Los Angeles (June 5, 2019) – Charity Navigator, America’s largest and most-utilized independent nonprofit evaluator, has awarded a top 4-star rating to Starlight Children’s Foundation, an organization that delivers happiness to seriously ill children and their families, for its exceptional fiscal management practices and commitment to accountability and transparency. This is the fourth consecutive year Starlight has earned a 4-star rating from the charity evaluator.

Since 2002, Charity Navigator has used objective, data-driven analysis to rate a charity’s financial health, accountability, and transparency. According to Charity Navigator’s 4-star rating, Starlight “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its Cause.” Earning 100% for accountability and transparency bolsters Starlight’s commitment to its beneficiaries and donors. Additionally, Starlight invests 81.2% of its budget directly into its programs.

“Delivering happiness to seriously ill children is a true and joyous privilege, and we take our mission very seriously,” said Adam Garone, CEO, Starlight Children’s Foundation. “We hope this rating will ensure the highest possible confidence and trust from our grassroots donors, from our corporate partners, and most important, from the children, families, and hundreds of hospitals across the country we have the honor of supporting every day. We are proud to have earned this fourth consecutive recognition from Charity Navigator.”

In 2011, Charity Navigator added 17 metrics, focused on governance and ethical practices as well as measures of openness, to its ratings methodology. These “Accountability & Transparency” metrics, which account for 50% of a charity’s overall rating, reveal which charities implement “best practices” that minimize the chance of unethical activities and whether they freely share basic information about their organization with their donors and other stakeholders.

“Starlight Children’s Foundation has earned our fourth consecutive 4-star rating. This is our highest possible rating and indicates that your organization adheres to sector best practices and executes its mission in a financially efficient way,” Michael Thatcher, President and CEO of Charity Navigator, stated. “Only 19% of the charities we evaluate have received at least 4 consecutive 4-star evaluations, indicating that Starlight Children’s Foundation outperforms most other charities in America. This exceptional designation from Charity Navigator sets Starlight Children’s Foundation apart from its peers and demonstrates to the public its trustworthiness.”

Starlight’s rating and other information about charitable giving are available free of charge on www.charitynavigator.org. More detailed information about Starlight’s rating is available to Charity Navigator site visitors who become registered users, another free service.

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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Chris de Haan, Starlight Children’s Foundation: chris.dehaan@starlight.org, 213.309.1867
Farah Jad, Starlight Children’s Foundation: farah.jad@starlight.org, 858-337-6882

ABOUT STARLIGHT CHILDREN’S FOUNDATION
Starlight Children’s Foundation® delivers happiness to seriously ill children and their families. For 35 years, Starlight’s programs have positively impacted more than 60 million critically, chronically and terminally ill or injured children around the world. With your help, more kids and their families will enjoy Starlight Virtual Reality, Starlight Hospital Wear, Starlight Gaming mobile entertainment units and other Starlight programs at a children’s hospital or facility near you. Take action by visiting www.starlight.org and by following Starlight on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

ABOUT CHARITY NAVIGATOR
Charity Navigator, www.charitynavigator.org, is the largest charity evaluator in America and its website attracts more visitors than all other charity rating groups combined. The organization helps guide intelligent giving by evaluating the Financial Health and Accountability & Transparency of more than 8,000 charities. Charity Navigator accepts no advertising or donations from the organizations it evaluates, ensuring unbiased evaluations, nor does it charge the public for this trusted data. As a result, Charity Navigator, a 501 (c) (3) public charity itself, depends on support from individuals, corporations, and foundations that believe it provides a much-needed service to America’s charitable givers. Charity Navigator can be reached directly by telephone at 201-818-1288, or by mail at 139 Harristown Road, Suite 101, Glen Rock, N.J., 07452.