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DRIVE CHANGE INC

BROOKLYN, NY · EIN 464691123 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE J22 · Employment · Medium ($1M-$10M) · drivechangenyc.org
revenue
$3.0M
expenses
$2.6M
net assets
$2.1M
employees
16
volunteers
40
program ratio
73%
mission · from form 990

TO SUPPORT JUSTICE-INVOLVED YOUNG PEOPLE BY PROVIDING CULINARY AND HOSPITALITY TRAINING.

profile · synthesized from sources

Drive Change supports justice-involved young people in New York City by providing culinary and hospitality training, social support, and pathways to economic mobility. The organization operates a fellowship program that combines job training with holistic care, preparing participants for careers in the food and hospitality industry. It also runs public education initiatives to raise awareness about youth incarceration and systemic inequities in the criminal justice system.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $575K
    JOB PLACEMENT AND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT: THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES TRAINING, COACHING AND DIRECTION TO THE LEADERS OF OUR HOSPITALITY FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE RESTAURANT NETWORK, FOCUSING ON UNCONSCIOUS BIASES, IDENTITY, AND PRIVILEGE.
  2. #2 $99K
    EDUCATION AND AWARENESS: THE ORGANIZATION PRODUCES AND DISTRIBUTES INFORMATIONAL MATERIALS TO RAISE AWARENESS AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC ABOUT CURRENT CRIMINAL JUSTICE ISSUES IN NEW YORK, SPECIFICALLY AS THEY PERTAIN TO YOUTH INVOLVED IN THE ADULT CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Drive Change Foods
Social enterprise and training kitchen where program graduates gain hands-on experience and contribute to food production, reinforcing workforce readiness.
Education and Awareness Campaign
Produces and distributes informational materials to raise public awareness about youth incarceration and criminal justice issues in New York.
Hospitality for Social Justice Fellowship
Comprehensive training program providing culinary and hospitality skills, coaching, and job placement support to justice-involved young people in New York City.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Culinary Workforce Training Programs 2 activities
    • Culinary and employment training for justice-involved youth
      Provides culinary and hospitality training, coaching, and career pathways to justice-involved young people through a Fellowship Program that serves over 60 youth annually, with a 74% graduation rate from its 3-month program. Graduates are eligible for full-time roles within Drive Change or partner organizations.
    • Employment and professional development through food service social enterprise
      Operates a food truck, catering service, and Drive Change Foods—a social enterprise that generates revenue to support reentry programs while providing employment and workforce development opportunities for justice-involved youth and alumni, including six full-time alumni positions annually.
  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Distribution of free groceries and hot meals to Brooklyn families
      Provides food access through Culinary Access & Relief Events (CARE), distributing free, nutrient-rich groceries and hot meals to 5,050 Brooklyn families annually.
  • Workplace DEI Research and Training 1 activity
    • Leadership development and equity capacity building in food and hospitality
      Develops resources, facilitates learning networks, and provides a collaborative space for businesses and teams in the food and hospitality sector to address equity, unconscious bias, and systems change through the Hospitality for Social Justice (HSJ) initiative.
  • Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 1 activity
    • Public awareness and advocacy on youth criminal justice issues
      Produces and distributes informational materials to raise public awareness about criminal justice issues in New York, with a focus on youth in the adult criminal justice system.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.02M
Contributions & grants$2.97M98%
Program service revenue$6K0%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$45K
expenses
Total expenses$2.60M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising16%
Salaries & benefits$990K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.54M
Cash$709K
Investments$0
Liabilities$1.46M
Net assets$2.08M
Liquid reserves3.3 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +12.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 4
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
KALILAH MOON EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $207K
KIMBERLY MORENO CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER 40 $169K
MEREDITH DEAN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 40 $94K
NICHOLAS PABON CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER 40 $64K
board members · 8
  • ARTI DOSHI — MEMBER
  • ELIZABETH MELTZ — MEMBER
  • ETHAN FINKELSTEIN — SECRETARY
  • GEORGE SUTTLES — BOARD CHAIR
  • JASON THOMPSON — MEMBER
  • LAKIMJA MATTOCKS — MEMBER
  • MICHAEL HURWITZ — MEMBER
  • ROSE DESTEFANO — TREASURER
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • BKLYN Blend Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Caffè Panna Partner — Hired Drive Change fellow Brandon out of the fellowship program and retained him full-time to manage delivery operations during the pandemic.
  • Caffè Panna Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Gramercy Tavern Partner — Employer partner through prior staff affiliation and program engagement
  • HSJ network Network — Drive Change is part of or collaborates with the HSJ network to advance equity in the food and hospitality sector.
  • Hospitality for Social Justice Network — Network of NYC industry leaders committed to supporting professional development of justice-impacted youth in hospitality careers.
  • Kings Against Violence Initiative Partner — Client and repeat customer for Drive Change Foods catering services.
  • Melba’s Partner — Hosted seven Drive Change fellows since 2024, providing training at its restaurant and catering service to prepare youth for careers in hospitality.
  • Melba’s Restaurant Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Porchlight Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Shake Shack Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Sylvia Center Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • TCS New York City Marathon Partner — Charity partner for the 2026 event, engaging runners to fundraise for Drive Change.
  • The MEAT Hook Partner — Hosted five Drive Change fellows, offering training in butchery, sustainable sourcing, and farming practices as alternative pathways in the hospitality industry.
  • The Meat Hook Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • The Ritz-Carlton Partner — Employer partner through prior staff affiliation and program engagement
  • The Victoria Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Union Square Cafe Partner — Hospitality employer partner that hires and mentors Drive Change graduates.
  • Union Square Cafe Partner — Hosts and employs Drive Change fellows and alumni, providing externship and job opportunities; sponsored the All In event that raised over $100,000 for Drive Change and other organizations.
  • Union Square Hospitality Group Partner — Employer partner in the Hospitality for Social Justice program
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.

  • Anti-Racism as Foundational Systems Change
    methodology: anti-racism-first organizational change
    By structurally integrating anti-racism into organizational design and business practices before diversity initiatives, we prevent further harm and enable equitable outcomes because inclusive systems must be built intentionally, not assumed through representation alone.
  • Employment as Reentry Strategy
    methodology: employment-as-reentry
    By providing quality employment and professional development in the culinary and hospitality industries, we disrupt cycles of poverty and incarceration because meaningful work fosters economic reintegration, self-determination, and long-term stability for justice-impacted youth.
  • Fair Chance Employment Pathway
    methodology: fair-chance-employment
    By offering employment without considering criminal records and partnering with committed employers, we enable second chances because removing structural hiring barriers allows justice-involved youth to access career advancement and economic stability.
  • Holistic Workforce Development Model
    methodology: holistic-workforce-development
    By combining culinary and hospitality training with mental health support and social services, we advance economic mobility and well-being because addressing both skill gaps and systemic barriers produces more sustainable outcomes for justice-involved youth.
  • Social Enterprise Sustainability Model
    methodology: social-enterprise-model
    By operating food service businesses that generate revenue to fund reentry support and training programs, we create a self-sustaining pathway to economic mobility because financially resilient programming ensures long-term impact and independence from volatile funding streams.