irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $3.21MThe Foundation's "Toy Express Program" helps local first responders brighten the holidays for children and strengthen community bonds between agencies and those they serve and protect. During 2024, the Foundation received toy donations valued at approximately $2,800,000, which were subsequently delivered around the country.
- #2 $1.54MThe Foundation conducted several smaller programs during the year for the benefit of the families of first responders.
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
College Scholarship Program
Offers scholarships to children of first responders killed or injured in the line of duty to support higher education
Financial Assistance Program
Provides cash grants for families facing hardship due to line-of-duty death, injury, or illness, including funeral costs and emergency needs
Resiliency Program
Provides free, one-on-one mental health counseling to children of first responders through culturally competent, licensed professionals; served 153 children with 2,720 hours of counseling in 2024 across eight states
Toy Express Program
Distributes donated toys to children in communities served by first responders; delivered toys valued at approximately $2.8 million nationwide in 2024
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Financial and Emotional Support for Bereaved Families 1 activity
- Bereavement and crisis support for families of fallen first respondersProvides bereavement grants, funeral support, hotel rooms, masks, and emotional resources to families following the death of a first responder in the line of duty, including those who died on 9/11 or from 9/11-related illness. Also supported families of COVID-19 victims in 2020.
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First Responder Family Scholarships 1 activity
- College scholarships for children of first respondersAwards renewable annual scholarships for up to four years to children of first responders based on financial need, academic performance, and funding availability; includes specialized four-year scholarships for two entrepreneurial students annually. Scholarship recipients also receive access to internships, mentorship, career advising, and leadership development through the Scholars Council.
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Direct Financial Assistance to Individuals 1 activity
- Emergency financial assistance for first responder familiesProvides one-time emergency grants of up to $2,500 to families of first responders for urgent needs including mortgage/rent, utilities, groceries, funeral services, medical expenses, child care, and housing insecurity due to crises such as fires or pandemics. The program also covers home repairs and supplies for families affected by natural disasters.
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Direct Mental Health Counseling and Support Services 1 activity
- Mental health counseling for children of first respondersOffers free, confidential mental health counseling and wellness resources through licensed professionals specializing in trauma among children of first responders. In 2024, delivered 2,720 hours of one-on-one culturally competent therapy to 153 children via the Resiliency Program.
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Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
- Nationwide holiday toy distribution (Toy Express)Operates the Toy Express program to distribute donated toys valued at approximately $2.8 million in 2024 to children of first responder families across the United States during the holidays, including children who lost a parent in the line of duty. Toys are delivered by firefighters, police officers, EMTs, paramedics, and hospitals.
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Youth Scouting Leadership Programs 1 activity
- Youth development camps for children of first respondersRuns immersive youth programs including the NYPD Music Camp, Gloucester PD Fishing Camp (also called Angling Camp), and Junior First Responders Firefighting Cadet Camp to build confidence, curiosity, leadership, and commitment to community service among children of first responders.
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Uncategorized 2 activities
- Digital commemorative experience honoring 9/11 familiesHosts an immersive digital walk featuring narratives, videos, and voice recordings from the timeline of September 11, 2001, including personal stories from children who lost a parent on 9/11 or due to 9/11-related illness.
