According to the American Cancer Society, in 2017, nearly 253,000 people were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and another 63,000 developed breast carcinomas in situ. Of those people, more than 40,000 died. Non-Hispanic white women are most likely to develop breast cancer, but it is African-American women who are more likely to die from it.

These statistics are staggering and sobering, and leave many people wondering how they can help. There are dozens of non-profit organizations dedicated to breast cancer across the country, one of which is the United Breast Cancer Foundation (UBCF). Read on to learn more about the foundation, its mission, the people behind the organization, and how you can help. You’ll also read a review of the charity to determine if it is the one you’d like to donate your time or money to.

​Mission Statement of the United Breast Cancer Foundation

The United Breast Cancer Foundation aims to help those affected by breast cancer by making a positive impact on their lives. The organization offers screening, treatment, and aftercare for those affected, as well as providing educational material, assistance, and information for families of patients. It also offers grants for community health centers and hospitals that treat breast cancer patients.

The foundation, which focuses on both traditional and holistic treatments, does not deny service based on age, gender, race, or income. In short, the UBCF aims to have a purpose, to provide value, and to assist businesses and patients in the fight against breast cancer.

​History of the Foundation

A national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the United Breast Cancer Foundation was founded in October 2000 and started as a small organization that served low-income women in New York who had little to no health insurance. Headquartered in Huntington Station and with a regional office in Annapolis, Maryland, the charity today serves women, men, and families nationwide. The foundation offers seven programs.

• Breast screening
• Holistic care
• Breast reconstruction
• Individual grants
• Child sponsorship
• Audrey B. Mastroianni College Scholarship
• Community service

The UBCF primarily serves women ranging in age from 30 to 65 who are living at poverty level and do not have insurance. Clients often turn to the foundation after other agencies or organizations fail to assist. The organization takes pride in remaining close to its clients even after they finish receiving services. In 2016, the charity served nearly 3,000 people and provided information to more than 450,000 individuals.

​Facts and Figures

The most recent financial information available for the United Breast Cancer Foundation is for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016. That year, the organization had a total income of nearly $10 million. Of that, nearly $8 million came from cash pledges, while about $1.5 million was from non-cash contributions.

Just over $500,000 came from car donations, and a whopping $3.00 of the foundation’s earnings was from interest. UBCF had $9.2 million in expenses that same year, of which 61 percent went toward its programs, 35 percent went toward fundraising efforts, and 4 percent was administrative. Its total net income after expenses was just shy of $658,000 and in total, the organization’s assets for 2016 were $1,452,544.

​People Behind the Organization of The United Breast Cancer Foundation

The United Breast Cancer Foundation has a team of six people who help the organization run smoothly and effectively.

Executive Director

Since 2002, Stephanie Mastroianni has worked as the executive director for UBCF. She uses her personal experience as the surviving family member of someone taken by breast cancer to help her create programs that help people across the country. Mastroianni was instrumental in expanding the organization nationwide in 2005.

Director of Operations

Beth Reichart joined the foundation as the director of operations in 2005. She works from the Maryland office and travels throughout the country promoting the organization. She is responsible for creating, overseeing, and expanding new programs such as the annual mattress donation.

Executive Assistant and Office Manager

Lauren Brohm has the dual role of the charity’s executive assistant and office manager. She joined the foundation in late 2016 and has more than 15 years of management experience. Her goal is to organize and streamline the happenings in the UBCF offices.

Program Manager

Jamie Newberry, who has a BA in Psychology and an MBA in Management and Leadership, acts as the foundation’s program manager. Newberry was responsible for providing financial relief through grants and worked with international nonprofits before joining the team at the United Breast Cancer Foundation.

Breast Screening Program and Office Support

Neveen Khalil also takes on a dual role for the foundation by working as office support and as the breast screening specialist. She provides patients with financial assistance for preventative measures and assists clients with other needs. Khalil recently graduated with a dual BA in Psychology and Sociology.

Social media and office support

In addition to providing support in the UBCF offices, Amy Patterson handles the organization’s social media accounts. These accounts help the foundation to continue to grow and connect with clients and donors across the country.

In addition to these women, the United Breast Cancer Foundation’s Donation Center receives support from Gricela Pineda, Maricelda Cruz, and Alex Zuchowski. They help patients and survivors select the items they need for their household and personal care from the center’s Gift-in-Kind Program. They also pick up donations and manage the center’s inventory.

