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GREEN BRONX MACHINE INTERNATIONAL INC
BRONX, NY · EIN 453303493 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE O50 · Youth Development · Medium ($1M-$10M) · greenbronxmachine.org
revenue
$1.4M
expenses
$1.4M
net assets
$1.8M
employees
1
volunteers
13
program ratio
93%
mission · from form 990

GREEN BRONX MACHINE BUILDS HEALTHY, EQUITABLE, AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES THROUGH INSPIRED EDUCATION, LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS, AND 21ST CENTURY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. DEDICATED TO CULTIVATING MINDS AND HARVESTING HOPE, OUR SCHOOL-BASED MODEL USING URBAN AGRICULTURE ALIGNED TO KEY SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INDICATORS GROWS HEALTHY STUDENTS AND HEALTHY SCHOOLS TO TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES THAT ARE FRAGMENTED AND MARGINALIZED INTO NEIGHBORHOODSTHAT ARE INCLUSIVE AND THRIVING.

profile · synthesized from sources

Green Bronx Machine International Inc. runs educational and urban agriculture programs that integrate hands-on gardening, nutrition, and STEM learning for students. Using vertical aeroponic systems like Tower Gardens, the organization delivers project-based curricula in classrooms and communities, focusing on youth development, food security, and workforce training. Programs are implemented in schools and community centers across the United States, with national partnerships expanding their model.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Food For Others Garden
Urban farm in the Bronx that trains youth and produces over 5,000 pounds of vegetables annually, distributed to local families and used for workforce development.
Green Bronx Machine Institute - NYC DOE & SUNY
Professional development and technical training program in urban farming for educators, aligned with all subject areas.
PS 721
Wheelchair-accessible urban farm and culinary training kitchen for special needs students, the first of its kind in the nation.
Partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital
Monthly production of 400 bags of student-grown leafy greens distributed to food-insecure seniors recovering from cancer in public housing.
Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Center
Commercial hydroponic vertical farm in Appalachia staffed and run by foster-care youth.
Tower to Table to Tummy
Child-focused cooking show that uses produce from Tower Gardens to teach nutrition, math, and fractions through quick, healthy recipes.
activities · 7 groups

What they do

  • Youth and Family Cooking Education 3 activities
    • Culinary and life skills education
      Provides culinary arts instruction to students twice weekly and operates after-school programs that teach nutrition, cooking, and healthy food choices, fostering life skills and influencing intergenerational eating habits within families.
    • Development and dissemination of free educational media
      Produces and distributes free educational content including a 9-week downloadable curriculum, a children's coloring book, a cooking show featuring quick recipes from garden-harvested ingredients, and a daily one-hour educational television series broadcast on public television. Also maintains a YouTube channel with instructional videos for children.
    • Distribution of classroom kits and mobile kitchen units
      Distributes comprehensive classroom kits that include curriculum materials and Tower Garden systems for indoor food production, along with mobile kitchen units equipped for cooking, baking, and hygiene education, enabling hands-on learning in classrooms.
  • Community-Based Urban Agriculture 2 activities
    • School and community-based urban agriculture programs
      Implements school and community-based indoor gardening and urban agriculture programs using Tower Gardens and hydroponic systems to grow fresh produce, promote healthy eating, and support food access. Programs have grown over 365,000 pounds of vegetables in New York City and beyond, with distribution to students, families, and food-insecure populations including seniors recovering from cancer.
    • Specialized urban farming and workforce development initiatives
      Designs, builds, and supports specialized urban agriculture projects including the first year-round, wheelchair-accessible urban farm and culinary kitchen in the U.S. for special needs students, and the first commercial hydroponic vertical farm in Appalachia fully operated by foster-care youth, combining food production with workforce development.
  • Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
    • Curriculum delivery and student instruction
      Delivers hands-on, project-based educational programming to students through a structured 9-week curriculum focused on growing vegetables, nutrition, and academic integration. The program has reached 394,518 students, increased vegetable consumption among participants, improved data literacy, and strengthened family conversations around healthy eating.
  • Food Distribution and Hunger Relief 1 activity
    • Food distribution and community outreach
      Leads weekly deliveries of locally grown food to people in need and operates food distribution initiatives such as Thanksgiving events providing holiday meals for over 50 families. Delivers over 1,400 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily to students and families.
  • After-School Academic and Enrichment Programs 1 activity
    • National and global program expansion
      Replicates the Green Bronx Machine model in over 1,152 program sites globally, including partnerships with over 1,000 schools in the U.S. and international programming in Japan, Spain, Mexico, and Ecuador. The National Health, Wellness & Learning Center at CS 55 serves as a model replicated in over 6,000 schools across North America.
  • Food Policy Advocacy & Nutrition Education 1 activity
    • Student and community engagement campaigns
      Launches engagement initiatives such as the Healthy Student Pledge, which secured over 50,000 commitments from students to eat healthily, and distributes the film Generation Growth to schools, corporations, and community centers globally, reaching nearly 1 million views.
  • Teacher Professional Development 1 activity
    • Teacher training and capacity building
      Provides direct training and professional development to over 13,000 teachers in the Green Bronx Machine curriculum and methodology, enabling replication of the model in schools and communities. Teachers report high satisfaction, increased student engagement, and strong social-emotional learning outcomes.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$1.37M
Contributions & grants$878K64%
Program service revenue$452K33%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$39K
expenses
Total expenses$1.36M
Program expenses93%
Admin / overhead5%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$133K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$1.85M
Cash$1.42M
Investments$316K
Liabilities$14K
Net assets$1.84M
Liquid reserves15.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +31.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
LIZETTE RITZ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $112K
board members · 10
  • ANA CRISTINA GARCIA — DIRECTOR
  • CHARLES POHL — DIRECTOR
  • DAVID HYMAN — DIRECTOR
  • EARTHA PETERSEN-FARNGALO — DIRECTOR
  • JOEL MAKOWER — DIRECTOR
  • LAUREN JIA — DIRECTOR
  • LINDA FEMLING — DIRECTOR
  • OLIVIER DELILLE — TREASURER
  • RACHEL SYLVAN — DIRECTOR
  • STEPHEN RITZ — FOUNDER AND CHAIR
relationships · 21