- Funding for community-based first responder programsFunds proposals up to $5,000 for local programs in mental and behavioral health, youth education, family support, crisis aid, and community safety that involve first responder agencies.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$31.54M
Contributions & grants$30.58M97%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$241K1%
Other revenue$720K
expenses
Total expenses$32.26M
Program expenses93%
Admin / overhead4%
Fundraising3%
Salaries & benefits$1.99M
Grants paid out$1.59M
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$6.11M
Cash$5.92M
Investments$0
Liabilities$185K
Net assets$5.93M
Liquid reserves2.2 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +49.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 5
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Randall Acosta | Chief Philantrhopist | 40 | $248K |
| Jillian Crane | Chief Exec.Off. | 2 | $200K |
| Travis Punt | Chief Operating Officer | 40 | $162K |
| Joanna Black | Chief Marketing Officer | 40 | $125K |
| Jeffrey Barlow | CFO | 40 | $66K |
board members · 17
- Alfred R Kahn — Founder / Chair
- Allison Isaacson Beahm — Trustee
- Coye Nokes — Treasurer
- Cristina Kim — Trustee
- Daniel Nigro — Trustee
- Howard Cash — Trustee
- Jacqueline Rosinsky — Trustee
- Kent Chrisman — Trustee
- Laurence A Levy — Vice Chairman
- Lionel Leventhal — Trustee
- Marc Hagle — Trustee
- Matthew J McCauley — Trustee
- Michael Beneville — Trustee
- Mike Cory — Trustee
- Ray Donavan — Trustee
- Theresa Ashton — Trustee
- Toni Lupo — Trustee
relationships · 81
Who they work with
- Ahlsten Foundation Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 100k+
- America Salutes You Partner — Produces events and broadcast concerts to raise awareness and funds for the foundation
- Ames Family Foundation Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 25k+
- Ariana Grande Partner — Teamed up to share an inspiring message about first responders
- Buchanan Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 50k+
- Build-A-Bear Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 25k+
- Build-A-Bear Partner — Retail partner offering co-branded products where purchases support the foundation.
- CRACKYL Magazine Partner — Partnering to promote firefighter mental and physical wellness
- CSX Partner — Corporate partner that committed funding to the Emergency Response Fund through its Pride in Service initiative.
- CSX Partner — Corporate partner that supports the Emergency Response Fund through its Pride in Service initiative.
- CSX Partner — Funds the CSX Pride in Service Scholarships for children of first responders.
- CSX Partner — Partner in the Toy Express program
- CSX Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 500k+
- Central Florida Foundation Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 50k+
- Crayola Flowers Partner — Retail partner offering floral products where purchases support the foundation.
- Devon Partner — Partner in the Toy Express program
- Devon Energy Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 100k+
- Devon Energy Corporation Partner — Provides scholarship funding focused on communities in New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.
- Donor-Advised Fund Funder — Facilitates grants from donor-advised funds to support first responder families
- ER Partner — Partner acknowledged on the website, likely a corporate sponsor or collaborator.
- First Responder agencies Partner — Collaborates with first responder agencies to deliver youth programs, distribute holiday toys, and implement community engagement initiatives.
- Ford’s Garage Partner — Supports the Ford’s Garage Academic Hero Scholarship for children of first responders, with priority given to students near its locations.
- Frontline Optics Partner — Retail partner offering products where purchases support the foundation.
- GOAT USA Partner — Retail partner offering first responder-themed apparel where purchases support the foundation.
- Gloucester Police Department Partner — Partners on the Gloucester PD Fishing Camp for first responder children.
- Gloucester Police Department Partner — Partners on youth engagement initiatives including the Gloucester PD Fishing Camp.
- Good360 Partner — In-kind partner of First Responders Children's Foundation
- GovX Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 25k+
- Henry Repeating Arms Partner — Partner of First Responders Children's Foundation with contribution level of 25k+
- Hess Toy Truck Partner — In-kind partner of First Responders Children's Foundation
+ 51 more
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.
- Flexible, Responsive Financial and Programmatic Supportmethodology: flexible_response_modelBy using flexible funding and adaptive program models, the organization addresses emergent and disaster-related needs of first responder families in a timely way, because rigid structures would fail to meet the unpredictable financial and emotional crises these families face.
- Holistic Child Development Through Integrated Supportmethodology: holistic_child_developmentBy combining educational support, emotional counseling, play-based development, and mentorship, the organization enables children of first responders to recover from crisis and thrive long-term, because addressing multiple dimensions of development compounds resilience and life outcomes.
- Trauma-Informed, Culturally Competent Counseling for Childrenmethodology: trauma_informed_counselingBy providing trauma-informed and culturally competent counseling, the organization helps children of first responders process vicarious trauma and build long-term mental health resilience, because these services are specifically tailored to the unique emotional stressors tied to their family's occupation.