irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $819KSUPPORT OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM "MDT" - THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM FACILITATES, COORDINATES AND INTEGRATES THE PREVENTION, INVESTIGATION, PROSECUTION, AND TREATMENT SERVICES OF CHILD SEXUAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE CASES WITHIN ONONDAGA COUNTY. THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES THE FACILITIES THAT HOUSE THE MDT. THE ORGANIZATION HAS LARGE TRAINING ROOMS WITH MULTI-MEDIA EQUIPMENT FOR TRAINING STAFF, CHILD ABUSE PROFESSIONALS, PARA-PROFESSIONALS, AND MEMBERS OF THE MDT.
- #2 $662KPUBLIC AWARENESS - INCREASE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF CHILD ABUSE. THE ORGANIZATION HAS DEVELOPED HIGH FIVE! WHICH IS A UNIQUE, FOUR-WEEK CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION PROGRAM. THIS PROGRAM IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN IN GRADES K-2 AND IS OFFERED TO SCHOOLS IN ONONDAGA COUNTY.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) Program
Training and response program focused on identifying and preventing commercial sexual exploitation of children, including human trafficking awareness and intervention strategies
Darkness to Light Stewards of Children Training
Two-hour interactive training that educates adults on how to prevent, recognize, and respond responsibly to child sexual abuse
High Five! Child Abuse Prevention Program
Four-week prevention program designed for children in grades K-2, delivered to schools in Onondaga County to promote awareness and personal safety
Mandated Reporter Training
Provides advanced training for mandated reporters on best practices for responding to child abuse disclosures, including safety planning and reporting procedures
Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Coordination
Coordinates investigation, prosecution, and treatment services for child abuse cases in Onondaga County through collaboration among law enforcement, child protective services, medical and mental health professionals, and prosecutors
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Child Advocacy and Trauma Support Centers 4 activities
- Delivering medical evaluations and care for suspected child abuse victimsProvides medical assessments, consultations, and crisis interventions for children suspected of being victims of sexual or physical abuse through the CARE Program, which includes a social worker, nurse practitioner, and physician. Services include medical exams, psychosocial evaluations, and referrals to specialized counseling.
- Offering trauma-informed mental health counseling and advocacyProvides on-site and collaboratively delivered trauma-informed individual, family, and group counseling services for child abuse victims. Victim Advocates offer case management, system navigation, court accompaniment, and assistance accessing emergency shelter, medical care, financial aid, and benefits through the Office of Victim Services.
- Operating a child advocacy center with coordinated servicesOperates a dedicated child advocacy center in Onondaga County, including a 30,000-square-foot facility opened in 2011, to house coordinated forensic, medical, mental health, and advocacy services for child abuse and human trafficking victims in a child-friendly environment. The center supports a multidisciplinary team model integrating prevention, intervention, and education.
- Providing forensic interviews and multidisciplinary response for child abuse victimsConducts single, sensitive, non-leading forensic interviews of children in child-friendly settings as part of an inter-agency investigation process, coordinating with law enforcement and child protective services. This service is delivered through a multidisciplinary team approach that includes victim advocacy, medical exams, mental health support, and case management.
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Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Education 2 activities
- Conducting community outreach and public awareness initiativesDelivers educational presentations on child abuse prevention to schools and community groups upon request and organizes ongoing fundraising and awareness events such as the Pinwheel Ball, Step Up 4 Kids 5K, and Stand Against Child Abuse Conference to engage the public and promote prevention efforts.
- Providing training for adults and professionals on child abuse preventionOffers interactive training programs for adults, mandated reporters, parents, caregivers, and professionals on preventing, recognizing, and responding to child sexual abuse, commercial sexual exploitation, bullying, internet safety, and healthy child sexual development. Trainings include Darkness to Light Stewards of Children curriculum enhancements and two-hour workshops tailored to specific audiences.
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Youth Health and Wellness Education 1 activity
- Delivering school-based child abuse prevention education programsProvides age-appropriate, school-based prevention education programs for children and youth in grades Pre-K through 12 across Onondaga County, including the High Five! four-week program for grades K-2, three-week curricula for Pre-K and grades 3–5, anti-bullying instruction, internet safety presentations, and human trafficking awareness sessions for grades 7–12.
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Diaper and Baby Supply Distribution 1 activity
- Distributing essential supplies to families in needPartners with CNY Diaper Bank to distribute supplemental diapers, wipes, formula, and pull-ups to families in Onondaga County to support child well-being and reduce stressors linked to abuse risk.
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Child Safety Seat and Safe Sleep Support 1 activity
- Leading child fatality review and prevention researchConvenes the Onondaga Child Fatality Review Team monthly to analyze unexpected deaths of children and adolescents aged 17 and under, identify patterns, and inform prevention strategies. The team delivers educational programming such as Safe Infant Sleep Workshops titled “Our Babies are Dying, What Every Parent/Caregiver Needs to Know” to prevent future child deaths.
