irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $297KSCRATCHWORKS - A PROGRAM SUPPORTING SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN COOKING SCHOOL MEALS FROM SCRATCH USING WHOLE, FRESH INGREDIENTS THAT PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE NUTRITION THEY NEED FOR THEIR EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS, HEALTH AND WELLBEING
- #2 $286KCOACH FOR KIDS - ENCOURAGES SCHOOLS TO LET KIDS PLAY TO REACH THE RECOMMENDED 60 MINUTES OF DAILY ACTIVITY. WELLNESS IN THE SCHOOLS COACHES, TRAINED FITNESS PROFESSIONALS, WORK WITH SCHOOLS TO REINVENT RECESS, TRAIN SCHOOL STAFF, AND PROVIDE FITNESS EDUCATION TO STUDENTS. THE DAILY GOAL IS FOR STUDENTS TO RETURN TO CLASS AFTER LUNCH AND RECESS READY TO FOCUS AND LEARN. THE LONG-TERM GOAL IS TO TEACH CHILDREN HEALTHY HABITS THAT WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Coach for Kids
Deploys trained fitness coaches to reinvent recess, train school staff, and deliver fitness education to help students meet 60 minutes of daily activity.
Cook for Kids
Trains chefs to work with schools to transform cafeteria menus, train staff, and provide nutrition education using whole, fresh ingredients.
ScratchWorks
Supports school districts in preparing school meals from scratch using whole, fresh ingredients to improve student nutrition and learning readiness.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Food System Convening & Public Engagement 1 activity
- Chef and coach council capacity buildingBuilds capacity in school wellness systems by launching collaborative networks such as NYC’s Chef Council and Coach Council, which support menu development, chef training, and fitness education through partnerships with city agencies and professional development for school staff.
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Fitness Training and Group Exercise Programs 1 activity
- Coach for Kids / Coach for Good fitness programmingDeploys trained fitness professionals to schools to lead physical activity sessions, reinvent recess, conduct classroom fitness breaks, and provide professional development for PE teachers and school staff. The program has delivered over 85,000 hours of physical activity programming and expanded to hundreds of schools, including a citywide rollout in New York City and pilot programs in Arkansas and Tennessee.
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Youth and Family Cooking Education 1 activity
- Cook for Kids program implementationTransforms school cafeteria menus by developing scratch-made, plant-based, and culturally inclusive meals; trains school food service staff in healthful meal preparation; and delivers nutrition and culinary education to students. The program has reached hundreds of school cooks and over 850,000 students across more than 1,000 schools nationwide, including flagship operations in New York City public schools.
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Garden-based and sustainability education (Get Kids Green)Provides interactive lessons on sustainability, food waste, and gardening for students, including the implementation of hydroponic Tower Gardens in schools as part of hands-on learning. This program has been implemented in dozens of schools, including 13 schools under the Get Kids Green initiative.
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Youth Health and Wellness Education 1 activity
- National and regional wellness program expansionExpands school wellness models beyond New York City through partnerships and pilots in rural Kentucky, Florida, Arkansas, and Tennessee, reaching over one million public school students nationwide across 2,000 schools through in-person and remote learning adaptations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$6.52M
Contributions & grants$6.04M93%
Program service revenue$319K5%
Investment income$160K2%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$5.48M
Program expenses90%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$4.52M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.21M
Cash$4.24M
Investments$0
Liabilities$120K
Net assets$6.09M
Liquid reserves9.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -7.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NANCY EASTON | CO-FOUNDER/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $301K |
| MARTIN P HILLIS | FORMER OFFICER: DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPS | 40 | $139K |
| JANINE KRAUSE | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND OPS | 40 | $38K |
board members · 15
- ALEXIA BRUE — DIRECTOR
- ALLISON GROVER — TREASURER
- BILL TELEPAN — DIRECTOR
- BRIAN MEYER — DIRECTOR
- CHANEL CATHEY — DIRECTOR
- CRAIG RUSSELL — SECRETARY
- DAVID MANSBACH — DIRECTOR
- DEMARCO MURRAY — DIRECTOR
- JAMIE SUTHERLAND — DIRECTOR
- MAYA FELLER — DIRECTOR
- NICK MARSH — CHAIRMAN
- NICOLA BLUE — DIRECTOR
- RACHEL ALKON — DIRECTOR
- SARAH DIEHL — DIRECTOR (AS OF 5/25)
- TROY THORNTON — DIRECTOR
relationships · 30
Who they work with
- Arkansas Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- California Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- City Harvest Partner — Organization Dana Zukofsky volunteers with
- Cosme Aguilar Partner — Chef partner who participates in community events to teach students hands-on cooking and nutrition.
- D.C. Public Schools Partner — Partnered with WITS to establish programming in Washington, D.C.
- Edible Schoolyard Partner — Partners with Edible Schoolyard gardens to bring school garden experiences into classrooms and cafeterias.
- Exos Partner — Collaborated on the launch of Coach for Good and NYC’s first Coach Council.
- Florida Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- Illinois Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram as a platform for outreach and engagement.
- Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram to share updates and engage supporters.
- Mayor’s Office Partner — Collaborated on the launch of Chefs in the Schools and NYC’s first Chef Council.
- Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Partner — Collaborated on the launch of Chefs in the Schools and NYC’s first Chef Council.
- Mayor’s Office of Food Policy Partner — Partnered with Wellness in the Schools to launch the Chefs in the Schools program in New York City.
- NYC Public Schools Office of School Wellness Programs Partner — Collaborated on the launch of Coach for Good and NYC’s first Coach Council.
- New Jersey Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- New York Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- New York City Department of Education Partner — Partnered with Wellness in the Schools to launch the Chefs in the Schools program in New York City.
- Office of Food and Nutrition Services Partner — Collaborated on the launch of Chefs in the Schools and NYC’s first Chef Council.
- Office of Food and Nutrition Services Partner — Partnered with Wellness in the Schools to launch the Chefs in the Schools program in New York City.
- Save the Children Partner — Supported the pilot of WITS' national expansion in rural Kentucky in 12 schools.
- Tennessee Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- Texas Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- The Giving Kitchen Partner — Organization Dana Zukofsky volunteers with
- The Life Time Foundation Funder — Provided financial support for the launch of ScratchWorks in summer 2019
- Washington DC Network — State where Wellness in the Schools operates programs
- chefs Partner — Collaborates with chefs to improve school food and nutrition education.
- coaches Partner — Works with coaches to increase physical activity and active play in schools.
- public schools Partner — Partners with public schools to implement wellness programming.
- school districts Partner — Collaborates with school districts to implement the Cook for Kids program in schools.
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.
- Culture Change via Collective Expertisemethodology: culture-changeBy convening chefs, coaches, and school staff to co-create wellness practices, the organization shifts school culture toward well-being because sustainable change emerges from shared ownership, professional collaboration, and locally adapted implementation.
- Experiential Learning Through Food and Movementmethodology: experiential-learningBy using hands-on cooking with professional chefs and unstructured play led by fitness coaches, students develop deeper engagement with healthy habits because experiential learning fosters ownership, curiosity, and behavioral change more effectively than passive instruction.
- Integrated School Wellness Modelmethodology: integrated-school-wellnessBy integrating scratch-cooked healthy meals, physical activity coaching, and environmental education through gardening, the organization improves child wellness because these combined elements create a supportive ecosystem that shapes lifelong healthy behaviors. The integration across food, movement, and sustainability reinforces each domain synergistically.