irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $308KFamily Support:-We connect people who can help with people who need help through the Care Portal.-The Legacy Fund is a vital cash assistance program, extending support to every young individual transitioning out of foster care in Monroe County and families within the system striving for reunification, stability, and healing. Annually, our program allocates funds to approximately 150 families, effectively averting homelessness and easing the burdens of poverty.(Continued on Schedule O)-Through resource identification, mental health support, case management, and collaborative goal-setting, our services provide comprehensive assistance to empower families on their journey towards reunification.This program is supported by contributions.
- #2 $112KAdvocacy: HOPE585 reimagines a community where children are safe, with their families, by focusing on two things: 1) Providing excellent hope-centered programs and services to system-impacted youth and families and 2) Championing/Leading advocacy efforts that empower collaborative, community-driven change. Our Reimagine Initiative is a community-driven response to child poverty and neglect to narrow the front door to child welfare. We aim to keep children safe with their families, and minimize unnecessary and costly CPS involvement.This program is supported by contributions.
named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
CarePortal
Digital platform connecting community members with real-time needs of vulnerable families submitted by social workers, enabling direct support.
Family Support Program
Provides resource identification, mental health support, case management, and collaborative goal-setting to families navigating child welfare systems in Monroe County.
HOPE Rising
Workshop-based program teaching goal-setting and the Science of Hope to system-impacted youth, with hands-on life skills training.
Legacy Fund
Direct cash assistance program for youth transitioning out of foster care and families striving for reunification in Monroe County, distributing up to $2,400 per recipient annually.
Life Launch Mentoring Program
Provides trauma-informed, long-term mentoring relationships for youth ages 13-18 in foster care to support independence and stability.
Reimagine Initiative
Community-driven advocacy effort to prevent unnecessary child welfare involvement by addressing root causes of child poverty and neglect.
YCCM (Youth Crisis Counseling and Management)
Offers short-term mobile counseling, crisis intervention, and case management for youth in crisis across the City of Rochester.
activities · 11 groups
What they do
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Foster Youth Transition Support 2 activities
- Foster home program for transitioning youthOperates a foster home program in Monroe County that supports teenagers aging out of foster care by placing them with specially trained foster moms who help build essential life skills in a nurturing environment.
- Relationship-centered community buildingFosters a relationship-centered community for marginalized youth and their families, supporting their transition from systemic trauma to empowerment, belonging, and independence.
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Civil Rights Advocacy & Litigation 1 activity
- Child welfare policy advocacyAdvocates for policies and practices that reduce harm to families in the Child Welfare System, advance change for children and youth in foster care, and promote family preservation by reducing child poverty and neglect. Leads the Reimagine Initiative, a community-driven advocacy effort focused on preventing unnecessary entry into the child welfare system.
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Public Awareness and Educational Outreach 1 activity
- Community engagement and outreach eventsOrganizes community events, tabling activities, youth gatherings, and Vision Tours to engage the public, showcase impact, and mobilize volunteer support for youth and families in need.
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Child Welfare and Protection Services 1 activity
- Family reunification and support servicesProvides reunification support services including resource identification, mental health support, case management, and collaborative goal-setting for families involved with the child welfare system in Monroe County, aiming to achieve stability and prevent unnecessary entry into foster care.
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Youth Development and Support Services 1 activity
- HOPE Rising life skills workshopsOperates the HOPE Rising workshop program that teaches goal-setting, the science of hope, and practical life skills to system-impacted youth to support their transition to independence.
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Direct Financial Assistance to Individuals 1 activity
- Legacy Fund cash assistance programOperates the Legacy Fund, which provides unrestricted cash assistance to approximately 150 families per year in Monroe County, including youth aging out of foster care and families working toward reunification, to prevent homelessness and reduce poverty-related stress, supporting needs such as housing, employment, and food security.
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Youth and Community Research Initiatives 1 activity
- Research on child welfare system impactsConducts research including focus groups with impacted women and publishes reports analyzing systemic patterns and consequences of unfounded child welfare investigations, such as fiscal and human costs and local data from Monroe County, to inform policy discussions and organizational strategy. Publishes annual impact reports (2022–2025) documenting activities and outcomes.
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Community Resource Navigation and Support Services 1 activity
- Resource curation and navigation for mandated reporting and family supportCurates and provides access to resources that support ethical and informed decision-making around mandated reporting and offers immediate support and resource navigation for families at risk of child protective services investigation due to poverty-related challenges.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Volunteer engagement in administrative and outreach tasksEngages volunteers in administrative and outreach functions to support program operations, including connecting community members with children and families in need in real time.
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Mobile Mental Health Crisis Intervention 1 activity
- Youth crisis counseling and case managementProvides short-term crisis counseling, case management, crisis intervention, family support, resource navigation, and referrals through mobile, community-based service delivery in the City of Rochester.
