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POPPA INC
New York, NY · EIN 134128172 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE P20 · Human Services · Small ($100K-$1M) · poppanewyork.org
revenue
$778K
expenses
$698K
net assets
$1.9M
employees
6
volunteers
261
program ratio
66%
mission · from form 990

POPPA was established and organized for charitable purposes to provide peer assistance to members of police organizations, their families and to related organizations and to conduct any and all lawful activities which may be useful in accomplishing the foregoing purposes.

profile · synthesized from sources

Peer support organization for New York City police officers and retirees, providing confidential counseling and crisis intervention. Founded in 1996 in response to a series of officer suicides, it offers a 24/7 helpline, trauma response teams, suicide prevention training, and mental health resources. The organization works collaboratively with the NYPD and has expanded services to retired officers across multiple states.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $201K
    The Outreach program is an awareness and prevention program under which POPPA proactively conducts outreaches by speaking and presenting to NYC police officers at various locations.
named programs · 7 · from sources

What they call their work

24/7 Helpline
Confidential phone support available around the clock for active-duty and retired NYPD officers to discuss personal or job-related issues with trained peer counselors
Military Returnee Program
Support for NYPD officers returning from military deployment, including education on PTSD, re-entry skills, and VA resources
Military Support Group
Ongoing peer-facilitated group for officers with military experience, focusing on stress, PTSD, substance use, family issues, and coping with loss
Resiliency Support Program
Educational initiative providing psychoeducation on stress management, mental health, and self-care strategies to thousands of NYPD officers at target ranges and other facilities
Retiree Support Program
Peer support network for retired NYPD officers across multiple states, addressing mental health, relationship issues, and reintegration challenges
Suicide Awareness for Emergency Responders (S.A.F.E.R.)
Training program that educates police officers and their families on identifying suicide warning signs and responding to peers in crisis; offered free of charge to first responders and their families
Trauma Response Team (TRT)
Specially-trained peer support officers respond to critical incidents such as officer-involved shootings, line-of-duty deaths, and police suicides to provide immediate and follow-up debriefings; deployed approximately 80 times annually
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • 24/7 Crisis and Warmline Support Services 1 activity
    • 24/7 Confidential Peer Support Helpline
      Operates two dedicated helplines — an Active Helpline for active-duty NYPD officers and a Retiree Helpline for retired officers — providing 24/7 confidential peer support to help them cope with personal or job-related stress. The helplines are promoted through distribution of toll-free numbers on wallet-sized cards and printed materials.
  • Veteran Benefits and Reintegration Support 1 activity
    • Military Deployment Reintegration Support
      Provides reintegration support for NYPD officers returning from military deployment, including one-day reintegration assignments, education on PTSD, decompression support, re-entry skills, and distribution of Veterans’ Administration resources to aid social reintegration.
  • Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
    • Online and Pandemic-Responsive Support Groups
      Launched online COVID-19 support groups in 2020 for NYPD officers, facilitated by Peer Support Officers with clinical guidance, to maintain continuity of mental health support during public health emergencies.
  • Law Enforcement Professional Development 1 activity
    • Peer Support Officer Network and Training
      Trains and maintains a network of more than 300 active Peer Support Officers within the NYPD to provide peer assistance. Began with a training program in 1996 that trained 50 officers, forming the foundation of an ongoing peer support infrastructure.
  • Law Enforcement Fraternal Associations 1 activity
    • Retiree Peer Support Program
      Operates a Retiree Support Program launched in 2006, utilizing over 100 volunteer retired NYPD officers to provide peer support to retired officers across multiple U.S. states, extending the organization’s reach beyond active-duty personnel.
  • Suicide Prevention Programs 1 activity
    • Suicide Awareness and Prevention Outreach (SAFER Program)
      Conducts outreach presentations on suicide awareness and prevention through the SAFER program, delivered to NYPD officers and other first responders in group sessions. Offers a full-day, no-cost S.A.F.E.R. training monthly to officers, families, and first responders, and has reached approximately 20,000 officers through large and small group resiliency education initiatives.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Mental Health Screening and Referral Services
      Provides access to private, self-administered mental health and substance use screening tools, available online and in printable form, and connects individuals to mental health professionals via helpline support. Refers approximately 45% of peer support recipients to clinicians for ongoing care and maintains a referral network supporting about 25 officers in crisis at any time.
    • Trauma Response and Critical Incident Support
      Deploys a Trauma Response Team (TRT) to critical incident scenes approximately 80 times per year to provide immediate emotional support and follow-up debriefings for law enforcement officers. Provided in-person trauma support to over 5,000 NYPD officers after 9/11 and extended services to police departments in New Orleans, Boston, Baltimore, and Texas following major crises.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$778K
Contributions & grants$750K96%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$29K4%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$698K
Program expenses66%
Admin / overhead34%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$291K
Grants paid out$10K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$2.41M
Cash$1.82M
Investments$0
Liabilities$544K
Net assets$1.87M
Liquid reserves31.3 mo
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -2.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Thomas Hovagim President 65 $120K
board members · 9
  • Andrew Davidoff — Director
  • FRANK PIMPINELLA — Director
  • JONATHAN LEWIS MD — Director
  • James Lapiedra — Chairman
  • John Petrullo — Director
  • LTC ret Yotam Dagan — Director
  • Peter Tilem — Director
  • Richard Colucci — Director
  • Salvatore Carcaterra — Director
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • International Association of Chiefs of Police Coalition — POPPA participates in IACP-sponsored conferences to share best practices in law enforcement peer support.
  • International Critical Incident Stress Management Foundation Partner — Collaborates with POPPA to develop protocols and training for trauma response and critical incident management.
  • NYPD Government — Primary population served consists of NYPD officers and retirees; peer volunteers are drawn from NYPD ranks.
  • NYPD Government — Works cooperatively with the NYPD to provide confidential mental health support to officers.
  • NYPD Partner — Collaborates with POPPA on peer support training, critical incident response, and officer wellness programs.
  • NYPD Partner — Collaborates with the NYPD to deliver mental health and resiliency programs to active-duty officers.
  • NYPD Partner — Provides S.A.F.E.R. training to NYPD officers and their families.
  • NYPD Partner — Provides support services specifically for retired members of the New York Police Department.
  • New York City Police Department Partner — Conducts outreach and prevention programs for NYC police officers through on-site presentations.
  • New York Police Department Partner — Collaborates with POPPA to ensure immediate notification of critical incidents involving officers and deployment of Trauma Response Teams.
  • Veterans’ Administration Partner — Provides informational resources distributed to NYPD officers returning from military deployment.
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.

  • Immediate On-Scene Peer Crisis Response
    methodology: immediate_on_scene_crisis_response
    By deploying trained peer officers immediately after critical incidents, we promote emotional stabilization and reduce long-term trauma, because timely, culturally-informed support increases psychological safety and recovery.
  • Peer-Led Support Model
    methodology: peer_support
    By leveraging shared lived experience among police officers, we produce greater trust and accessibility in mental health support, because officers are more likely to engage with peers who understand the unique cultural and operational pressures of law enforcement.
  • Stigma-Reduction Through Cultural Norm Change
    methodology: cultural_norm_shift
    By reframing help-seeking as a sign of strength and leadership, we increase mental health engagement among officers, because cultural transformation within law enforcement reduces fear of judgment and institutional barriers to care.