIN THE HOUSEHOLD. IN ADDITION TO THE ASSISTANCE ABOVE, OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE INCLUDE: TRAVEL FOR TREATMENT WHILE CHILDREN TYPICALLY RECEIVE TREATMENT IN SOUTHERN NEVADA, IT IS COMMON FOR FAMILIES AND THEIR CHILDREN TO TRAVEL TO OTHER STATES FOR SPECIALIZED TREATMENTS, SUCH AS BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTS AND BRAIN TUMOR TREATMENT. SHOULD A FAMILY FACE THE NEED TO TRAVEL FOR CARE, CANDLELIGHTERS ASSISTS WITH AIRFARE, LODGING, CAR RENTAL, FOOD REIMBURSEMENT, AND GAS CARDS TO HELP OFFSET THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF TRAVEL. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT CANDLELIGHTERS PROVIDES FUNERAL ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES WHOSE CHILDREN LOST THEIR BATTLE WITH CANCER. CANDLELIGHTERS ASSISTS THE FAMILY WITH A 5,000 PAYMENT TOWARDS THE FUNERAL COSTS. FUNERALS THAT FALL BELOW THE ALLOCATED AMOUNT ARE PAID IN FULL BY CANDLELIGHTERS. SURVIVOR SCHOLARSHIPS ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS CANDLELIGHTERS PARENTS CAN EXPERIENCE IS SEEING THEIR CHILD SURVIVE CANCER AND GO ON TO PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES IN HIGHER EDUCATION. CANDLELIGHTERS IS PROUD TO BE ABLE TO FUND SCHOLARSHIPS TO SURVIVING CHILDREN FOR COLLEGE, TRADE AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS. EMOTIONAL SUPPORT THE EMOTIONAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL TOLL OF CHILDHOOD CANCER IS CRUCIAL FOR THE CHILD, THE FAMILY AND THE SIBLINGS. WE ENSURE THE ENTIRE FAMILY IS SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE CHILDHOOD CANCER JOURNEY AND BOTH SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM IMPACT ARE ADDRESSED. EMOTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES PROVIDED CONSIST OF COUNSELING, SUPPORT GROUPS, ART AND PLAY THERAPY. FAMILIES MAY ACCESS OUR COUNSELING SERVICES AT ANY TIME DURING THEIR CANCER JOURNEY: AT DIAGNOSIS, DURING TREATMENT, SURVIVORSHIP, AND BEREAVEMENT. QUALITY OF LIFE PROGRAMS TO HELP ALLEVIATE THE ISOLATION MANY FAMILIES FEEL, CANDLELIGHTERS PROVIDES FAMILY-FOCUSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTS, THE DIAGNOSED CHILD, AND SIBLINGS TO CONNECT WITH OTHER FAMILIES WHO UNDERSTAND THEIR JOURNEY. THESE PROGRAMS ARE OFFERED IN A FUN, COMMUNITY SETTING GIVING THE FAMILIES A SENSE OF NORMALCY DURING AND AFTER TREATMENT WHILE CREATING MEANINGFUL AND LASTING MEMORIES. A FEW OF THESE ACTIVITIES INCLUDE MOVIE NIGHTS, HALLOWEEN BASH, HOLIDAY PARTIES AND A HOLIDAY ADOPT-A-FAMILY. CAMP FIREFLY CANDLELIGHTERS OFFERS A MEDICALLY SUPERVISED CAMP EACH SUMMER. A FIVE-DAY FOUR NIGHT CAMP IS OPEN TO ANY CANDLELIGHTERS CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER AND THEIR SIBLINGS, AGES 7-17. STAFF LEAD A ROBUST COMMITTEE OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS TO PLAN AND COORDINATE CAMP ACTIVITIES AND LOGISTICS. EACH YEAR, CANDLELIGHTERS PROVIDES 150 CAMP OPENINGS FREE OF CHARGE TO FAMILIES. ARTS/EDUCATION PROGRAM CANDLELIGHTERS RECOGNIZES THE SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN IMPACT OF THE ARTS ON REDUCING STRESS LEVELS OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY AND PROMOTING THEIR HEALING PROCESS DURING TREATMENT. CANDLELIGHTERS OFFERS ART EDUCATION THROUGH A CREATIVE EXPRESSIONS ART PROGRAM PROVEN POSITIVE OUTCOMES INCLUDE: (A) LOWERED STRESS AND ANXIETY LEVELS; (B) PROCEDURES AND TREATMENT CONDUCTED WITH MORE EASE SHORTENING TREATMENT TIME; (C) SHORTENS HOSPITAL STAYS; (D) IMPROVES HEALING PROCESS.

  Expenses $1,792,371

As filed on the 2023 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2023

Filed

16 October 2024

IRS schema version

2023v5.0

Source object

202402909349300635

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