THE FIDELCO GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION, INC.
103 Old Iron Ore Road, Bloomfield, Conn. 06002
www.fidelco.org

NEWS RELEASE               

For Immediate Release   

Date: February 4, 2010 

Contact: Jack Hayward, Fidelco                         
Office: 860-243-4800 

 

FIDELCO GUIDE DOG FOUNDATION, INC.

RECEIVES 4th CONSECUTIVE 4-STAR RATING FROM

CHARITY NAVIGATOR

 

Only Eight Percent of Rated Charities Receive “Exceptional” Rating

 

       Bloomfield, Conn. – For the fourth straight year, the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation (Fidelco) has received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the independent, non-profit organization that provides donors with the essential information they need to make informed giving decisions. This top rating was based on Fidelco’s ability to execute its mission while remaining a strong caretaker of its donor’s contributions.

       According to Charity Navigator, “Only 8% of the charities we rate have received at least 4 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way and outperforms most other charities in America. This “exceptional” rating differentiates the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.”               

      Charity Navigator rates charities in several categories including; program expenses; administrative expenses; fundraising expenses; fundraising efficiency (how much spent to raise money); primary revenue growth (from new and existing donors); program expense growth (year over year); and working capital ratio (ability to sustain programs without revenue growth.) Charity Navigator then compares the charity’s performance with the performance of similar charities. For a full explanation of how Charity Navigator rated Fidelco, visit www.charitynavigator.com.

      “This fourth consecutive four-star rating is most gratifying,” said Eliot D. Russman, CEO and executive director of the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. “Charity Navigator's highest rating is testament to Fidelco’s stewardship of the trust placed in us by our donors and on-going our commitment to honoring our mission without compromising our fiscal integrity.”

       The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. breeds, trains and places German shepherd guide dogs that are placed with men and women with visual disabilities throughout the U.S. and Canada. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, it relies solely on the gifts and the generosity of individuals, foundations, corporations and civic organizations. For more information, visit www.fidelco.org. Charity Navigator, America's premier independent charity evaluator, works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of over 5,400 of America's largest charities.

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