irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.38MANTI-EVICTION REPRESENTATION: IN JULY 2024 QUEENS DEFENDERS BEGAN PROVIDING LEGAL SERVICES IN QUEENS HOUSING COURT THROUGH A CONTRACT WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES/ OFFICE OF CIVIL JUSTICE. QUEENS DEFENDERS PROVIDES LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO 1,500 INDIVIDUALS FACING EVICTION PROCEEDINGS. IN ADDITION TO HOUSING ATTORNEYS, CLIENTS ARE PAIRED WITH A HOUSING NAVIGATOR TO HELP THEM FIND STABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND RELIEVE CASELOADS IN HOUSING COURT.
- #2 $285KYOUTH PROGRAM SERVICE: IN 2013 THE AGENCY LAUNCHED YOUTH DIVERSION PROGRAMS TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP CRITICAL LIFE SKILLS, IMPROVE EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, AND ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO BUILD SUCCESSFUL LIVES. OUR YOUTH AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMS INCLUDE YOUTH JUSTICE COURT, YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM, AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AT THE ROCKAWAYS & JAMAICA JUSTICE CENTERS, AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM ("DOVE") FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS. QUEENS DEFENDERS FOOD PANTRY LAUNCHED IN THE SPRING OF 2020 IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, QUEENS DEFENDERS DISTRIBUTES OVER 25,000 BOXES OF FOOD ANNUALLY TO RESIDENTS OF THE ROCKAWAYS AND OTHER SOUTHEAST QUEENS COMMUNITIES. SINCE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR FOOD PANTRY IN 2020, QUEENS DEFENDERS HAS PROVIDED HEALTHY AND FRESH FOOD TO OVER 140,000 INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THROUGHOUT THE BOROUGH. IN ADDITION TO OUR ON-SITE FOOD PANTRY AND DELIVERIES, QUEENS DEFENDERS HOLDS "POP-UP" FOOD PANTRY AND SPECIAL HOLIDAY EVENTS EVENTS. WE ARE COMMITTED TO CONTINUING THIS PROGRAM AND ENSURING OUR BOROUGH'S MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AND FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD AND ESSENTIAL HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.
named programs · 6 · from sources
What they call their work
Anti-Eviction Representation
Provides legal representation to individuals facing eviction in Queens Housing Court, paired with housing navigators to help clients find stable, affordable housing.
Community Outreach Centers
Operates centers in Jamaica and the Rockaways offering legal education, resources, and referrals to social services.
DOVE (Domestic Violence and Empowerment)
Supports domestic violence survivors and their families with legal and social services.
Queens Defenders Food Pantry
Distributes food boxes and household essentials through on-site, delivery, and pop-up events in the Rockaways and Southeast Queens.
Youth Justice Court
Peer-led diversion program training youth as advocates to address low-level offenses through restorative practices.
Youth Mentoring Program
Offers at-risk youth guidance and support through structured mentoring relationships.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Criminal Justice Policy Advocacy 2 activities
- Advocates for criminal justice reform and protection of discovery lawsEngages in statewide advocacy to protect New York’s discovery reform laws, including Kalief’s Law, through direct lobbying in Albany, organizing rallies, and participation in the Alliance to Protect Kalief’s Law, urging Governor Hochul not to roll back reforms.
- Organizes rallies advocating for incarcerated people's rightsOrganizes and participates in rallies in New York City and Albany to demand an end to prison abuse and advocate for basic rights and pathways to release for incarcerated individuals.
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Pro Bono Legal Representation and Support 2 activities
- Maintains toll-free legal help line for Queens residentsProvides a toll-free phone line for individuals to access legal assistance, supporting the delivery of legal services to low-income residents of Queens.
- Provides public defense services in Queens criminal, family, and housing courtsProvides free legal representation to individuals facing eviction in Queens Housing Court, as well as criminal and family court defense services, funded by city and state contracts. Served over 500,000 people since 1996, including 2,700 immigrant clients in 2019 and 1,500 individuals in eviction proceedings annually through a contract with the Department of Social Services/Office of Civil Justice.
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Reentry Support Services 1 activity
- Offers social work support integrated with legal servicesEmploys social workers to connect clients with critical resources and alternatives to incarceration, providing support to over 525 criminal court clients in 2019 alone.
