December 18, 2013
First Nonprofit Unemployment Savings Program is pleased to announce the addition of two new members to its board of directors. Thomas C. Vanden Berk of UCAN and Doug Sauer of The New York Council of Nonprofits will join a seven-member board with representation from around the county.
Thomas C. Vanden Berk, Chief Executive Officer of UCAN
Vanden Berk has devoted 40 years to improving the lives of abused and neglected children. As the CEO of UCAN, Vanden Berk has brought the agency to the forefront of child welfare. While UCAN was on the brink of closing when he took over in in 1987, the organization now provides a full continuum of care for children in the Chicago area.
Vanden Berk suffered the loss of his 15-year-old son in 1992 and has since committed himself to helping child welfare organizations prevent gun-related death, disability and suffering. He also founded HELP for Survivors, a self-help program for those who have lost children or loved ones to gun violence. In 2007, he received the "Citizens Advocacy Award" from the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence.
Vanden Berk's other board service includes chairman for the Illinois Council on Training from 1985 to 1996, and first vice chair for the Child Care Association of Illinois. He is currently the co-chair of the Welfare Advisory Committee and an advisory board member of the NIU Center for Child Welfare & Education.
Doug Sauer, Chief Executive Officer of New York Council of Nonprofits, Inc.
Sauer has provided leadership for NYCON since 1980, in addition to occupying many other leadership roles in the nonprofit sector. He is the co-founder of Board Chair of Council Services Plus, a for-profit license insurance brokerage social enterprise of NYCON. He also co-founded Innovative Charitable Initiatives, a nonprofit employment administration of NYCON.
Under Sauer's leadership, NYCON has emerged as a nationally recognized leader in unifying and building the capacity of nonprofit organizations. He is an expert in technical assistance, restructuring, strategic planning, financial management and board governance. Other board service includes the National Council of Nonprofits, the Center for Women in Government and The Albany Community Development Credit Union. From 1969 to 1972, Sauer served in Southeast Asia as a medic with the United States Air Force.
Content presented by First Nonprofit Companies, the leading provider of state unemployment insurance solutions for 501(c)(3) nonprofit employers.
Ready to chat? Get in touch today to request a no-obligation savings evaluation.
Throughout our membership in the Unemployment Savings Program, First Nonprofit understood our demands, community dynamics, and the importance of seamless services; that allowed us to serve our constituents better.
Because INCS advocates for the operating conditions that allow charter public schools to provide high quality public education, partnering with First Nonprofit was an easy decision. First Nonprofit’s unemployment programs provide our member schools two operating elements crucial to their ability to provide high quality public education: savings and budget certainty. Capable, committed teachers are the key to student success. By participating in the unemployment insurance savings plan, charter public schools gain peace of mind and are able to invest more money in their teachers.
It has been our sincere pleasure to maintain a strong, vibrant business partnership with First Nonprofit. We greatly admire their strong industry knowledge, technical expertise, constant professionalism, knowledgeable and dedicated staff. They are always extremely responsive, personable and provide us with the necessary guidance and recommendations on a numerous variety of employment scenarios.
NYCON members who use First Nonprofit’s programs enjoy enduring savings and improved efficiency. Our association knows that success, because from the beginning, we achieved the same great benefits. Great savings, seamless technology, and responsive service. NYCON highly recommends First Nonprofit’s remarkable unemployment solutions.
Visually Impaired Preschool Services has been a client of First Non-Profit since it was first offered as a benefit of VisionServe Alliance. We completed a thorough evaluation of cash savings to our agency before taking advantage of this wonderful benefit and it has been a very wise decision. Our experience with the processes from accounting to claims have been professional, expeditious and easy.
Luckily for us, our interactions regarding any issues with staffing has been very minimal! I can say that all other interactions with regards to billing, 941 reporting, etc. have been extremely pleasant, accommodating and easy to work with. Kim Ghanayem is always prompt, professional and friendly. Thank you so much!
First Nonprofit has been easy to work with and makes the administrative process easier and smoother. We enjoy working with you.
The Ensight Skills Center has enjoyed working with First Nonprofit for several years. We are enrolled in their Unemployment Savings Program and although we have not required a lot of intervention, there have been a few times. I know others have dealt with the same problem of unemployment fraud over the last year and in our case, a call to First Nonprofit (they actually answer their phones) cleared up the issue. They also sent us a letter to send to all our employees telling them what they needed to do to prevent this in the future and protect themselves. What a relief! Over the years if I have questions or concerns, they are happy to listen, advise and help if they can. Another BIG advantage of using First Nonprofit is that all the money that is paid into the Unemployment Savings Program lives on my balance sheet as an asset. The money continues to be Ensight’s not the governments. First Nonprofit has certainly given me peace of mind.