Nonprofit · EIN 81-3481633
SICK CELLS
Tax-exempt · WHEATON, IL 60187
Financials
| Year ended | Form | Revenue | Expenses | Net income | Total assets | Liabilities | Net assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 31, 2025 | 990 | $1,065,911 | $1,301,506 | -$235,595 | $569,090 | $289,090 | $280,000 |
| December 31, 2024 | 990 | $667,849 | $770,184 | -$102,335 | $758,662 | $243,067 | $515,595 |
| December 31, 2023 | 990 | $909,617 | $754,876 | $154,741 | $588,551 | $0 | $588,551 |
Financial details: 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025
Revenue
- Contributions, gifts and grants
- $115,552
- Program service revenue
- $929,791
- Investment income
- $0
- Other revenue
- $20,568
Expenses
- Grants and similar amounts paid
- $0
- Compensation of officers, directors and key employees
- $239,770
- Other salaries and wages
- $206,924
- Salaries, compensation and benefits (total)
- $567,953
- Professional fundraising fees
- $0
- Accounting fees
- $22,320
- Occupancy
- $71,131
- Travel
- $68,729
- Depreciation
- $3,395
- Program services (functional)
- $965,517
- Management and general (functional)
- $292,725
- Fundraising (functional)
- $43,264
Balance sheet and other
- Total assets, start of year
- $758,662
- Total assets, end of year
- $569,090
- Total liabilities, end of year
- $289,090
- Net assets, end of year
- $280,000
- Land, buildings and equipment
- $10,828
- Net assets without donor restrictions
- $280,000
- Gross receipts
- $1,065,911
- Employees
- 9
- Volunteers
- 0
- Year formed
- 2017
- State of legal domicile
- IL
From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.
Officers, directors and key employees
As listed on the 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025, highest compensation first.
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEY VALENTINE | BOARD CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $161,127 | $8,234 |
| ABRINA TAINTER | DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS Officer | 40 | $78,643 | $10,583 |
| TERRI BOOKER | BOARD VICE CHAIR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| MAX MATITE | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DORINDA LAWRENCE-SIMS | BOARD TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| DAN JABS | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| ADRIENNE BELL-CORS SHAPIRO | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| JAMES HOLLOWAY ESQ | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2024: 8 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation | Other / benefits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASHLEY VALENTINE | BOARD CHAIR Trustee or director, Officer | 40 | $97,094 | $6,544 |
| ABRINAR TAINTER | EXCUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer | 40 | $70,724 | $7,291 |
| TERRI BOOKER | BOARD VICE CHAIR Trustee or director | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| MAX MATITE | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 1 | $0 | $0 |
| DORINDA LAWRENCE-SIMS | BOARD TREASURER Trustee or director, Officer | 5 | $0 | $0 |
| DAN JABS | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| ADRIENNE BELL-CORS SHAPIRO | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
| JAMES HOLLOWAY ESQ | BOARD MEMBER Trustee or director | 2 | $0 | $0 |
990 for the year ended December 31, 2023: 14 people
| Name | Title | Hours / week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Valentine | Executive Director Officer, Highest-paid employee | 0 | $90,335 |
| Abrina P Tainter | Director of Operations Key employee | 0 | $70,718 |
| Margaret H Jalowsky | Director of Advocacy Key employee | 0 | $61,011 |
| Elodie O Babongui | Program Manager Key employee | 0 | $52,419 |
| Mariah Scott | Research Coordinator Key employee | 0 | $44,140 |
| Emma Andelson | Senior Program Manager Key employee | 0 | $41,561 |
| Arielle Krahenbuhl | Community Program Coordinator Key employee | 0 | $40,000 |
| Cory A Lewis | Program Coordinator Key employee | 0 | $22,848 |
| Dan Jabs | Board Member Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| James Holloway | Board Member Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Terri M Booker Esq | Board Member Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Dori Lawrence-Sims | Board Member Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Adrienne Shapiro | Board Member Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
| Maxwell Matite | Board Member Director Trustee or director | 0 | $0 |
Address and contacts
- Address (IRS master file)
- 2100 MANCHESTER RD STE 1040, WHEATON, IL 60187-4577
- In care of
- % ASHLEY VALENTINE
- Mailing address (990-N for 2018)
- 4512 River Drive, Lisle IL 60532
- Principal officer (990 for 2025)
- ABRINA TAINTER, 2100 MANCHESTER RD 1040, WHEATON, IL 60187
- Principal officer (990-N for 2018)
- Ashley Valentine, 4512 River Drive, Lisle IL 60532
- Signed the 990
- ABRINA TAINTER, DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
- Phone
- (630) 234-6286
- Website
- www.sickcells.org
- Return prepared by
- SALTI & ASSOCIATES LLC
Mission
SICK CELLS IS A NATIONAL ADVOCACY NONPROFIT FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE (SCD). ORIGINALLY A DOCUMENTARY PROJECT STARTED IN 2008, SICK CELLS GREW TO MUCH MORE AND WAS FOUNDED AS A 501C3 NONPROFIT IN 2017. SICK CELLS' MISSION IS TO ELEVATE THE VOICES OF THE SCD COMMUNITY AND OUR STORIES OF RESILIENCE. IN HIGHLIGHTING THE GRAVE DISPARITIES OUR COMMUNITY FACES, WE WILL INFLUENCE DECISION-MAKERS AND PROPEL CHANGE.