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Comprehensive Community Service Hubs 1 activity
- Operates community outreach centers providing legal, youth, and social servicesOperates Justice Centers in Far Rockaway and Jamaica, Queens, offering legal services, youth programs—including Youth Justice Court and mentoring—and after-school activities. These centers also host the DOVE program for domestic violence survivors and their families, with over 5,000 visits recorded at the Rockaway center in its first year.
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Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
- Provides food pantry services in Southeast QueensDistributes over 25,000 boxes of food annually to residents of the Rockaways and other Southeast Queens communities through a food pantry program launched in spring 2020, having provided food to over 140,000 individuals and families since inception.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$31.92M
Contributions & grants$29K0%
Program service revenue$31.00M97%
Investment income$540K2%
Other revenue$359K
expenses
Total expenses$32.28M
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$25.21M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$34.19M
Cash$2.83M
Investments$0
Liabilities$19.05M
Net assets$15.14M
Liquid reserves1.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +11.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 8
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LORI ZENO | E.D. & CEO (UNTIL 06/10/2025) | 40 | $584K |
| ANTHONY LICARI | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND TECHNOLOGY | 40 | $459K |
| ANTHONY J MARTONE | E.D. & CEO (FROM 06/10/2025) | 40 | $385K |
| HETTIE POWELL | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $340K |
| LISA SALTZMAN | DIRECTOR OF TRAINING | 40 | $312K |
| BRIAN SCHATZ | DIR. OF COMMUNITY-BASED INTIATIVES | 40 | $287K |
| KIRLYN H JOSEPH | DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJECTS | 40 | $240K |
| JONATHAN THEODORE LATIMER | DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF HOMICIDE | 40 | $228K |
board members · 10
- CHELSEA GILBERT — DIRECTOR (OUTGOING)
- DON UDERITZ — DIRECTOR (OUTGOING)
- DONEATH POWELL — BOARD CHAIR
- EDWIN ROBLES — DIRECTOR
- ERIC PAYKERT — SECRETARY (OUTGOING)
- LANI CHERRY — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL SCALA — DIRECTOR
- NANCY WHELAND — DIRECTOR (OUTGOING)
- RICARDI CALIXTE — DIRECTOR
- SARAH ADAMS CAMPBELL — DIRECTOR (OUTGOING)
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- 18 nonprofits Partner — Collaborated with 18 nonprofits to support residents of the Rockaways.
- Alliance to Protect Kalief’s Law Coalition — Member of a coalition advocating to preserve discovery reform and the principles of Kalief's Law in New York.
- Alliance to Protect Kalief’s Law Coalition — Member organization collaborating to defend New York's discovery reform laws.
- Brooklyn Defender Services Partner — Assumed the criminal defense contract and client services previously held by Queens Defenders as of July 1, 2025.
- City of New York Government — Provides contract funding for basic public defense services.
- Department of Social Services/Office of Civil Justice Partner — Contract partner enabling provision of anti-eviction legal services in Queens Housing Court
- Queens Family Justice Center Partner — Collaborates to provide domestic violence support services to clients.
- Queens Housing Court Government — Primary venue where legal representation is provided to clients facing eviction.
- State of New York Government — Provides contract funding for basic public defense services.
- librarians Partner — Partners with librarians to create new services for the community.
- local organizations Partner — Partners with local organizations to create new services for the community.
- police officers Partner — Partners with police officers to create new services for the community.
- teachers Partner — Partners with teachers to create new services for the community.
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-Racist Legal Frameworkmethodology: anti_racist_and_anti_oppressionBy applying an anti-racist and anti-oppression lens to legal defense and advocacy, we transform inequitable practices because identifying and challenging systemic bias is essential to achieving just outcomes for marginalized communities.
- Discovery Reform for Systemic Fairnessmethodology: discovery_reform_advocacyBy advocating for robust discovery rules, we prevent wrongful convictions and coercive plea practices because transparency in evidence sharing ensures due process and levels the power imbalance in criminal prosecutions.
- Holistic Defense Modelmethodology: holistic_defenseBy integrating legal representation with social work and community-based services, we produce better client outcomes and reduce justice system involvement because addressing root causes—such as housing instability and trauma—leads to more sustainable solutions than legal advocacy alone.
- Prevention-First Legal Advocacymethodology: prevention_firstBy providing legal education and support before crises occur, we reduce the incidence of legal problems because early intervention empowers individuals to navigate systems and avoid escalation.
- Volunteer-Powered Service Deliverymethodology: volunteer_mobilizationBy mobilizing volunteer legal professionals and community members, we expand access to justice because leveraging pro bono capacity allows us to serve more clients with limited institutional resources.