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PLAY AREA ASSOCIATION INC

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 300203672 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE N50 · Recreation & Sports · Small ($100K-$1M) · paanyc.org
revenue
$322K
expenses
$232K
net assets
$419K
employees
2
mission · from form 990

SOCIAL MEMBERSHIPNCLUB FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND FAMILIES OF NY PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL AND ITS AFFILIATES

profile · synthesized from sources

Play Area Association (PAA) operates a cooperative early childhood education and enrichment program for member families, centered on the Play-and-Learn (PAL) model. It offers classes in art, music, dance, science, and sports for children ages 18 months to 5 years, emphasizing socialization, developmental skills, and parent involvement. The organization also maintains private indoor and outdoor play spaces in New York City for members.

named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Art Classes
Developmental art classes using paint, collage, cutting, and building to enhance fine motor skills and early literacy for young children
Dance Classes
Movement and dance instruction for children ages 2.5 to 5 years to support physical development and creative expression
Foreign Language Classes
Language introduction for young children through songs, stories, and art, teaching basic vocabulary in an immersive setting
Music Classes
Interactive music classes for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers featuring rhythm, call-and-response songs, and percussion instruments
Play and Learn (PAL)
Year-round cooperative early education program for children ages 18 months to 4 years focusing on socialization, separation, and age-appropriate learning with required parent participation
Playroom and Woodchips
Private indoor and outdoor play areas reserved for members, located in Payson House, accessible via annual dues payment
Science Classes
Hands-on science curriculum designed to develop observation and comprehension skills in young children through age-appropriate experiments and exploration
Sports Classes
Physical activity programs including yoga for adults and sports-themed classes for children, including chess for problem-solving skills
activities · 10 groups

What they do

  • Community Event Fundraising 1 activity
    • Conduct rummage sales to support programs
      Conducts approximately four rummage sales annually featuring children's clothing and equipment, using pay-what-you-wish pricing, with proceeds supporting PAA events and services.
  • Workplace and Affiliate Giving Programs 1 activity
    • Generate funding through Amazon affiliate program
      Funds PAA events and services through a 6% commission on purchases made via a designated Amazon affiliate link.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Host seasonal and holiday parties
      Hosts seasonal and holiday-themed parties with food, music, and children's entertainment at PAA and local venues, as well as parties for member families throughout the year.
  • Inclusive Social & Recreational Events 1 activity
    • Host weekly playgroups and social gatherings
      Hosts weekly toddler playgroups and monthly or bimonthly informal gatherings with coffee and donuts for parents and children to socialize and play.
  • Play-Based Early Childhood Education 1 activity
    • Offer children's enrichment classes
      Provides a range of discounted enrichment classes for member families, including art, dance and movement, music, foreign language, science, STEAM, chess, and sports (soccer, basketball, T-ball, Taekwondo). Classes are tailored to developmental needs, use hands-on projects, and align with educational standards. Registration is online, and classes follow the NYC public school holiday schedule. A 25% discount is available for second siblings in eligible non-drop-off classes.
  • Professional Membership and Association Benefits 1 activity
    • Operate family membership club for medical and research institution affiliates
      Provides annual family memberships to employees and families of NY Presbyterian Hospital and other major medical and research institutions in New York, including alumni and graduate/medical students at discounted rates. Issues membership badges and keys for access to facilities upon verification and payment.
  • Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
    • Organize family field trips and community events
      Organizes family field trips approximately every other month to cultural and recreational sites such as the Bronx Zoo, Coney Island Aquarium, children's museums, farms, and live shows. Also hosts picnics, children's art shows, and adult education seminars on parenting, education, and financial planning.
  • Children's Play and Motor Development Spaces 1 activity
    • Provide indoor and outdoor play areas for member children
      Operates an indoor play area with a climbing structure, toys, books, carpeting, and soft foam mats, and an outdoor play area featuring a climbing structure, water table, playhouse, ride-in cars, toddler basketball hoops, picnic table, and benches. Playspaces are open regularly except on holidays or maintenance days.
  • Early Childhood Education & Development Programs 1 activity
    • Run year-round Play-and-Learn (PAL) co-op program for young children
      Operates a year-round early childhood program for children ages 18 months to 4 years focused on socialization, separation, and age-appropriate learning in a nurturing environment. Includes six class sessions with 8 students each, staffed by a head teacher and assistant teacher, and implements a structured four-step separation process. Parents serve as classroom assistants to improve child-to-adult ratios. Follows structured entrance and dismissal procedures and includes a birthday book donation tradition.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Host private member parties in outdoor play area
      Allows members to reserve the outdoor play area for private parties, with 1.5-hour weekday and 2-hour weekend slots, limited to 10 children. Enforces a $200 fine for failure to clean up after events.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$322K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$318K99%
Investment income$4K1%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$232K
Program expenses
Admin / overhead
Fundraising
Salaries & benefits$125K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$419K
Cash$412K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$419K
Liquid reserves21.3 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -0.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
BHAGOLIE DEWIKA PAL TEACHER 30 $73K
ZAGHA SAMAR PAL TEACHER 30 $34K
relationships · 17

