For the past nine fiscal years (2002-2010) Area Resources for Community and Human Services’ (ARCHS) financial statements have earned unqualified, or “clean,” audits from independent auditors.

ARCHS’ FY10 (July 1, 2009-June 30, 2010) audit was reviewed and approved by ARCHS’ Board of Directors at their March 24, 2011 meeting.

Issuance of an “unqualified opinion” means an auditor, upon review of an organization’s financial statements and accompanying notes, concluded that the financial statements and accompanying notes are presented fairly and conforms to generally accepted accounting principles and fairly represents the true financial picture of the organization.

The audit also highlighted that ARCHS’ “administrative overhead” costs are only 11 percent, substantially below the national average of 25 percent as calculated by the United Way.

"The audit opinion is more than an approval of accounting controls and principles. The unqualified or clean opinion signifies that the financial reporting and controls implemented are proper and sufficient to ensure the accuracy of ARCHS’ financial reporting and balances,” says Wendell E. Kimbrough, ARCHS’ Chief Executive Officer.  “It also promotes and instils confidence in ARCHS’ various funders that ARCHS is properly managing its grants and budget authority.

“The audit opinion advances one of ARCHS’ priorities, which is to enforce sound financial management practices through transparency, integrity, and accountability,” says Kimbrough.

In FY09 and FY10, ARCHS also successfully completed federal A-133 audits for its work with federal grants. An A-133 audit is required for any organization that receives more than $500,000 in funding from the federal government. ARCHS is also annually audited (financially and programmatically) by the State of Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Missouri Department of Social Services’ Children’s Division for specific work related to after school and early childhood programs.

ARCHS' subsidiary Leveraged Resources Management, Inc. (LRM) is in the process of preparing for a Statement on Auditing Standards (SAS) 70 review.  This high-level, voluntary review will certify the internal controls and process used by ARCHS’ LRM meets the standards set by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.  This process will be an ongoing quarterly review of ARCHS’ LRM by an outside agency with an opinion to be issued in August of 2012.

Juice Box owner/operator Shawn Mckie talks with local teenager Terrell about making healthy food choices. ARCHS serves as the fiscal agent for JUICE, Inc., which is a collaboration with Juice Box to form the nationally renowned Juice Project.Terrell, a local south St. Louis teenager, opened the door to local healthy corner store, The Juice Box, and went straight over to the snacks. He picked up a red Snapple drink and vegan organic cookie, as he talked with Juice Box owner and operator Shawn Mckie.

"This is my new favorite," Terrell said as he searched and pointed to the drink in the cooler. "I've been coming here for awhile. I guess when I'm at home, I don't have anyone to talk too, but here I have someone to talk to who I trust."

Before becoming a regular at The Juice Box, Terrell wasn't aware of his new healthy snack choices. Instead of consuming junk food, The Juice Box has provided him with not only healthy options, but also an understanding of why he is making those healthy choices with what he eats.

The Juice Box is a collaboration with JUICE, Inc. (Jumpstarting Urban Innovation with Critical Thinking and Exercise). The two form a not-for-profit hybrid to form The Juice Project. The combination is a holistic and community-based intervention that intermixes media literacy and health literacy education with physical exercise, art, and social change.
The Juice Box serves as the healthy corner store that offers a unique spin that differs from traditional stores that sell tobacco, alcohol, and various junk food. JUICE, Inc, which is housed at The Juice Box, aims to provide young people with resources to to conduct their own research and develop skills about making right choices in their lives.

More than 270 Attend STAR Summit II
New White Paper Released

The first in a series of “white papers” issued by the St. Louis Alliance for Reentry (STAR) is being released today (Tuesday, March 15) during a regional summit addressing prisoner reentry topics. Today’s summit is providing the community with an update on STAR’s 2010 accomplishments and 2011 goals. A documented rise in the use of heroin throughout the St. Louis region will be a topic of the summit. More than 270 people are attending STAR’s second annual community summit that features speakers such as Missouri Department of Corrections Director George Lombardi, St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and prisoner reentry experts.