named programs · 12 · from sources
What they call their work
Alphabet City Art School
Visual arts and crafts program where girls explore opportunities in the arts, humanities, and media, connecting with New York City's art scene.
Center for Wellbeing & Happiness
Community wellness hub offering free nutrition classes, fitness programs, creative expression workshops, support groups, and a weekly food pantry for all ages and genders.
College & Career Prep
Resources and guidance to support members in college applications, career exploration, and professional development.
Digital and Audio Arts / WGRL
Programs in digital photography, video production, audio engineering, sound design, and graphic design, including the Girls Club’s own radio station/podcast.
East Village Planetarium
64-seat dome planetarium offering digital dome education, astro-physics, and earth/space science exploration for members and school groups.
Environmental Education
Programs focused on environmental justice, sustainability, and community health, including hands-on activities in the rooftop farm.
Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds
Wellness program offering nutrition education, on-site nurses, yoga, dance, running club, smoothie bar, and meals, supported by a rooftop garden and CSA.
Lamarr-Lovelace Labs / STEM
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs that encourage girls to thrive in male-dominated fields through hands-on learning.
Maker Shop
Hands-on engineering and robotics workshop within Lamarr-Lovelace Labs, providing access to role models in STEM fields.
Media & Social Justice
Combines media-making with social justice education to help girls become conscious citizens ready to address 21st-century societal challenges.
Mentoring
One-on-one and group mentoring relationships that provide cultural experiences, internship opportunities, and support through the Angel Alliance committee.
We Mean Business
Entrepreneurial training and employment experience program that connects girls with mentors, resources, and social capital.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Community Wellness Movement Classes 1 activity
- Delivers health, wellness, and nutrition programsProvides comprehensive health and wellness programming including yoga, dance, meditation, drumming, sports, nutrition education, on-site nursing, CSA access, rooftop gardening, a smoothie bar, and meals. The Center for Wellbeing & Happiness also hosts educational classes for families and new parents and averages 350 adult visits per month.
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Hands-On STEM Education Programs 1 activity
- Offers STEM and technology education through hands-on learning spacesProvides STEM-focused programming in dedicated facilities including Lamarr-Lovelace Labs, a 64-seat East Village Planetarium for dome-based astrophysics and earth/space science education, and a robotics Maker Shop. Girls engage in hands-on engineering, earth and sky science, and interact with STEM role models to build confidence in male-dominated fields.
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Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
- Operates a weekly food pantry serving community neighborsRuns a weekly food pantry through the Center for Wellbeing & Happiness that serves over 2,000 neighbors monthly, expanding access to food and wellness resources for the broader Lower East Side community.
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Facility-Based Service Delivery 1 activity
- Operates the Center for Community and Center for Wellbeing & HappinessRuns two key facilities: the Center for Community, New York City’s first and only Girls Club facility on Avenue D, and the Center for Wellbeing & Happiness, opened in 2022, which provides healing-centered wellness services to youth, families, and adults of all ages and genders on the Lower East Side. The combined 35,000 square foot space includes specialized areas such as a robotics Maker Shop, STEM lab, art school, digital media center, sound studio, design studio, rooftop farm, culinary education center, and planetarium.
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
- Provides digital media, arts, and creative expression programsOffers instruction and production opportunities in digital photography, video production, audio engineering, sound design, graphic design, web design, filmmaking, and editing through the Digital Media Lab and screening room. Programs include Page to the Stage for poetry development, Frequency Gardens for audio storytelling, and film festivals for public audiences. Also teaches sewing, quilting, natural dyeing, and screenprinting.
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Comprehensive Student Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Provides free after-school, weekend, and summer programming in STEM, arts, digital media, wellness, leadership, and career developmentOffers year-round programming for girls and gender-expansive youth ages 8 to 23, including middle and high school students, with free after-school, weekend, and summer activities in STEM, arts, digital media, music, wellness, leadership, and college and career exploration. Programming prioritizes local community residents and includes application or registration processes for age-specific cohorts.
