irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $5KTHE SOCIAL JUSTICE IMMERSION (SJI) IS AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM HELD DURING THE SPRING & FALL FOR BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND TEENS OF COLOR INTERESTED IN CREATING SOCIAL CHANGE. IT IS A PLACE TO CONNECT, ORGANIZE, GATHER, LAUGH, PLAY, LEARN AND STEP UP, EXPANDING & DEEPENING OUR COLLECTIVE IDEAS OF CHANGE AND BUILDING CORE SKILLS TO ORGANIZE DIRECT ACTION.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Classroom Education - Rainbow Nutrition
Interactive educational program teaching children about the nutritional benefits of fruits and vegetables through colorful, engaging culinary activities.
Community U-Pick
Community harvest program offering public access to herbs, flowers, and vegetables grown on the Youth Farm for personal use.
Fresh Snack Program
Farm-to-school initiative providing weekly fresh, plant-based snacks to elementary schools in the Ithaca City School District, emphasizing local, organic, and allergen-free foods.
Social Justice Immersion
After-school program for Black, Indigenous, and teens of color focused on organizing, leadership, and social change through collective action and skill-building.
Teen Summer Program
Summer initiative where teens learn land-based skills and explore topics in food, land, and body justice while growing food for themselves and the community.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Youth and Family Cooking Education 2 activities
- Classroom Culinary Education ActivitiesConducts educational culinary activities in classrooms to complement the Fresh Snack Program and promote healthy food exposure and cooking skills among students.
- Teen Summer Program in Food and Land JusticeOperates a Teen Summer Program that teaches land-based skills and explores topics related to food, land, and body justice for youth participants.
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Community-Based Urban Agriculture 1 activity
- Community U-Pick Harvest ProgramHosts a Community U-Pick program that allows community members to harvest herbs, flowers, and vegetables directly from the farm, promoting access to fresh produce and hands-on engagement with agriculture.
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Food Policy Advocacy & Nutrition Education 1 activity
- Distribution of Educational Materials to SchoolsDistributes weekly educational materials called Fresh Bites to schools participating in the Fresh Snack Program to enhance nutrition and agricultural education.
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Child & Youth Meal Programs 1 activity
- Fresh Snack Program for Elementary SchoolsProvides fresh, raw fruit and vegetable snacks prepared in bite-sized pieces twice per week to students in five elementary schools within the Ithaca City School District, sourcing ingredients locally and using organic produce for over half of its offerings.
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Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
- School Field Trips with Hands-On Environmental EducationOffers school field trips where students engage in hands-on learning about soil, chickens, honeybees, and composting to promote environmental and agricultural literacy.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Social Justice Immersion Program for YouthOperates the Social Justice Immersion (SJI), an after-school program during spring and fall for Black, Indigenous, and teens of color, focused on organizing for social change and building skills for direct action.
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Agricultural Training and Education Programs 1 activity
- Youth Agricultural and Leadership Development ProgrammingEngages youth in progressive, multi-year agricultural programming that began in 2011, offering leadership roles and skill-building in farming and community organizing.
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Youth Workforce Development in Food & Environment 1 activity
- Youth-Led Initiatives and Entrepreneurship ProjectsSupports youth-led initiatives such as the construction of a mobile market stand and operates a ¼ acre production plot focused on growing and selling high-value crops to teach farm-based entrepreneurship.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$308K
Contributions & grants$305K99%
Program service revenue$3K1%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$331
expenses
Total expenses$291K
Program expenses31%
Admin / overhead67%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$205K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$80K
Cash$79K
Investments$0
Liabilities$20K
Net assets$60K
Liquid reserves3.3 mo
2 years on record · 2021–2023 · YoY revenue +16.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASTRID CASTILLO | CO-DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION | 40 | $73K |
| KATIE CHURCH | CO-DIRECTOR OF ADMINISTRAT | 40 | $55K |
board members · 7
- AMANDA DAVID — DIRECTOR
- EZRA BAPTIST — DIRECTOR
- JOSEPH AMSILI — SECRETARY
- JULIA DE ARAGON — DIRECTOR
- KEELI MANNING — PRESIDENT
- NATALIE HUGHES — TREASURER
- RAY HAGE — DIRECTOR
relationships · 22
Who they work with
- Belle Sherman Elementary Partner — Partner school receiving fresh classroom snacks since 2015.
