named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Friend Mail Program
Students write letters, create artwork, and send small gifts to peers experiencing bullying, offering emotional support and affirming their worth
Kindness Club Challenge
Initiative encouraging schools and youth groups to launch kindness campaigns, often centered on letter-writing and empathy-building activities
Teen Kindness Board
Youth leadership group that guides kindness initiatives, develops programming ideas, and promotes peer-led bullying prevention efforts
Upstanders Club
School-based clubs where students discuss bullying experiences, raise awareness, and engage in service learning projects to promote inclusion
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Anti-Bullying Education and Prevention Programs 2 activities
- Host annual T-shirt design contestOrganizes an annual T-shirt design contest open to students from first grade through college, using art to promote anti-bullying messages and engage youth in activism.
- Support youth-led anti-bullying clubs and challengesOperates and supports Kindness Clubs in schools and communities that promote kindness and bullying prevention, providing registered clubs with certificates, newsletters, resources, and visibility on a global map. Runs an annual Kindness Club Challenge that awards recognition, merchandise, and incentives such as stickers and pizza parties based on point achievements.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Award annual scholarship for kindness activismAdministers and awards an annual scholarship to a high school student whose submission best demonstrates commitment to bullying prevention and kindness activism, as part of the BAFP Scholarship and Kindness Club Challenge initiatives launched in summer 2024.
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Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
- Conduct holiday toy distribution pilot programRan a pilot program in 2023 to distribute holiday toys to children affected by bullying, expanding support beyond written correspondence to include tangible gifts.
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Youth Musical Theater Productions 1 activity
- Produce and license anti-bullying musical theater programCreates, produces, and licenses the original musical "It's Easy! The Friend Strong Musical" to schools and youth theater programs worldwide, supporting local productions such as at Heritage Middle School in New York and documenting performances. The musical won 8 Broadway World Regional Awards in 2017, including Best Musical.
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Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
- Provide direct peer support to children affected by bullyingOffers targeted peer support to children recovering from physical, social, verbal, and cyber bullying through letter exchanges and care packages, reinforcing resilience and a sense of belonging.
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Recognition and Awards Programs 1 activity
- Recognize outstanding contributions through ambassador and hero awardsIssues Friend Mail Ambassador Certificates to individuals and school groups who consistently send supportive letters, artwork, and gifts, and presents the Super Ambassador School Award and 'Unsung Hero of the Year' Award with plaques to honor exceptional contributions to bullying prevention efforts.
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Youth Leadership Development Programs 1 activity
- Run national Teen Kindness Board for youth leadership developmentOperates a national Teen Kindness Board of approximately 20 members aged 13–19 who meet bi-monthly to guide youth programming, promote bullying prevention, and raise awareness and funds. Members receive exclusive merchandise at no cost and lead initiatives such as Giving Tuesday Esports fundraisers.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Operate Friend Mail ProgramFacilitates the exchange of supportive letters, artwork, and small gifts from youth to children affected by bullying, distributing over 1,200 letters, gifts, and video messages in documented cases and up to 2,000 letters per recipient. All incoming materials are reviewed for safety and content compliance before delivery.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$298K
Contributions & grants$286K96%
Program service revenue$12K4%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$294K
Program expenses70%
Admin / overhead30%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$199K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$224K
Cash$199K
Investments$0
Liabilities$13K
Net assets$211K
Liquid reserves8.1 mo
4 years on record · 2022–2025 · YoY revenue +7.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER YOUNG | EXECUTIVE DI | 50 | $88K |
board members · 8
- BRIAN MCNICHOLL — BOARD DIRECT
- GARY BERNSTEIN — TREASURER
- JENNIFER KENNETT — SECRETARY
- KARLA AVILA — BOARD DIRECT
- KEVIN MALGESINI — BOARD DIRECT
- LILLIAN DIAZ-WITHERS — BOARD DIRECT
- MEGAN MORAN CRUZ — BOARD DIRECT
- SHANTE SKYERS — CHAIR
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- Boston Conservatory Partner — Institution affiliated with a Legacy of Aidan Award recipient, indicating connection through youth leadership in bullying prevention.
- Broadway World Partner — Recognized by Broadway World with an award for its musical program.
- Bushland High School, Amarillo Partner — Hosts an Official BAFP Kindness Club in Texas.
- Canyon ISD Partner — Produced a licensed performance of "It's Easy! The Musical" in Texas.