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Youth One-on-One Mentoring 1 activity
- Youth mentorship programConnects system-impacted youth, particularly those in foster care or aging out of the system, with trained adult mentors through a structured volunteer program focused on building trust, personal agency, and independence using trauma-informed practices and the Science of Hope. The Life Launch Mentoring Program specifically serves youth ages 13–18 in Monroe County.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.34M
Contributions & grants$1.30M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$13K1%
Other revenue$27K
expenses
Total expenses$1.49M
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$815K
Grants paid out$155K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.06M
Cash$587K
Investments$0
Liabilities$298K
Net assets$760K
Liquid reserves4.7 mo
4 years on record · 2021–2024 · YoY revenue -16.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashley Cross | Executive Director | 40 | $134K |
| Michele Rankin | Controller | 20 | $40K |
board members · 12
- Alana Sansone — Member
- Annette Campbell — Member
- Corinda Reaves — Member
- Dan Rudd — Member
- Dr Myra Henry — Member
- Gary Domenico — Secretary
- Jennifer Arbore — Chair
- Josh Gewolb — Member
- Kathryn Kapatos — Member
- Maya Crane — Vice Chair
- Rich Pulvino — Member
- Trudy Quartley — Treasurer
relationships · 21
Who they work with
- Ardent Group Partner — Legacy Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, providing financial support for Hope585's programs.
- Brite Partner — Friend of Hope Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, supporting Hope585's programs for marginalized youth and families.
- CarePortal Partner — Partners with CarePortal to respond to real-time needs of youth and families identified by social workers.
- CarePortal Partner — Technology and network partner enabling real-time connection between child-serving professionals and local churches.
- Child Protective Services Government — Refers families to Hope585's cash assistance programs and collaborates on family reunification and stabilization efforts.
- Chuck & Bridget Guarino Partner — Hope Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, providing individual sponsorship to support Hope585's work.
- Exploration Charter School Partner — Hope Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, partnering with Hope585 to support youth and families in the community.
- Greater Rochester Health Foundation Partner — Hope Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, providing support for Hope585's community initiatives.
- Institute to Transform Child Protection Partner — Collaborates on educational resources about reimagining mandated reporting.
- Interrupting Criminalization’s Beyond Do No Harm Network Partner — Co-develops tools to reduce harm in mandated reporting and promote family stability.
- Kathryn Krase Partner — Provides resources on the ethics of mandated reporting and professional decision-making.
- M&T Bank Partner — Mentorship Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, supporting Hope585's work with marginalized youth and families.
- Monroe County Government — Pioneer foster home program implemented in Monroe County.
- Prospect Fund Partner — Presenting sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, supporting Hope585's mission through financial sponsorship.
- Society for the Protection and Care of Children Partner — Refers families to Hope585's direct cash assistance program for those involved in child welfare or experiencing poverty.
- The Mandatory Reporting is Not Neutral Project Partner — Provides the Balancing Risk Assessment Tool to support harm reduction in mandated reporting.
- Tompkins Financial Partner — Mentorship Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, contributing to Hope585's mission through event sponsorship.
- Wegmans Partner — Friend of Hope Sponsor of the Legacy of Hope fundraiser, contributing to Hope585's mission through event sponsorship.
- businesses Partner — Partners with businesses to support community impact initiatives.
- churches Partner — Engages churches as collaborative partners in community programs.
- community organizations Partner — Collaborates with community organizations to make a difference in the community.
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.
- Community-Centered Child Welfare Alternativemethodology: community-centered_child_welfareBy shifting child welfare support from state-led intervention to community-based networks that include families, churches, and local advocates, the organization prevents unnecessary removals and promotes family stability because localized, non-punitive responses preserve dignity and address root causes more effectively than traditional CPS involvement.
- Lived Experience-Centered Systems Changemethodology: lived-experience-centered_systems_changeBy centering policy advocacy and program design on leadership from individuals with lived experience in the child welfare system, the organization drives more effective and humane reforms because those directly impacted are best positioned to identify systemic failures and co-create equitable solutions.
- Science of Hope Frameworkmethodology: science_of_hopeBy teaching hope as a cognitive skill grounded in goal-setting and pathways thinking, youth build resilience and personal agency, which enables them to overcome systemic trauma and achieve long-term goals because hope is a measurable, learnable driver of positive behavior change.
- Trauma-Informed Mentorship Modelmethodology: trauma_informed_mentorshipBy integrating trauma-informed care into long-term mentoring relationships, the organization fosters safety, trust, and emotional regulation, which increases engagement and supports youth in developing future orientation and autonomy because relational stability mitigates the effects of systemic trauma.