named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
LegacyWriting
Writing workshops honoring Joe Flaherty’s legacy, offering guided sessions for youth and adults on personal and expressive writing.
Poetry Potluck at Gell
Community poetry event combining poetry sharing, conversation, and food at Gell’s historic lodge.
Rochester Reads
Annual community reading program promoting shared literary experiences with author keynotes, book discussions, and related events.
SummerWrite
Summer writing camp for children and teens offering themed workshops in storytelling, graphic novels, playwriting, and creative writing.
Visiting Authors
Author readings, talks, and discussions featuring contemporary writers across genres including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry.
Workshops & Master Classes
Writing workshops for adults and youth covering memoir, poetry, fiction, self-publishing, and specialized topics like writing from photographs and nature writing.
activities · 2 groups
What they do
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Literary Events & Workshops 6 activities
- Hosts community poetry eventsOrganizes regular community poetry events, including the Poetry Potluck held at Gell’s historic lodge, to promote public engagement with poetry.
- Hosts public readings and discussions with visiting authorsBrings notable authors including Virginia Eubanks, Alex Sanchez, and David F. Walker to the community for public readings and discussions.
- Hosts writing workshops for adults and youth in memory of Joe FlahertyOrganizes legacy writing workshops open to adults and youth, honoring the memory of Joe Flaherty through creative writing engagement.
- Organizes annual Rochester Reads community reading programProduces the annual Rochester Reads initiative, which includes a community-wide reading experience and a keynote event featuring prominent authors such as Omar El Akkad and Sonja Livingston.
- Promotes reading and writing as lifelong activitiesSupports and fosters lifelong engagement with reading and writing through a variety of educational and community-based literary programs.
- Provides diverse writing workshops and master classesOffers a range of writing workshops and master classes on topics such as nature writing, romance, graphic novels, and self-publishing for writers of all levels.
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Summer and Seasonal Reading Programs 1 activity
- Offers writing programs for children and teensProvides summer writing programs designed for children and teens to develop writing skills and foster a love of literacy.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$751K
Contributions & grants$578K77%
Program service revenue$145K19%
Investment income$8210%
Other revenue$27K
expenses
Total expenses$784K
Program expenses61%
Admin / overhead31%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$421K
Grants paid out$34K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$767K
Cash$134K
Investments$0
Liabilities$153K
Net assets$613K
Liquid reserves2.0 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +10.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alison Meyers - Through 82025 | Executive Director | 50 | $68K |
| Michael Solis - Began 92025 | Executive Director | 50 | $24K |
board members · 16
- Alexandra Carmichael — Member
- Angelique Stevens — Member
- Ann Marie Fallon — Member
- Beverly Gold — Member
- Celeste Kier — Member
- Christine Eichelberger — President
- David Shakes — Member
- Eric Cook — Member
- John Bouchard Esq — Member
- Kevin Connell Esq — Member
- Lester Friedman — Member
- Mark Boylan — Treasurer
- Nicole Magats — Member
- Sydney Bell — Member
- Timothy B Schmid — Vice President
- William Grande — Vice President and Secretary
relationships · 1
Who they work with
- Gell’s historic lodge Partner — Co-hosts the Poetry Potluck community event with Writers & Books
strategies · 2
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.
- Memory and Identity Exploration Through Photo-Prompted Writingmethodology: photo_prompted_writingBy using personal and historical photographs as writing prompts, the organization enables deeper memory exploration and intergenerational storytelling because visual stimuli activate emotional and autobiographical recall, enhancing engagement and narrative depth.
- Writing as a Tool for Lifelong Engagement and Developmentmethodology: lifelong-literacy-engagementBy promoting reading and writing as lifelong activities, the organization fosters personal growth and community development because sustained engagement with literacy builds individual capacity and strengthens communal narratives.