- Chicago Partner — Location associated with a scholarship award recipient, indicating geographic reach and engagement with youth applicants.
- Dobbs Ferry Middle & High School Partner — Licensed production participant with cast and staff engagement in the musical.
- Eagle Rock Jr/Sr High School Partner — High school whose students and staff participate in the Friend Mail Program to support youth affected by bullying.
- Hackensack Partner — Location associated with a scholarship award recipient, indicating geographic reach and engagement with youth applicants.
- Heritage Middle School Partner — Licensed to produce "It's Easy! The Musical" in April 2024.
- Ludlow Community Center/Randall Boys & Girls Club Partner — Partner organization whose youth participate in the Friend Mail Program by writing letters to children affected by bullying.
- Main Street School Partner — Hosted a performance of "It's Easy! The Musical" for students in Irvington, NY.
- Main Street School Partner — School recognized with multiple awards including the Super Ambassador School Award and where an honoree principal was acknowledged at the annual fundraiser.
- Main Street School Partner — School that has adopted the Be A Friend Project as a school-wide initiative to support social-emotional learning.
- Mariah's Music & Arts Partner — Produced the first worldwide licensed performance of "It's Easy! The Musical" in Stafford, Virginia.
- Matthew Shepard Foundation Network — Honored Be A Friend Project with the "Spirit of Matthew" Award at its 2024 gala, recognizing its alignment with values of kindness, activism, and social justice.
- Matthew Shepard Foundation Partner — Recipient of the 2023 'Spirit of Matthew' Award and home to Special Advisor Judy Shepard, reflecting shared values in youth advocacy and anti-bullying work.
- National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Coalition — Recognized and honored Be A Friend Project at its twenty-year anniversary event for its national impact on supporting bullied youth.
- Nazarbayev Intellectual School, Tokmok City Partner — Hosts an Official BAFP Kindness Club in Kyrgyzstan.
- Ooltewah Partner — Location associated with a scholarship award recipient, indicating geographic reach and engagement with youth applicants.
- PS 189 Partner — Public school in the Bronx where students participate in the Be A Friend Project as part of anti-bullying and empathy education efforts.
- Prism Empowerment and Development Initiatives, Gayaza Partner — Hosts an Official BAFP Kindness Club in Uganda.
- Roger L. Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Springfield Partner — Hosts the Call to Action Club, an Official BAFP Kindness Club in Massachusetts.
- Rutgers University Partner — Institution affiliated with a Legacy of Aidan Award recipient, indicating connection through youth leadership in bullying prevention.
- Seven recipients from the 2025–2026 school year Partner — Children who received support through the Friend Mail program.
- Square One After-School & Summer Learning Program Partner — After-school program that integrates the Friend Mail Program into its character-building curriculum to promote positive social-emotional development.
- St. Mary's School Student Council, Luxemburg Partner — Hosts an Official BAFP Kindness Club in Wisconsin.
- Teen Kindness Board Network — Youth advisory board guiding Be A Friend Project's kids for kids programming and bullying prevention initiatives.
- Texas FCCLA Partner — Youth leadership organization whose members engage in the Friend Mail Program as a service project focused on emotional support and allyship.
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.
- Confidential Peer Connection for Safetymethodology: confidential_peer_supportBy anonymizing recipient identities in peer correspondence programs, we increase participation and emotional openness because youth are more likely to engage in support networks when protected from fear of exposure or retaliation.
- Decentralized Youth Mobilizationmethodology: decentralized_community_actionBy supporting self-organized, autonomous groups to lead kindness initiatives, we scale impact because flexible, locally driven action increases ownership, cultural relevance, and sustainability of anti-bullying efforts.
- Peer-Led Emotional Support Modelmethodology: peer_support_networkBy engaging youth in creating letters, art, and messages for peers experiencing bullying, we build emotional resilience and reduce isolation because peer-generated support fosters authentic connection and belonging that professional interventions often cannot replicate.
- Student Upstander Modelmethodology: student-led_upstander_modelBy empowering students to lead peer advocacy and create safe spaces for discussion, we increase anti-bullying engagement because youth are more likely to adopt prosocial behaviors when leadership and agency are decentralized to their peer networks.
- Youth-Led Arts-Based Activismmethodology: arts-based_youth_activismBy using student-created art and original musical theater to convey anti-bullying messages, we inspire pro-social behavior and sustained engagement because creative self-expression enables youth to internalize and advocate for change more powerfully than didactic instruction.