Who they work with

  • Amazon Partner — Partner in an affiliate program that generates commission for the organization through member purchases.
  • American Museum of Natural History Partner — Collaborates with PAA science classes through field trips and serves as a practical guide for curriculum development using its “Young Naturalist” classes.
  • Hospital for Special Surgery Network — Member institution whose personnel and families are eligible for PAA membership.
  • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Network — Member institution whose personnel and families are eligible for PAA membership.
  • Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center Partner — Eligibility for membership is extended to families employed by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.
  • NY Presbyterian Hospital Partner — Primary affiliated institution whose employees and their families are the focus of the organization's membership.
  • NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Network — Member institution whose personnel and families are eligible for PAA membership.
  • NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Partner — Eligibility for membership is extended to families employed by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
  • PAL (Play Area Learning) Partner — Ms. Aartie has worked with PAL since 2017 and teaches its Thursday STEAM class.
  • Payson House Partner — Coordinates with the Payson House doorman to inform families of last-minute class cancellations.
  • Payson House Partner — Provides lobby access to PAA play areas.
  • Rockefeller University Network — Member institution whose personnel and families are eligible for PAA membership.
  • Rockefeller University Partner — Eligibility for membership is extended to families employed by Rockefeller University.
  • St. Catherine’s Park Partner — Hosts PAA informal gatherings and community events.
  • WCMC Network — Member institution whose personnel and families are eligible for PAA membership.
  • Weill Cornell Medical College Partner — Eligibility for membership is extended to families employed by Weill Cornell Medical College.
  • execboard@paanyc.org Partner — Board members coordinate class planning and events for the organization.
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-Building Through Shared Institutional Affiliation
    methodology: affinity_based_community_building
    By restricting membership to employees and families of specific medical and research institutions, the organization fosters a strong, cohesive community, because shared professional identity and institutional affiliation create trust, mutual understanding, and sustained engagement among member families.
  • Developmentally-Supportive Separation Approach
    methodology: developmentally_supportive_separation
    By using gradual, consistent, and individually tailored separation practices supported by home preparation and classroom strategies, the organization reduces anxiety and builds child confidence during early education transitions, because emotionally responsive routines foster attachment security and readiness for independent learning.
  • Integrated, Play-Based Learning for Holistic Development
    methodology: play_based_learning
    By embedding cognitive, motor, and language development within playful, thematic, and multisensory activities—such as art, music, and foreign language instruction—the organization reinforces early learning goals, because joyful, hands-on experiences align with developmental psychology principles to enhance retention, engagement, and skill integration.
  • Parent-Cooperative Model for Early Childhood Development
    methodology: parent_cooperative_model
    By integrating parents as active participants in classroom activities through a cooperative model, the organization supports child development and school readiness, because shared responsibility between trained instructors and caregiver-helpers strengthens engagement, consistency, and emotional security in children.