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Workforce Readiness Training 1 activity
- Supports college, career, and entrepreneurial developmentProvides members with employment experience, entrepreneurial training, mentorship, resource access, and college and career preparation services to build social capital and support post-secondary success.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.33M
Contributions & grants$3.28M98%
Program service revenue$39K1%
Investment income$13K0%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$5.66M
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead22%
Fundraising11%
Salaries & benefits$3.27M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$22.35M
Cash$988K
Investments$0
Liabilities$3.26M
Net assets$19.09M
Liquid reserves2.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -54.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JENNY WINGE-SORENSON | EXECUTIVE DI | 40 | $148K |
board members · 10
- ANIL DASH — DIRECTOR
- DAVID FLORES WILSON — TREASURER
- GAEL TOWEY — CO-CHAIR
- JEN GATIEN — DIRECTOR
- JULIE LERNER — DIRECTOR
- KEISHA GOLDING — DIRECTOR
- KIMBERLY AGUILERA — DIRECTOR
- NEXUS SEA ESQ — DIRECTOR
- ROSARIO DAWSON — DIRECTOR
- WOOZAE KIM — SECRETARY
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Angel Alliance Partner — Mentors in the Angel Alliance committee provide internship opportunities, cultural experiences, and financial support to the organization.
- CWBH Partner — Collaborates with CWBH on literacy and writing programs for girls.
- Cassidy Turner Partner — Photographer who contributed images of Girls Club members.
- Center for Wellbeing & Happiness Partner — Collaborative extension of the Girls Club mission, providing healing-centered wellness services to all ages and genders on the Lower East Side.
- DonChristian Partner — Collaborated on the Frequency Gardens summer program and radio show.
- Erin Yamagata Partner — Photographer who contributed images of Girls Club members.
- Gap Partner — Possibility Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- H&M Partner — Presenting Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- J.Crew Partner — Possibility Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Kind Traveler Partner — Partner organization through which a portion of guest stays, adventures, or gatherings supports the Lower Eastside Girls Club.
- Know Your Rights Camp Partner — Provided a $50,000 grant to support the organization’s programming and community initiatives.
- La Ligne Partner — Celebration Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Lamarr-Lovelace Labs Partner — Named lab space supporting technology and STEM programming, likely reflecting a naming partnership or sponsorship.
- Maybelline Partner — Possibility Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Partner — Partnered through DonChristian’s residency to co-develop the Frequency Gardens program.
- New York City Council Government — Issued a proclamation recognizing the Girls Club’s three decades of transformative work serving NYC youth and families.
- POPUPFLORIST Partner — In-Kind Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Plentea Matcha Partner — Celebration Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Public Assistant Partner — Collaborated on the Frequency Gardens summer program and radio show.
- Sylvain Partner — In-Kind Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Tito’s Partner — Celebration Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
- Today Show Partner — Collaborated on a media appearance to highlight the organization's programs and members.
- Two Trees Partner — Possibility Sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Gala.
strategies · 5
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.
- Comprehensive, Safe-Haven Youth Developmentmethodology: comprehensive_youth_developmentBy integrating STEAM, arts, wellness, and leadership programming within a safe, year-round environment, the organization fosters long-term success for young women and gender-expansive youth because sustained, holistic support produces deeper engagement and developmental outcomes.
- Empowerment Through Creative Media and Self-Expressionmethodology: creative_empowermentBy using creative media training and process-oriented writing instruction, the organization empowers youth to tell their own stories and develop personal voice because self-expression fosters agency, identity development, and engagement with social justice.
- Equitable Access Through Free, Community-Centered Programmingmethodology: equitable_access_modelBy removing financial barriers and prioritizing local youth, the organization increases participation and builds trust because accessible, community-rooted programs ensure inclusion and foster sustained engagement among historically underserved populations.
- Healing-Centered Wellness Modelmethodology: healing_centered_wellnessBy grounding programming in a healing-centered approach to wellness, the organization supports resilience across generations because addressing trauma and fostering emotional well-being enables individuals to thrive and contribute to intergenerational community strength.
- Interdisciplinary, Immersive STEM Engagementmethodology: immersive_stem_educationBy providing hands-on, immersive experiences in maker spaces and planetarium-based learning, the organization engages girls and school groups in STEM because experiential learning in specialized environments increases interest, retention, and identity formation in science and technology fields.