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Reported on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 5:44 AM

• Evaluation Conclusions
• Purpose
• Programs
• Fund Raising Methods
• Financial Summary

• Charity Contact and Profile
• Additional Locations and Phone Numbers
• BBB Standards for Charitable Accountability
• Ten Tips for Better Giving

Tax Status 501(c)(3)

Their mission is to eliminate domestic violence and sexual assault through intervention, prevention, prosecution, victim protection and sustainable restoration.

S.A.R.A.H. (Sexual Assault Responders Advocating Healing) is a program designed to provide emergency room assistance; 24-hour crisis intervention; assistance with crime victim compensation, court advocacy & counseling services. The Ester program is open to female assault victims between ages 6-18. The Let's Talk About It sexual assault group session offers opportunities for victims to deal with their trauma through discussion and writings.

Healthy Relationship Initiative is designed to: advocate for strong healthy marriages; encourage abstaining from sex until marriage; reduce out-of-wedlock pregnancies & encourage the involvement of fathers in the lives of their children.

Behavioral Modification Training Institute was established to provide domestic violence and sexual assault training for laypersons, social workers, law enforcement personnel & clergy.

New Beginning Shelter provides 24 hours of safe shelter, support groups, legal advocacy and make referrals for victims of domestic violence and their children.

Legal Assistance: Our House, Inc. in collaboration with MS Rural Legal Services and The Domestic Violence Project, Inc. has established a Rural Legal Services Program to provide civil legal representation to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and dating victims. Direct legal services will be provided to victims in matters arising from the abuse or violence within (19) counties in the Northern and Delta area of MS.

ABEL'S Program (for suvivors of homicide loss): Trained staff will assist with filing crime victim compensation forms for burial, counseling, leave time from work and court support.

Y.E.S. (Youth Enrichment Services) is a recovery program for youth who have experienced the death of a loved one due to a violent crime as well as youth experiencing domestic violence within the home.

L.E.A.H. (Letting Each Affliction Heal) outreach services offered for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault include, but is not limited to: counseling at NO COST, referrals to safe shelters, advocacy services for legal representation, and referrals to local social services programs.

M.A.S.H (Men Against Spousal Harm) is a 26/52 week behavioral modification program for court-ordered domestic violence abusers based on the nationally known Duluth, MN Domestic Violence Prevention Project. The goal of M.A.S.H. is to hold abusers accountable for their abusive behaviors and to empower them to change.

Our House, Inc. uses only government contributions and program service revenue to help the support of the organization.

According to the IRS Form 990 for the Fiscal Year ended 9/30/2007:

P. O. Box 3956, Greenville, MS 38703, Washington County
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(662) 334-6875 (FAX)

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ID: 154026165
Report as of: 11/24/2009

© 2009  The Better Business Bureau of Mississippi, Inc.

