named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
12+ Year Mentoring Program
Professional mentors called "Friends" are paired with children from kindergarten through high school graduation to provide consistent, long-term support
Family Giving Event
Community event providing dinner and food giveaways to program families, fostering connection and care
Step Up Gala
Annual fundraising and awareness event celebrating youth achievements and program impact
Summer Reading Challenge
Literacy initiative encouraging reading among youth participants during summer months
activities · 4 groups
What they do
-
Youth One-on-One Mentoring 2 activities
- Literacy development through mentoring and reading programsIntegrates books and literacy activities into long-term mentoring to build youth confidence, improve academic performance, and support self-advocacy, using reading as a pathway to personal and academic success.
- Long-term professional mentoring for youth facing adversityProvides consistent, one-on-one mentoring relationships with professional mentors to youth facing significant obstacles, starting in early childhood and continuing for at least 12 years to support academic, personal, and developmental success. Services are delivered across all five boroughs of New York City.
-
-
Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
- Family and community support initiativesProvides holistic support to families of participants through events such as community dinners, food giveaways, and baby showers, strengthening family engagement and stability.
-
-
Charity Event Organization 1 activity
- Program fundraising and awareness eventsOrganizes and participates in public events—including galas, 5K runs, and marathon teams—to raise awareness and financial support for youth mentoring programs, including the annual Step Up Gala and 'Run With Friends' 5K.
-
-
School and School-Community Events 1 activity
- Structured youth development and well-being activitiesConducts regular, structured outings and seasonal events—including back-to-school celebrations, holiday events, and summer reading challenges—to support youth hygiene, personal well-being, and family engagement.
-
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.92M
Contributions & grants$3.89M99%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$2K0%
Other revenue$24K
expenses
Total expenses$5.21M
Program expenses83%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising8%
Salaries & benefits$3.42M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$4.92M
Cash$454K
Investments$0
Liabilities$4.03M
Net assets$887K
Liquid reserves1.1 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue +48.9%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAMON REYES | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $106K |
| GARY CLEMONS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR-RETIRED | 40 | $32K |
board members · 23
- ALIYA HAIDER — DIRECTOR
- ANDREW LITCHMAN — CO VICE-CHAIRPERSON
- BRIAN CORIO — DIRECTOR
- BRIAN E SCHARTZ — DIRECTOR
- CANDACE M ARTHUR — DIRECTOR
- CHRIS ROLLINS — DIRECTOR
- DANIEL SCHAPIRO — DIRECTOR
- EFFIE BLASSBERGER — DIRECTOR
- ELISABETH WADSWORTH — SECRETARY
- HECTOR DELRAZO — DIRECTOR
- JAMES I MCCLAMMY — CO VICE-CHAIRPERSON
- JAMES ISELIN — DIRECTOR
- JENEVIEVE MITCHEL — DIRECTOR
- JOHN SINGH — DIRECTOR
- KARN S CHOPRA — CO-CHAIRPERSON
- MARTHA UCKO — DIRECTOR
- MATTHEW FAGEN — DIRECTOR
- MELISSA HOBLEY — DIRECTOR
- MICHAEL BUETEL — DIRECTOR
- PATRICK D MCGRATH — CO-CHAIRPERSON
- PETER W KOLP — DIRECTOR
- RANDY CHAO — DIRECTOR
- RONALD S ZUVICH — TREASURER
relationships · 8
Who they work with
- Friends of the Children Network — Friends of the Children–New York is a chapter of the national Friends of the Children organization.
- Friends of the Children - New York Government — Organization acknowledges operating on Indigenous land formerly known as Turtle Island.
- Keyera Partner — Mentor (Friend) paired with Symphony in a one-on-one, long-term mentoring relationship.
- Neuberger Berman Partner — Matched employee donations dollar for dollar in support of the marathon fundraising campaign.
- Paul Hastings Partner — Co-hosted a holiday event at the Museum of Ice Cream with Friends of the Children - New York.
- Paul Hastings Partner — Matched employee donations dollar for dollar in support of the marathon fundraising campaign.
- Seth Meyers Partner — Hosted the 2026 Step Up Gala for Friends of the Children - New York.
- The Possibility Project Partner — Collaborates to provide youth with creative development opportunities through writing and performance.
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.
- Child-Centered, Family-Supported Mentoringmethodology: child-centered mentoringBy centering the child’s voice in shaping their development while intentionally including parents in the mentoring ecosystem, we produce stronger youth outcomes because holistic support addresses both individual and familial needs in tandem.
- Intentional Relational Mentoringmethodology: intentional_mentoringBy building empathetic, joyful, and sibling-like relationships through intentional mentoring, we produce lasting trust and developmental support because the quality and emotional depth of the mentor-mentee bond are critical to positive youth outcomes.
- Long-Term Professional Mentoringmethodology: long-term professional mentoringBy providing 12+ years of consistent, one-on-one support from paid professional mentors, we produce generational change because sustained, stable relationships are the most effective protective factor for youth overcoming systemic adversity.