Ways to Donate to the United Breast Cancer Foundation

The United Breast Cancer Foundation provides several ways for people to help. While many organizations simply accept your donation and allocate it as they see fit, UBCF allows donors to choose which program their donation benefits.

Community service

The community service program increases the awareness of breast health and wellness. It also provides information about breast cancer. Donations assist with creating educational campaigns, partnering with other organizations, and distributing Gift-in-Kind donations.

Wellness Rocks!

This holistic care program focuses on the well-being, healing, and peace of men and women who have breast cancer.

Individual grants

Known as the Every Woman program, the United Breast Cancer Foundation provides individual grants to women in the community who need it. The grants allow patients to receive custom-tailored, individual care.

Sponsor a screening

The United Breast Cancer Foundation offers an innovative breast screening program. Donations assist with mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs, CT scans, and breast thermography for patients.

Breast reconstructive surgery

Many women need a single or double mastectomy to rid their bodies of breast cancer. Donating to the foundation’s fund for breast reconstructive surgery helps these women to receive the surgery they need. This furthers their healing process and helps them get back to a “normal” life.

Supports children

Many people are diagnosed with breast cancer still have families to support. By donating to support the children affected by breast cancer, you help the UBCF to ensure a child’s well-being as his or her parent goes through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery.

UBCF college scholarship

The foundation offers scholarships to students who have lost a parent or guardian to breast cancer. You can donate directly to the scholarship fund to help someone further his or her education.

In addition to these donation options, you can also donate vehicles or participate in a range of events throughout the year. The United Breast Cancer Foundation hosts an annual Tempur-Pedic Mattress donation event, for example. It also hosts holistic health nights, walk-a-thons, paint nights, and many more events.

​Overall Review of the United Breast Cancer Foundation

Despite the ability to “look good on paper,” the United Breast Cancer Foundation doesn’t have a very good reputation. Charity Navigator gives it just 70.78 points out of 100 overall. Although it has 81 points in terms of accountability, it only has 63 when it comes to its financial dealings.

BBB Wise Giving Alliance goes into even more detail, giving the organization a giant yellow “X” for not meeting its standards. When it comes to UBCF’s staff, its CEO is also the Chair of the Board of Directors; a move usually frowned upon since the board is supposed to ensure a CEO does his or her job correctly. Additionally, the board only has three voting members. But soliciting organizations should have at least five to be considered credible. Even worse, the board had no face-to-face meetings in 2016, and all three members of the board received compensation.

Organization’s Finances

The organization’s finances don’t meet overall standards. According to Charity Navigator, it only spent 61 percent of its expenses on program services in 2016. But a well-regarded charity spends at least 65 percent. Its website also doesn’t include any information about its accomplishments or financial information for the 2016 fiscal year.

United Breast Cancer Foundation financial details.

All tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and section 527 political organizations must file a Form 990 or 990EZ with the IRS.

The United Breast Cancer Foundation’s most recent IRS Form 990 available is for 2016. We extracted the following financial data from the organization’s most recent publicly available tax return for the fiscal year ending December 2016. This financial information will allow you to make a more informed decision as to whether the United Breast Cancer Foundation is a worthwhile charity.

Percentage of donations spent on services

• Total donations and grants: $9,920,307
• Spent on services and grants: $5,671,929
• Percentage of donations toward grants and services: 57.17 Percent

Percentage of revenue spent on fundraising

• Total revenue: $9,920,310
• Fundraising expenses: $3,234,255
• Paid to professional fundraisers: $3,106,246
• Percentage of total revenue spent on fundraising: 32.60 percent

Administrative and overhead costs

• Overhead expenses: $356,187
• Property assets: $569,815
• Investment assets: $0.00
• Paid to officers/directors: $236,418
• Highest paid officer/director: Executive Director $190,000
• Percentage of total revenue spent on officers/directors salaries: 2.56 Percent

Finally, the United Breast Cancer Foundation’s website doesn’t provide any information regarding any security policies it has in place to protect the personal information it collects, let alone identifying what information it collects. Overall, the foundation only meets 13 of the 31 standards set forth.

When it comes to donating to UBCF, most people feel that you should donate at your own risk, since you can’t be 100 percent sure how the foundation will use your money. If you want to ensure they spend your money correctly, consider donating to a smaller, local organization or even to a local individual.