Accountability & Openness

Transparency & Documents

Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation, Inc. is committed to full organizational transparency. Our credentials, financial information, and key documents are available to the public and to our funders upon request.

Our Transparency Commitment

As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation, Inc. is committed to operating with full transparency and accountability to our community, our donors, our government partners, and the public. We maintain active federal registrations, file required IRS reports, and make our organizational credentials available for verification at any time.

Our 25-year track record in East Palatka is documented through public government records, legislative filings, university research, and county certificates — not self-reported claims. We invite funders, partners, and community members to verify our credentials independently.

Tax-Exempt Certification

Organization Name Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation, Inc.
Tax-Exempt Status 501(c)(3) Public Charity ● Confirmed
EIN Available upon written request — admin@hand-n-hand.org
IRS Determination Date March 19, 2015
Effective Date October 31, 2014
Annual Filing IRS Form 990-N (e-Postcard) — Filed annually · Gross receipts $50,000 or under
Fiscal Year End December 31
State of Incorporation Florida · Division Number N140000101
Affiliated Entity East Palatka Community Development Corporation · IRS Form 1023 filed April 18, 2026 ⏳ Pending

SAM.gov Active Registrations

Entity — Hand-N-Hand Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation, Inc.
UEID MDLXV75KEGP2 ● Active
CAGE Code 7FTL7
Registration Expires April 12, 2027
Award Types All Awards — Grants, Contracts, Cooperative Agreements, Loans
HUBZone Status Qualified — Census Tract 12107951000 ● Locked Through 2028
Disaster Response Registered — No Bonding Required — FL: Putnam, St. Johns, Palm Beach Counties ● Active
Designations American Indian Owned · Community Development Corporation · Disaster Response Registry Active
Entity — EPCDC East Palatka Community Development Corporation
UEID SNPTYUE6K5R7 ● Active
CAGE Code 1EWQ7
Registration Expires April 9, 2027

25 Years of Documented Impact

1999
Florida Senate Appropriation

Successfully advocated for a dedicated East Palatka line item in the Florida Senate budget — documented in the Florida Senate Journal.

$475,000 · State Appropriation
2014 – 2015
Regional Wastewater System

Florida DEP commitment and system completion serving approximately 1,200 East Palatka homes. Operations began December 4, 2015 — confirmed in Putnam County Annual Comprehensive Financial Report.

$750,000 · Florida DEP
2019
Environmental Impact Documented

SJRWMD documented 270 lbs/year total nitrogen reduction and 45 lbs/year total phosphorus reduction to Dunns Creek as a result of East Palatka wastewater infrastructure.

St. Johns River Water Management District
2022 – 2023
APA Florida CPAT Pilot

First Community Planning Assistance for Neighborhoods (CPAT) pilot project of its kind in Florida. Multi-site visits. Oral histories recorded at Morning Star Baptist Church (WPA structure). SJRSC identified as workforce partner.

APA Florida Chapter
2024 – 2026
East Palatka Project — Active Phase

UF Levin College of Law Finding of Necessity (April 2024). SJRSC MOU executed (April 2026). First workforce cohort launched (May 5, 2026). Nine certified agency letters submitted (May 24, 2026).

University of Florida · SJRSC · Putnam County

Financial Summary

Organizational Financial Profile

Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation, Inc. · Most Recent Fiscal Year
$0
Prior Federal Funds Received
$265K
Owner-Invested in Facility
47%
Owner Match Contributed
$0
Land Acquisition Cost
Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation, Inc. operates as a lean, volunteer-led organization. Administrative costs are absorbed by founding leadership; all resources are directed to community benefit. Annual gross receipts are $50,000 or under, as confirmed by IRS Form 990-N filing. The organization's demonstrated capacity is reflected not in its operating budget but in its 25-year record of securing and delivering over $4,000,000 in infrastructure investment for East Palatka. A full financial summary is available upon written request.

Key Documents

📋
IRS Determination Letter

Confirms 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, effective date, and organizational classification as a public charity.

→ Available Upon Request
🏛️
SAM.gov Registration — Hand-N-Hand

Active federal registration confirming eligibility for all federal awards. UEID: MDLXV75KEGP2 · CAGE: 7FTL7.

→ Publicly Verifiable at sam.gov
🏛️
SAM.gov Registration — East Palatka CDC

Active federal registration for the East Palatka Community Development Corporation. UEID: SNPTYUE6K5R7 · CAGE: 1EWQ7.

→ Publicly Verifiable at sam.gov
📜
UF Levin College of Law — Finding of Necessity

April 2024. Confirms statutory slum and blight under Florida Statute Ch. 163, Part III. Authorizes CRA/TIF establishment in East Palatka.

→ Available Upon Request
🤝
SJRSC Memorandum of Understanding

Executed April 17, 2026. Signed by SJRSC President Joe H. Pickens, J.D. Confirms workforce training partnership and site hosting at 160 W. Louis Broer Road.

→ Available Upon Request
🏅
Putnam County Certificate of Appreciation

Issued June 1, 1999 by the Putnam County Board of County Commissioners to Sharon Austin (now Murri Shabazz) for the East Palatka Water and Sewer Project.

↓ View Certificate (PDF)
🔖
Historic Marker Application HM-8389

Filed with Florida Department of Historical Resources. Documents statewide historical significance of the East Palatka Housing and Land Stewardship Estate.

→ Available Upon Request
🏗️
Covenant Roofing Contract

Executed March 20, 2023. License CCC 1332763. 26 GA Metal Roof System for 160 W. Louis Broer Road. $48,711.00 — the critical Phase I activation investment.

→ Available Upon Request

Request Organizational Documents

Funders, grant officers, government partners, and members of the public may request any of the documents listed above by contacting us directly. We respond to all document requests within five business days.

Request Documents
Independent Verification

Verify Our Status Independently

Our tax-exempt status and federal registrations are publicly verifiable through official government databases. We encourage donors, funders, and partners to conduct independent verification:

SAM.gov Federal Registration: Search for "Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation" or enter UEID MDLXV75KEGP2 at sam.gov

IRS Tax-Exempt Organization Search: Search for "Hand-N-Hand Community Services Foundation" at apps.irs.gov/app/eos/

Florida Nonprofit Registry: Search Division Number N140000101 at the Florida Division of Corporations at dos.fl.gov/sunbiz