1. A board of directors that provides adequate oversight of the charity's operations and its staff.
2. A board of directors with a minimum of five voting members.
3. A minimum of three evenly spaced meetings per year of the full governing body with a majority in attendance, with face-to-face participation.
4. Not more than one or 10% (whichever is greater) directly or indirectly compensated person(s) serving as voting member(s) of the board. Compensated members shall not serve as the board's chair or treasurer.
5. No transaction(s) in which any board or staff members have material conflicting interests with the charity resulting from any relationship or business affiliation.
6. Have a board policy of assessing, no less than every two years, the organization's performance and effectiveness and of determining future actions required to achieve its mission.
7. Submit to the organization's governing body, for its approval, a written report that outlines the results of the aforementioned performance and effectiveness assessment and recommendations for future actions.
8. Spend at least 65% of its total expenses on program activities.
9. Spend no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising. Related contributions include donations, legacies and other gifts received as a result of fund raising efforts.
10. Avoid accumulating funds that could be used for current program activities. To meet this standard, the charity's unrestricted net assets available for use should not be more than three times the size of the past year's expenses or three times the size of the current year's budget, whichever is higher.
11. Make available to all, on request, complete annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.
12. Include in the financial statements a breakdown of expenses (e.g., salaries, travel, postage, etc.) that shows what portion of these expenses was allocated to program, fund raising, and administrative activities.
13. Accurately report the charity's expenses, including any joint cost allocations, in its financial statements.
14. Have a board-approved annual budget for its current fiscal year, outlining projected expenses for major program activities, fund raising, and administration.
15. Have solicitations and informational materials, distributed by any means, that are accurate, truthful and not misleading, both in whole and in part.
16. Have an annual report available to all, on request, that includes: (a) the organization's mission statement, (b) a summary of the past year's program service accomplishments, (c) a roster of the officers and members of the board of directors, (d) financial information that includes (i) total income in the past fiscal year, (ii) expenses in the same program, fund raising and administrative categories as in the financial statements, and (iii) ending net assets.
17. Include on any charity websites that solicit contributions, the same information that is recommended for annual reports, as well as the mailing address of the charity and electronic access to its most recent IRS Form 990.
18. Address privacy concerns of donors by (a) providing in written appeals, at least annually, a means (e.g., such as a check off box) for both new and continuing donors to inform the charity if they do not want their name and address shared outside the organization, and
    (b) providing a clear, prominent and easily accessible privacy policy on any of its websites that tells visitors (i) what information, if any, is being collected about them by the charity and how this information will be used, (ii) how to contact the charity to review personal information collected and request corrections, (iii) how to inform the charity (e.g., a check off box) that the visitor does not wish his/her personal information to be shared outside the organization, and (iv) what security measures the charity has in place to protect personal information.
19. Clearly disclose how the charity benefits from the sale of products or services (i.e., cause-related marketing) that state or imply that a charity will benefit from a consumer sale or transaction. Such promotions should disclose, at the point of solicitation: (a) the actual or anticipated portion of the purchase price that will benefit the charity (e.g., 5 cents will be contributed to abc charity for every xyz company product sold), (b) the duration of the campaign (e.g., the month of October), (c) any maximum or guaranteed minimum contribution amount (e.g., up to a maximum of $200,000).
20. Respond promptly to and act on complaints brought to its attention by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and/or local Better Business Bureaus about fund raising practices, privacy policy violations and/or other issues.

Most charities are honest and ethical, but questionable solicitors are counting on the fact that you won't bother to check out the charity before you give. Here is some basic wise giving advice:

1. Watch out for similar names.
   As there are many charities raising funds for similar causes, some charity names sound the same. Be sure to look at the name carefully, because the charity soliciting you may not be the one you have in mind.
2. Do not be pressured to make an immediate gift.
   Be wary of solicitors that demand an 'on the spot' donation. Charities should welcome your gift whenever you want to send it.
3. Question vague appeals.
   Appeals should clearly identify the charity's programs. Watch out for appeals that are strong on identifying a problem, but weak on describing what specifically the charity intends to do about it.
4. Do not give out personal information to phone solicitors.
   Don't give out credit card numbers, checking account numbers or any other personal information to unknown telephone solicitors.
5. Do not give cash.
   Write a check out to the charity's full official name, not to an individual or third party that may be collecting the donation.
6. Keep records of your donations (receipts, canceled checks and bank statements) so you can document your charitable giving at tax time. (Note: The IRS requires donations of $250 or more to be substantiated through a written receipt from the charity.)
7. If you want a deduction, make sure the organization is a charity.
   There are many different types of soliciting nonprofit organizations. Most appeals will indicate if the organization is eligible to receive gifts deductible as charitable contributions. (To be sure, review the list of organizations in IRS Publication 78 or ask the charity for a copy of its tax exempt status determination letter.)
8. Don't hesitate to ask the charity for written information on its programs and finances.
   This tip can be particularly helpful in responding to phone appeals from charities that interest you.
9. To verify if a charity is registered to solicit, contact your state government.
   In most cases, this will be the state's office of the attorney general. Remember that the state registration does not mean 'approval', it means the group has filed the appropriate forms.
10. Report bad practices.
    Contact your Better Business Bureau and your state's Attorney General office about solicitation problems.