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Gun Violence Prevention & Intervention 1 activity
- Operating a Mobile Support Unit for trauma-affected communitiesDeploys a Mobile Support Unit to provide emotional and psychological support, preventative education, and care in Syracuse communities affected by gun violence, child abuse, and other traumatic events to support healing and resilience.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.49M
Contributions & grants$3.12M89%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$3K0%
Other revenue$367K
expenses
Total expenses$3.50M
Program expenses88%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$2.15M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.66M
Cash$486K
Investments$2.04M
Liabilities$514K
Net assets$3.15M
Liquid reserves8.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +7.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| COLLEEN MERCED | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TRANSITIONAL ADVISOR | 35 | $132K |
board members · 20
- ADAM BROWN — DIRECTOR
- ANDREA MEGGESTO — DIRECTOR
- BRENDAN RYAN — DIRECTOR
- CASSIE BREEN — DIRECTOR
- CATHERINE ALTON — DIRECTOR
- CHRIS LORD — DIRECTOR
- CHRIS REIDY — DIRECTOR
- DR JANICE BACH — DIRECTOR
- JARRETT WOODFORK — DIRECTOR
- JOHN SERENO — DIRECTOR
- JONI STEIGERWALD — VICE PRESIDENT
- KARA KRUEGER — DIRECTOR
- LAURA SERWAY — PRESIDENT
- LISA CORNISH — DIRECTOR
- LISA KENNEDY — TREASURER
- MARK POPP — SECRETARY
- STEPHEN VASICK — DIRECTOR
- THOMAS MCMAHON — DIRECTOR
- TIFFANY LLOYD — DIRECTOR
- WILLIAM J KAMERY — DIRECTOR
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- CARE (Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation) Partner — Collaborates with the CARE team to provide medical evaluations for children suspected of abuse.
- CNY Diaper Bank Partner — Partnership to distribute diapers, wipes, formula, and pull-ups to families in Onondaga County.
- Cribs for Kids Partner — Collaborates with Cribs for Kids through its Certified Safe Sleep Ambassador to deliver safe infant sleep education.
- Darkness to Light Partner — Uses and builds upon Darkness to Light's Stewards of Children curriculum in its training programs.
- DonorPerfect Funder — Platform used for processing donations and selling Go Blue 4 Kids items.
- New York State Police Partner — Provides assigned investigators for multi-jurisdictional child abuse cases.
- Onondaga Child Fatality Review Team Coalition — McMahon Ryan operates and participates in the multidisciplinary Onondaga Child Fatality Review Team to review child deaths and identify patterns.
- Onondaga County Government — Collaborates with Onondaga County on forensic investigations and human trafficking services for child victims.
- Onondaga County Partner — Collaborates with McMahon Ryan to increase awareness, identify victims, and provide services to youth affected by commercial sexual exploitation.
- Onondaga County Partner — Collaborates with county agencies through the multidisciplinary team to address child abuse cases and delivers prevention programming in local schools.
- Onondaga County Attorney’s Office Partner — Provides legal oversight and coordination for child abuse, neglect, and foster care cases in Family Court.
- Onondaga County Children and Family Services Partner — Specializes in investigations of child sexual abuse, physical abuse, and child fatalities.
- Onondaga County District Attorney's Office Government — Partnered with the Child Abuse Response Team to support coordinated investigation of child abuse cases.
- Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office Partner — Assistant District Attorneys from the Special Victims Bureau prepare children and families for court proceedings in child abuse cases.
- Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office Partner — Collaborates with the organization to deliver the Internet Safety program.
- Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office Partner — Partners with the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office, which directs the Mobile Support Unit to areas in need of services.
- Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office Partner — Conducts medicolegal investigations to determine cause and manner of death in unnatural, unattended, or unexpected deaths in Onondaga County.
- Onondaga County Mental Health Services Partner — Provides prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation mental health services to child abuse victims.
- Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office Partner — Assigns trained sexual abuse investigators to MRCAC cases.
- SUNY Upstate Center for Maternal and Child Health Partner — Collaborates on human trafficking services to support maternal and child health improvement.
- SUNY Upstate Medical Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation Program Partner — Provides medical and psychosocial evaluations for children suspected of abuse through the CARE Program.
- Syracuse City Police Department Partner — Assigns trained sexual abuse investigators to MRCAC cases.
- Syracuse Community Health Center Partner — Provides quality health care services to underserved individuals as part of human trafficking services.
- Upstate Medical Center Partner — Collaborates with the Child Abuse Referral and Evaluation (CARE) program for medical evaluation of child abuse cases.
- WSYR-TV Partner — Supported public awareness efforts for the organization’s mission.
- children and family services Partner — Partners with children and family services agencies to support child abuse victims and their families.
- law enforcement Partner — Collaborates with law enforcement professionals as part of a multidisciplinary team serving child abuse victims.
- prosecutors Partner — Works with prosecutors as part of a coordinated response to child abuse and human trafficking cases.
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.
- Child-Focused Trauma-Informed Environmentmethodology: child_friendly_facility_modelBy conducting forensic interviews and delivering services in a child-friendly, non-clinical setting, we reduce re-traumatization and increase the likelihood of disclosure and engagement — because a safe, welcoming environment lowers child anxiety and builds trust during highly stressful investigations.
- Coordinated Multidisciplinary Team Modelmethodology: multidisciplinary_team_modelBy co-locating law enforcement, child protection, medical, mental health, and advocacy professionals to jointly manage child abuse and human trafficking cases, we streamline services, preserve evidence, and improve outcomes for children and families — because integrated, cross-sector collaboration reduces system-induced trauma and increases investigative and therapeutic effectiveness.
- Empowerment-Based Prevention Educationmethodology: empowerment-based preventionBy teaching children, caregivers, and community members concrete steps to prevent, recognize, and respond to abuse, we increase early detection and reduce incidence — because equipping individuals with knowledge and agency fosters proactive protection and sustained behavior change.
- Non-Traditional Safe Haven for Trauma-Affected Youthmethodology: trauma_informed_safe_havenBy operating as a non-law-enforcement-affiliated safe haven in underserved communities, we increase access to trauma healing services — because removing associations with criminal investigation reduces barriers and builds trust among youth affected by neighborhood violence and exploitation.
- Prevention Through Behavioral Risk Educationmethodology: behavioral-risk-educationBy delivering targeted education on specific high-risk behaviors — such as unsafe infant sleep or bullying — using behavioral commitment techniques, we drive measurable change — because clear, emotionally resonant messaging combined with public pledges increases caregiver and child accountability and adherence to safety practices.