irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2021
what they reported doing
Program narrative the organization filed with the IRS. Ordered by program spending.
- #1 primary $171KComplementary Programs provide support to children coping with serious illness, their families and the clinicians who care for them. They allow participants to thrive in a supportive context that includes their family, community, and the professional healthcare providers who care for them. Beads of Courage's Complementary Programs include Beads of Courage: Sibling Program, Bead Strong, Bead Mindful for Clinicians, I'm Fine Workshops for Clinicians, DREAM (Draw, Relax, and Embrace Art and the Mind), the Beads of Courage Strand for Strength and Remembrance Workshop, and Power Pendants for adolescents and young adults.
- #2 $174KCommunity Engagement & Encouragement Programs connect the kindness of others with the courage of the children, families and clinicians. Encouragement programs engage the community at large to be a source of encouragement for a child or teen that we support. These programs include our innovative Carry a Bead Program; Strength Bracelets; Courage Clips; Bead Making Workshops; Art Card Kits. Additionally, our encouragement programs include the great work we do to solicit donations of beads from bead and polymer artists; boxes and bowls from woodturners; and supporting our partner studios who host bead making events throughout the year which is inclusive of the opportunity for Beads of Courage children to submit their "Dream Bead" request.
named programs · 3 · from sources
what they call their work
Beads of Courage Program
An arts-in-medicine program where children and teens coping with serious illness receive specific beads to symbolize medical procedures, treatments, and milestones in their journey, helping them record, tell, and own their stories of courage.
Carry a Bead
Individuals carry a bead on their personal journeys (e.g., hiking, traveling) and then return it to be given to a child or teen in the hospital, providing emotional support.
Life in Full Circle Reflection Beads and Cards Experience
A resource designed to support healing through reflection, art, and symbolic storytelling for those navigating grief, including a boxed experience with reflection beads and cards.
activities · 5 clusters
what they do
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Handmade Cards and Beads for Emotional Support 6 activities
- Carry a Bead ProgramOperates a "Carry a Bead" program where individuals carry a bead on their personal journeys and return it to be given to a child or teen in the hospital, offering symbolic emotional support.
- Distributes handmade beads and symbolic items to children in treatmentCreates and distributes thousands of handmade polymer and glass beads, friendship bracelets, and art cards with encouraging messages to children and teens receiving treatment for serious illnesses.
- Facilitating Community Bead and Bracelet CreationEngages volunteers and artists in creating polymer clay beads, decorating art cards, and making friendship bracelets to be given to children receiving Beads of Courage during their treatment, providing emotional support and connection.
- Operating the Beads of Courage ProgramOperates 400 flagship Beads of Courage programs globally, serving over 60,000 children and teens coping with serious illness, their families, clinicians, and communities by providing arts in medicine programs and distributing thousands of handmade polymer and glass beads.
- Provides arts-in-medicine programs for youth and families affected by serious illnessOffers creative, resilience-based programs including bead-making, art cards, and symbolic storytelling for children and teens coping with serious illness, their families, clinicians, and communities.
- Runs the 'Carry a Bead' emotional support programCoordinates the 'Carry a Bead' program in which individuals carry a bead during personal journeys and return it to be gifted to a hospitalized child for emotional support.
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Trauma-Informed Training and Professional Consultation 4 activities
- Conducts research to validate program impactReviewed professional literature to identify service gaps and presented preliminary evaluation findings at national peer-reviewed research conferences including APON, APOS, and WIN to support the Beads of Courage program as a resilience-based intervention.
- Develops training materials for healthcare professionalsAuthored the Beads of Courage training manual to support healthcare professionals implementing the program in clinical settings.
- Research and Evaluation of ProgramsConducts research by reviewing professional literature to identify service gaps and provides evidence-based support for the Beads of Courage program as a resilience-based intervention, presenting findings at national peer-reviewed research meetings.
- Training for Healthcare ProfessionalsDevelops and provides a training manual for healthcare professionals to implement the Beads of Courage program.
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Grief Support Services for Children and Families 1 activity
- Life in Full Circle Reflection Beads and Cards ExperienceOffers a creative resource, the Life in Full Circle Reflection Beads and Cards Experience, to support healing through reflection, art, and symbolic storytelling for individuals navigating grief.
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Community Facility Access & Operations 1 activity
- Operates administrative and volunteer hubMaintains a warehouse, office, and volunteer center open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 3 PM by appointment to support program operations.
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Uncategorized 4 activities
- Administers Beads of Courage programs in hospitals globallyOperates over 400 flagship Beads of Courage programs in more than 300 children's hospitals across the United States, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and Japan, supporting thousands of children, teens, and families coping with serious illness since 2003.
- Fundraising through Online Store and AuctionsOperates an online store selling beads, jewelry, and gifts, and hosts annual online and silent auctions to raise funds for its arts-in-medicine programs.
- Hosts fundraising auctionsHosts annual online and silent auctions to raise funds in support of arts-in-medicine programs for children coping with serious illness.
- Operates online retail store to support programsSells beads, jewelry, and gifts through an online store, with proceeds supporting children facing serious illnesses.
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financials · form 990 · fy2021
the money
revenue
Total revenue$1.61M
Contributions & grants$713K44%
Program service revenue$862K53%
Investment income$10%
Other revenue$39K
expenses
Total expenses$1.33M
Program expenses75%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$669K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.08M
Cash$341K
Investments$0
Liabilities$548K
Net assets$532K
Liquid reserves3.1 mo
2 years on record · 2020–2021 · YoY revenue +11.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2021
who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jean Gribbon | Executive Director | 40 | $84K |
board members · 9
- Aaron Leal — Director
- Jessica Boettner — Director
- Jorge Pongo — President
- Kaitlin Elledge — Director
- Leah Boyle — Director
- Melissa Scarcelli — Director
- Michelle Hudman — Director
- Nadine Dunning — Director
- Shelby Gaither — Treasurer
relationships · 11
who they work with
- American Association of Woodturners Partner — Provides handcrafted wooden vessels for children to store their Beads of Courage.
- Arizona Society of Glass Beadmakers Partner — Formed a relationship resulting in the donation of special, handmade beads for the program.
- Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP) Network — Certified Child Life Specialist Staff are members of the organization.
- Center for Arts in Nursing Partner — Collaborates with the Center for Arts in Nursing on grief support programs and resources.
- International Society of Glass Beadmakers Partner — Formed a relationship resulting in the donation of special, handmade beads for the program.
- International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) Network — Member of the organization.
- National Organization for Arts in Health (NOAH) Network — Member of the organization.
- Summer Challenge 2025 Partner — Collaborates on a fundraising initiative promoted through a shared campaign logo and link.
- Watson Science Caring Institute Partner — Affiliated with the Watson Science Caring Institute to advance the science of caring.
- artists Partner — Artists donate their time, talent, and materials to support the children, teens, and families served by Beads of Courage.
- clinicians who care for them Partner — Collaborates with clinicians in delivering arts in medicine programs to children coping with serious illness.