- Beverly J. Martin Elementary Partner — Partner school receiving fresh classroom snacks since 2008.
- Caroline Elementary Partner — Partner school receiving fresh classroom snacks since 2016.
- Cayuga Heights Elementary Partner — Partner school receiving fresh classroom snacks since 2017.
- College of the Atlantic Partner — Alumni of the Youth Farm Project have continued their education here, focusing on sustainable agriculture and social justice.
- Cornell University Partner — Alumni have pursued degrees in agriculture here, building on their experience at the Youth Farm Project.
- Eddydale Farms Partner — Source of apples supplied to schools through the Fresh Snack Program.
- Enfield Elementary Partner — Partner school receiving fresh classroom snacks since 2014.
- Fresh Snack Program Partner — Collaborative program providing healthy food exposure and nutritional education in classrooms.
- Groundswell Center Partner — Shares a bookkeeper, indicating an administrative or operational partnership
- Guilford College Partner — Hosted student internships that connected participants to agricultural training and informed their later involvement with the Youth Farm Project.
- Ithaca City School District Partner — Collaborates with the district to deliver the Fresh Snack Program across multiple elementary schools.
- Lehman Alternative Community School Partner — Youth participants attended this school and were recruited into the program; collaboration on youth development initiatives.
- Northeast Elementary Partner — Partner school receiving fresh classroom snacks since 2019.
- Penn State University Partner — Alumni have pursued graduate studies in soil science and agronomy here, continuing their agricultural education after involvement with the Youth Farm Project.
- Singer Orchards Partner — Source of plums supplied to schools through the Fresh Snack Program.
- Stick and Stone Farm Partner — Source of sweet turnips supplied to schools through the Fresh Snack Program.
- Sweetland Farm Partner — Source of organic carrots supplied to schools through the Fresh Snack Program.
- Three schools Partner — Partners with three schools to provide allergen-informed, fresh snacks and to obtain allergy lists for student safety.
- YFP Network — Refers to itself as YFP in promotional materials and video content.
- Youth Farm Project Partner — Organization supporting youth and local food systems through farming programs.
- Youth Farm Project Partner — Producer of organic celery grown at its farm in Danby, NY, distributed through the Fresh Snack Program.
strategies · 4
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.
- Land- and Farm-Based Holistic Learning 81 orgsmethodology: land-based-educationBy integrating agricultural work with education on food, land, and body justice, the organization promotes holistic youth and community health because direct connection to land and food systems strengthens personal, cultural, and ecological well-being.shared approach: Experiential Learning in Real-World Contexts →
- Rainbow Nutrition and Whole-Food Education 81 orgsmethodology: rainbow-nutritionBy using the Rainbow Nutrition framework and whole, unprocessed foods in snacks, the organization teaches children about dietary diversity and healthy eating because visual, sensory, and experiential learning with real food shapes long-term nutritional habits.shared approach: Experiential Learning in Real-World Contexts →
- Progressive Youth Leadership Developmentmethodology: progressive-youth-leadershipBy offering a structured pathway of increasing responsibility, the organization builds long-term youth engagement and leadership capacity because incremental ownership fosters commitment, skill mastery, and program sustainability.
- Youth-Led Social Justice Educationmethodology: youth-led social justice educationBy engaging youth from marginalized backgrounds in relationship-building, experiential learning, and direct action, the organization fosters personal empowerment and systemic change because participatory education rooted in social justice builds agency and community leadership.