The ARK was founded in 1971

The ARK observes Kashrut and Shabbat.

Activities

Social Services Center
Individuals who request services from The ARK initially meet with staff in the Social Services Center for a needs assessment. Services are made available based on the assessment. All services are provided free of charge. In 2010-2011, 3,545 clients made 16,168 visits to the center. Expenditures on the Social Services Center amounted to $1,435,814 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Health Center
Seventy volunteer professionals provide the following services at The ARK's Goldie Bachmann Luftig Health Center and through The ARK in their own offices.

Medical and eye clinics The medical clinic is open five days per week, including two evenings. Medical treatment is provided by volunteer physicians and The ARK’s professional medical staff. Patients make appointments to see internists, as well as cardiologists, gynecologists and other specialists. X-rays and other tests and procedures are performed at area hospitals at no charge to clients, through special arrangements with The ARK. There are approximately 3,000 patient visits annually. The licensed optometrists and ophthalmologists in the Judge John & Effie Ziegler Gutknecht Eye Clinic do complete vision exams, diagnose and treat certain eye conditions, and prescribe and fit eyeglasses. Patients make approximately 115 visits to the eye clinic annually. Expenditures on the medical and eye clinic amounted to $545,720 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Dental clinic The Minnie and Dr. Peter H. Okner, D.D.S., Dental Clinic includes three fully equipped dental treatment rooms, a sterilization room and an X-ray developing room. ARK dentists do examinations and cleanings; X-rays and fillings; perform extractions; treat infections and periodontal disease; and do prosthetic dentistry. To supplement the in-house clinic, volunteer dentists and oral surgeons often treat clients in their own offices. The clinic has nearly 1,200 patient appointments annually. Expenditures on the dental clinic amounted to $161,507 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Pharmacy The Fred Woods Pharmacy and Gertrude & Harry G. Fins Pharmacy Annex is a fully licensed facility that fills more than 17,000 prescriptions a year for patients in The ARK's clinics and mental health programs, as well as for those who cannot afford the medications prescribed for them by physicians outside The ARK. Ninety-two percent of the $769,340 value of these prescriptions is obtained through drug donations. The ARK encourages patients to enroll in pharmaceutical companies' patient assistance programs (PAP). Approximately 188 patients received 315 different medications through PAPs. Expenditures on the pharmacy amounted to $170,656 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Food Pantry
The Rhea Segal Food Pantry distributes kosher food, as well as items that cannot be purchased with food stamps, such as diapers, soap, toilet paper and toothpaste, to an average of 554 families each month. A quarter of those being fed are children. Special food packages are available for clients with other dietary needs, such as infants, the elderly and diabetics. Clients also receive food vouchers, allowing them to shop for fresh produce. More than half of the Food Pantry's supply of food is donated through an annual community-wide food drive. Expenditures on the Food Pantry amounted to $464,393 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Psychological Services
The Psychological Services Program offers mental health services to clients who have been referred by the social service staff. Volunteer psychiatrists, psychologists and counselors work with case managers to address mental health issues. The program offers both individual and group counseling, and volunteer psychiatrists prescribe medication when necessary. The program assists clients in developing the necessary inner resources to improve living conditions, obtain work or job training, strengthen family ties and become self-sufficient. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, 99 clients made 1,555 visits to this program. Expenditures on the psychological services program amounted to $40,316 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

The Intensive Day Program
The Intensive Day Program was developed to address the needs of adults in the community who suffer from chronic mental illness. Staff workers help ensure that clients take necessary medication, pay bills and keep medical appointments; oversee housing situations; and offer compassionate support for clients and family members. The program also provides a daily schedule of therapeutic classes, and communal opportunities in the form of outings, meals and holiday celebrations. In 2010-2011, 140 clients made 5,301 visits. Expenditures on the intensive day program amounted to $258,823 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Transitional Housing
The Sarnoff Levin Residence provides up to 120 days of housing, Kosher food and other supportive services for homeless families and individuals. The primary goals of the program are to stabilize clients' situations, minimize the trauma of homelessness, and ease the transition into permanent or second-stage housing as efficiently and effectively as possible, drawing upon The ARK's array of services. Seventy or more people avail themselves of the housing each year. Expenditures on the Sarnoff Levin Residence amounted to $470,473 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Employment counseling
The ARK offers the services of an employment counselor who works with clients on skills assessment, resume writing, and job search and interview skills. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, 147 clients made 426 visits as participants in this program.

Legal clinic
Volunteer lawyers help clients with such matters as landlord/tenant disputes, Social Security appeals, wills, divorces, etc. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, 74 clients made 131 visits to the legal clinic. This program is staffed entirely by volunteer attorneys. There are no separate out-of-pocket expenses associated with this program.

Telcare program
Volunteers make regular calls to homebound elderly. If there is no answer, calls are made to pre-arranged emergency contacts to request immediate assistance. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year 25 clients each received between 3 and 5 calls per week, depending on clients' needs.