Who they work with

  • Babylon Micro-Farms Partner — Expanded partnership to bring the first STEM Garden by Babylon Micro-Farms to New York City and State.
  • Babylon Micro-Farms Partner — Partners with Babylon Micro-Farms to implement hydroponic growing systems in educational and community settings.
  • Chicago Blackhawks Partner — Partnership with the Jonathan Toews Foundation to bring Tower Gardens and Green Bronx Machine Classroom Curriculum to schools across Chicagoland.
  • Fortune 100/500 companies Partner — Collaborates with Fortune 100/500 companies to create branded opportunities, CSR initiatives, and community outreach projects supporting schools, non-profits, and community development.
  • Gotham Greens Partner — Cory Gamble works with Gotham Greens and supports Green Bronx Machine with farm and fish tank maintenance.
  • Humble Independent School District Partner — Partnered to implement Green Bronx Machine's hands-on learning and curriculum program.
  • Jonathan Toews Foundation Partner — Partnership to bring Tower Gardens and Green Bronx Machine Classroom Curriculum to schools across Chicagoland.
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital Partner — Partnership to produce and distribute student-grown vegetables to food-insecure senior citizens recovering from cancer.
  • New York City Department of Education Partner — Partners with Green Bronx Machine and The WNET Group to produce the "Let's Learn" educational television series.
  • New York City Department of Education Partner — Partnership to provide professional development, resources, and technical training in urban farming aligned with academic instruction.
  • PwC Partner — Collaborated on hosting a Thanksgiving parade and community food exchange.
  • Qatar Foundation International Partner — Partnership to create a global community of learners and educators through collaborative learning environments and translation of Green Bronx Machine curriculum.
  • Quest Diagnostics Foundation Funder — Funds the Green Bronx Machine program implementation in Humble Independent School District.
  • State University of New York Partner — Partnership with NYCDOE to provide professional development and training in urban farming integrated with academic subjects.
  • Stephen Ritz Partner — Direct communication with Stephen Ritz is included in the curriculum package.
  • Stepping Stones Partner — Partnered to convert a commercial greenhouse in Appalachia into a USDA-certified national supplier.
  • Stepping Stones Residential Treatment Center Partner — Collaboration to build and operate a commercial hydroponic vertical farm staffed by foster-care youth in Appalachia.
  • The WNET Group Partner — Co-produces the "Let's Learn" educational television series with Green Bronx Machine.
  • USDA Government — Collaborates with USDA officials who have observed and endorsed the program's approach to health and education.
  • WLIW-21 Partner — Collaborates on educational programming featured in “Let’s Learn NYC” broadcast on WLIW-21.
  • WNET-13 Partner — Collaborates on educational programming featured in “Let’s Learn NYC” broadcast on WNET-13.
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.

  • Child-Centered Community Empowerment
    methodology: child_centered_development
    By positioning children as active agents of change within their schools and neighborhoods through environmental education, the organization drives community well-being and equity because empowered youth catalyze sustainable local development without displacement.
  • Data-Informed Program Integration
    methodology: data_driven_education
    By aligning garden-based education with academic standards and measuring outcomes in engagement, food access, and health, the organization improves student and community results because data-driven feedback loops enable continuous refinement and systemic adoption of programming.
  • Garden-Based Experiential Learning
    methodology: experiential_learning
    By integrating hands-on gardening and food production into K-12 academic curricula, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and improved engagement because experiential learning fosters deeper understanding and ownership of knowledge through real-world application.
  • Inclusive, Interdisciplinary Curriculum Design
    methodology: inclusive_interdisciplinary_curriculum
    By embedding nutrition, agriculture, and wellness into core subjects like math and science through accessible, standards-aligned lesson plans, learning becomes more relevant and effective because it connects abstract concepts to tangible, life-affirming practices for all learners, including those with disabilities.