Program accomplishments
- IN 2025, OUR ORGANIZATION CONDUCTED A WIDE RANGE OF EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ACTIVITIES AIMED AT INCREASING AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE (SCD), WHILE ALSO WORKING TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE FOR INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH THE CONDITION. WE HOSTED TWO NATIONAL EVENTS-THE 2025 SCD POLICY FORUM AND THE 2025 SICK CELLS THERAPEUTICS CONFERENCE-WHICH ENGAGED OVER 484 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS, RESEARCHERS, MEDICAID DIRECTORS, HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, COMMERCIAL PAYERS, AND OTHER KEY STAKEHOLDERS.OUR PROGRAMS ADVANCED OUR MISSION TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH SCD THROUGH PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY, COMMUNITY EDUCATION, AND PUBLIC AWARENESS. HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:AMBASSADOR PROGRAM - THE SICK CELLS AMBASSADOR PROGRAM EQUIPS A DIVERSE NETWORK OF ADVOCATES WITH THE TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO REPRESENT AND ADVANCE THE SCD COMMUNITY'S INTERESTS. IN 2025, WE RECRUITED 114 NEW AMBASSADORS, GROWING THE PROGRAM TO 432 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS 34 STATES AND WASHINGTON, DC. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDED 11 MONTHLY ADVOCACY WORKSHOPS (PRIORITY TOPIC MEETINGS), AND REFERRALS TO FOCUS GROUPS, RESEARCH PROJECTS/SURVEYS, AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS. ADDITIONALLY, AMBASSADORS WERE REFERRED TO OVER 100 CONFERENCES AND EVENTS. THE PROGRAM ALSO SERVES AS A RESOURCE HUB FOR OTHER SCD ORGANIZATIONS AND ADVOCATES.FACES OF SCD STORYTELLING PROGRAM - THIS KEYSTONE INITIATIVE CAPTURES THE STORIES OF PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS AND SERVES AS AN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE FOR THE SCD COMMUNITY AND BEYOND. SICK CELLS SEEKS TO TELL THE UNTOLD STORIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS EXPAND AWARENESS OF THE DIVERSITY OF THE SCD PATIENT POPULATION TO BETTER REPRESENT THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IN 2025, STORIES SHARED THROUGH OUR WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA GENERATED OVER 250,000 IMPRESSIONS AND 8,000 ENGAGEMENTS, EXPANDING UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIVERSITY AND LIVED EXPERIENCES WITHIN THE SCD COMMUNITY.SICKLE CELL MEDICAID EDUCATION INITIATIVE - FOLLOWING THE APPROVAL OF TWO CELL AND GENE THERAPIES (CGT) FOR SCD IN DECEMBER 2023, SICK CELLS LAUNCHED AN OUTREACH CAMPAIGN TO MEDICAID DEPARTMENTS IN ALL 50 STATES AND DC. THE INITIATIVE AIMED TO EDUCATE POLICYMAKERS ON CGT CARE MODELS AND PROMOTE EQUITABLE ACCESS FOR MEDICAID ENROLLEES. WE PROVIDED TAILORED INFORMATION TO MEDICAID DIRECTORS, INCLUDING DATA ON LOCAL SCD PREVALENCE, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS, AND STATE FORMULARY POLICIES. THIS INFORMATION PROVIDES CRUCIAL INSIGHTS INTO THE CURRENT STATE OF SCD COVERAGE FOR MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES.Expenses $965,517 · revenue $950,359
What it must file and when
IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in December, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.
| Tax year | Year ended | Due | IRS public records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | December 31, 2025 | May 15, 2026 | 990 on file |
| 2024 | December 31, 2024 | May 15, 2025 | 990 on file |
| 2023 | December 31, 2023 | May 15, 2024 | 990 on file |
IRS record
- EIN
- 81-3481633
- Tax-exempt status
- 501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization
- Foundation status
- Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
- Donations deductible (Pub 78)
- Public charity, 50% deduction limit
- Exempt since
- 2017
- Accounting year ends
- December
- Files
- Form 990 or 990-EZ
- Category (NTEE)
- Health care (E01)
- Assets (IRS master file)
- $569,090
- Income (IRS master file)
- $1,065,911
Filing history
| Form | Year ended | Revenue | Expenses | Assets | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 990 | December 2025 | $1,065,911 | $1,301,506 | $569,090 | XML |
| 990 | December 2024 | $667,849 | $770,184 | $758,662 | XML |
| 990 | December 2023 | $909,617 | $754,876 | $588,551 | XML |
| 990 | December 2022 | $583,647 | $550,030 | $433,810 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2021 | $658,234 | $403,398 | $400,193 | IRS |
| 990 | December 2020 | – | – | – | IRS |
| 990-N for 2018 Officer: Ashley Valentine | December 31, 2018 | ≤ $50,000 receipts | – | – | e-Postcard |
990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 81-3481633).
Questions about SICK CELLS
- What is the EIN of SICK CELLS?
- The employer identification number (EIN) of SICK CELLS is 81-3481633.
- Is SICK CELLS tax-exempt?
- Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 2017.
- Are donations to SICK CELLS tax-deductible?
- Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).
- Which annual return does SICK CELLS file?
- Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.
- When is the next return of SICK CELLS due?
- The return for tax year 2026 (the year ending December 31, 2026) is due May 17, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.
- When did SICK CELLS last file with the IRS?
- The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended December 2025.
- Who is the principal officer of SICK CELLS?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 names ABRINA TAINTER.
- Who are the officers and directors of SICK CELLS?
- The 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 lists 8 people; 2 received compensation from the organization, the highest $161,127 (ASHLEY VALENTINE, BOARD CHAIR).
- How much revenue does SICK CELLS have?
- On its 990 for the year ended December 31, 2025 it reported revenue of $1,065,911, expenses of $1,301,506 and total assets of $569,090 at year end.
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