Senior programs
The seniors group meets monthly for brunch, movies, lectures, bingo, and other activities. In the 2010-2011 fiscal year, an average of 10 people attended each meeting. The cost of senior programs was $29 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

Thrift shop vouchers
Thrift Shop merchandise is donated by community members and sold to the general public, as a way of generating revenue for The ARK. The ARK also dispenses vouchers which may be redeemed at The ARK Thrift Shop for clothing, furniture, appliances and other household items. In the 2009-2010 fiscal year, 284 clients received vouchers worth a total of $34,828.

Spiritual Enrichment Program The Spiritual Enrichment Program offers classes, lectures, a daily minyan, communal meals, pastoral counseling, Shabbat and holiday celebrations, and involvement and guidance for life-cycle events such as weddings, funerals, brit milah, and more. The program is led by an ARK staff rabbi who is assisted by other ARK staff members and volunteers. Expenditures on The Spiritual Enrichment Program amounted to $135,433 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

The ARK Northwest The ARK opened a second office, in August, 2011 to serve low-income Jewish families living in Chicago's Northwest suburbs. The new office is open three days each week, including one evening. Services include case management, psychological counseling, job counseling, a food pantry, rent and utility assistance, delivery of medications from The ARK's pharmacy, and other services as needed. Transportation between the two offices is provided for clients who need to go to The ARK's main location for medical or dental appointments. The ARK Northwest is located at 3100 Dundee Rd. Suite 204, Northbrook, IL 60062, 773-973-0011.

Dr. Swatez assumed his position at The ARK on July 1, 2012. He previously served as Executive Director of Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim in Deerfield, IL. He is Vice President of the National Association for Temple Administration. He previously served as Executive Director of Congregation Beth Ahaba in Richmond, Virginia, and was an Assistant Professor of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology from Northwestern University.

Board Policies and Practices

Policy/practice	Comment
Meeting frequency and attendance	The board held eight meetings in the past twelve months. A majority was in attendance at all meetings.
CEO evaluation and compensation	The CEO'S performance is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors, and includes a self-evaluation and input from staff members. Compensation is determined in conjunction with the review.
Board and employee conflicts of interest	The ARK requires each board member to sign a conflict of interest statement annually. The ARK requires each key staff member to sign annual a conflict of interest statement annually. No paid member of the staff and no close relative of paid staff members may serve on the board.
Financial oversight and control	Monthly financial statements are prepared by the controller and are reviewed by the executive director and the board. An independent accounting firm reviews finances and prepares financial statements annually. Required disclosure forms are filed with appropriate government agencies. Management and the board -- with special responsibility of the Budget and Finance Committee -- review the informational form 990 prior to filing with the IRS.
Program oversight and evaluation	The ARK uses an evaluation template which consists of a nine point outline that provides a description of the program in terms of its purpose and its consistency with The ARK's mission statement and core values. Evaluation of existing programs is done annually and proposed programs go through a similar evaluation process. Programs are evaluated on the basis of cost effectiveness, evolving community needs, and consistency with the organization's mission. The ARK's constitution requires that the board establish the following standing committees: Jewish Content Committee is responsible for the infusion and maintenance of Jewish cultural and religious content in all programs. Long Range Planning and Development Committee is responsible for formulating the long run goals of program development and monitoring progress toward those goals. Medical Care Committee establishes guidelines and procedures for medical care provided by The ARK. Social Welfare Committee develops and reviews procedures for reception of clients, including staff training, and established guidelines for the nature of services and referral procedures for follow-up.
Board self-evaluation	The ARK has no procedure for regular board self-evaluations.
Assurance of compliance with Jewish law	The ARK was founded by the Association for Torah Advancement (AFTA) and half of the members of The ARK's board must be approved for election by AFTA. The ARK's board includes a standing Halachah Committee which periodically reviews the organization's compliance with Jewish law. The executive director and staff raise halachic questions with local rabbis as they arise and the organization has an orthodox rabbi on a full-time basis. The Halachah Committee of the board has sole jurisdiction over all matters in which a halachic ruling would be a determining factor. The Halachah Committee is required by the constitution to seek prompt resolution of al issues involving such halachic questions.
Assurance of ethical behavior	The ARK has a written whistleblower policy.

The ARK has 24 full-time staff and 16 part time staff. The highest salary (excluding benefits) in the 2010-2011 fiscal year was $119,701; the second highest salary (excluding benefits) was $75,405.

VOLUNTEERS

One full-time and one part-time staff members recruit, manage and train volunteers and interact with other ARK staff members to assign volunteers where most needed. The Volunteer Coordinating Committee of the board is responsible for establishing screening boards for volunteers, for supervising the implementation of volunteer training programs, manuals for volunteers, and for maintaining communication with volunteers, and for recognizing the needs of volunteers as well as the needs of programs for volunteers. Approximately 200 regularly scheduled volunteers and nearly 2,000 single-event volunteers donate 20,000 hours of unpaid service to The ARK. Volunteers include 70 professionals such as physicians, dentists, optometrists, and lawyers as well as individuals who serve not necessarily in their professional capacities. Services by professionals who serve as volunteers have an estimated market value of $450,000 annually. Expenditures on volunteer and community outreach programs amounted to $141,262 in the 2010-2011 fiscal year.