irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0THE FINGER LAKES WELCOME CENTER'S THEME, "WINE AND WATER," PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE REGION'S FAMOUS VINEYARDS AND NAMESAKE LAKES.THE TASTE NY MARKET AT THE WELCOME CENTER OFFERS HOT AND COLD LUNCH OPTIONS SUCH AS SEASONAL SOUPS AND SALADS, SANDWICHES, AND A KIDS MENU, ALL MADE FROM FRESH INGREDIENTS AND PRODUCTS GROWN AND PRODUCED BY LOCAL FARMERS. THE MARKET ALSO OFFERS NEW YORK STATE-MADE WINE, BEER, AND CIDER, GRAB-AND-GO SNACKS AND GIFTS, INCLUDING A VARIETY OF NEW YORK-MADE CHIPS, TRAIL MIXES, JAMS AND JELLIES, DESSERTS, CHEESES, MAPLE SYRUP AND MORE.WINE TASTINGS AND OTHER PROGRAMMING SURROUNDING NEW YORK STATE'S BOOMING CRAFT BEVERAGE INDUSTRY ARE AVAILABLE. THE TASTING BAR IS AVAILABLE TO LOCAL WINERIES AND OTHER FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCERS TO USE FOR PROMOTIONAL EVENTS WITH RESERVATIONS MADE AVAILABLE THROUGH NEW YORK KITCHEN WHICH OPERATES THE WELCOME CENTER.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Beverage University
Wine, beer, and cocktail education classes including tastings, mixology workshops, and craft beverage certification courses
Hands-On Cooking Classes
Public culinary classes for adults and families covering techniques from pasta making to seasonal cooking, held in a state-of-the-art teaching kitchen
Junior Chef Initiative
Youth culinary program offering hands-on cooking camps and workshops for ages 12-18, focusing on life skills and agricultural education in underserved communities
Tasting Room
100% New York State beverage experience featuring rotating selections of wine, craft beer, cider, and spirits with educational flights
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Culinary Workforce Training Programs 2 activities
- Providing culinary and beverage education classesOffers hands-on cooking and beverage classes for participants of all ages and skill levels, including culinary demonstrations, cocktail education, and craft beverage appreciation, led by professional chefs and instructors. Programs include comfort food preparation using New York State-sourced ingredients and are available year-round.
- Running youth culinary education programsProvides hands-on culinary education for youth aged 12–18 through the Junior Chef program, including summer camps and school-based programming, with a focus on underserved communities in Upstate NY and the Finger Lakes region. Approximately half of participants are engaged through community-based nonprofit partners.
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Professional Certification and Continuing Education 1 activity
- Delivering industry certification programsProvides certification training for food and beverage professionals, including WSET Level 1 and Level 2 Awards in Wines, ServSafe, and TIPS programs, to build expertise in wine knowledge and safe service practices.
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Event Venue Rental Services 1 activity
- Hosting private events and group experiencesOffers private hands-on cooking classes, wine and craft beverage tastings, team-building sessions, happy hours, meetings, retreats, and other gatherings in a flexible event space. Also provides expertly curated tastings and culinary programming for corporate and nonprofit groups.
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Maintaining a public educational gardenManages a four-season public garden with native plants, herbs, and apple trees designed to support pollinators and promote healthy ecosystems as part of its educational and sustainability mission.
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Local Food Market Operation 1 activity
- Operating a restaurant and market featuring local productsRuns a restaurant serving comfort food made with New York State-sourced ingredients, including cheese and beef, and operates a market offering hot and cold lunch options, New York-made food products, beverages, snacks, and specialty gifts at the Finger Lakes Welcome Center.
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Craft Beverage Tourism Trails 1 activity
- Operating a tasting room for New York State craft beveragesOperates a tasting room featuring 100% New York State products, including rotating selections of over 60 wines and 10 taps of craft beer, cider, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages, available for on-site consumption and take-home purchase in growlers or bottles. The tasting room is open year-round with seasonal outdoor seating on a terrace during warmer months.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.18M
Contributions & grants$917K29%
Program service revenue$1.61M51%
Investment income$16K1%
Other revenue$634K
expenses
Total expenses$3.27M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising6%
Salaries & benefits$1.34M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.38M
Cash$460K
Investments$488K
Liabilities$4.38M
Net assets$3.00M
Liquid reserves3.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +18.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALYSSA BELASCO | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $135K |
board members · 13
- DAVID THOMAS — DIRECTOR
- DOUGLAS BENNETT — DIRECTOR
- DR ROBERT NYE — DIRECTOR
- ERICA CUMMINGS — DIRECTOR
- JAMES MALVASO — DIRECTOR
- JAMES WATTERS — DIRECTOR
- KENNETH METZ — PRESIDENT
- LAURA MYERS — SECRETARY
- LESLIE COLE — TREASURER
- MAUREEN BALLATORI — DIRECTOR
- SCOTT MARCIANO — DIRECTOR
- VIRGINIA CLARK — DIRECTOR
- WENDE KNAPP — VICE PRESIDENT
relationships · 37
Who they work with
- Black Button Distilling Partner — Features distilled spirits from Black Button Distilling in its Tasting Room offerings.
- Blue Barn Cidery Partner — Features cider from Blue Barn Cidery in its Tasting Room offerings.
- Boys & Girls Club of Geneva Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Boys & Girls Club of Rochester Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Canandaigua Lake Partner — Located near Canandaigua Lake, promoting visitation and integration with regional tourism and recreation.
- Catholic Charities: College Bound Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Center For Youth Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Champion Academy Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Education Success Foundation Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Expeditions of Empowerment Partner — Community partner providing access to youth for the Junior Chef program.
- Finger Lakes Wine Alliance Partner — Associate partner of New York Kitchen
- Grist Iron Brewing Partner — Features craft beer from Grist Iron Brewing in its Tasting Room offerings.
- Heather McKechney Partner — Featured instructor leading the 'Stars, Stripes & Cider' event.
- Iron Smoke Distillery Partner — Features distilled spirits from Iron Smoke Distillery in its Tasting Room offerings.
- Lincoln Hill Farms Partner — Co-presents the Sparkling Table event featuring Finger Lakes sparkling wine.
- Lora Downie Partner — Director of Food & Beverage Education at New York Kitchen, point of contact for private event planning.
- NEW YORK KITCHEN Partner — Operates the Finger Lakes Welcome Center and manages reservations for promotional events at the tasting bar.
- New York Cider Association Partner — Collaborates to promote cider and Cider Week New York.
- New York Farm Bureau Partner — Works with to support and connect with New York's agricultural community.
- New York State Government — Features 100% New York State wine, beer, cider, and distilled spirits in its Tasting Room and focuses programming on state agriculture and craft beverages.
- New York State Grown & Certified Partner — Partners to promote certified New York-grown agricultural products.
- New York Wine & Grape Foundation Partner — Business partner of New York Kitchen
- New York Wines Partner — Collaborates to highlight and promote New York State wines.
- Reinvention Brewing Partner — Features craft beer from Reinvention Brewing in its Tasting Room offerings.
- Taste New York Partner — Partners to promote New York-grown and produced food and beverages.
- The Great New York State Fair Partner — Collaborates on events and programming related to New York agriculture and food.
- The Lake House Partner — Provides discounted accommodations to participants in New York Kitchen classes.
- Wegmans Work Scholarship Program Partner — Community partner supporting youth participation in the Junior Chef program.
- Weis Vineyards Partner — Features wines from Weis Vineyards in its Tasting Room offerings.
- Wine & Spirits Education Trust Partner — Offers WSET certification programs in partnership with New York Kitchen.
+ 7 more
strategies · 3
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Experiential Education to Build Engagement and Skillsmethodology: experiential-educationBy using hands-on cooking and beverage education, we foster engagement, build practical skills, and inspire long-term interest in home cooking and local agriculture, because experiential learning is more effective at building confidence, creativity, and retention than passive formats.
- Local Curation and Sourcing to Support Regional Economy and Authenticitymethodology: local_curationBy featuring only New York State-produced beverages and locally sourced ingredients, we strengthen regional identity and economic resilience, because showcasing local producers in authentic contexts increases public support and sustainable investment in state agriculture.
- Story-Based Engagement to Strengthen Connection and Identitymethodology: story-based_engagementBy sharing stories of farmers, producers, and agricultural origins, we connect people emotionally to food and beverage sources, because narrative builds empathy and regional pride, which in turn drives public engagement and support for local agriculture.