named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
Courage Club
Student-led fundraising program that engages schools and youth groups in events like dance fundraisers, bowling events, and social media campaigns to support wish granting.
Wish Granting Program
Core service that fulfills individualized wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, such as trips to Legoland, organized with volunteer wish grantors and staff support.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Granting Wishes to Seriously Ill Children 1 activity
- Granting wishes to children with life-threatening or terminal illnessesFulfills individualized wishes for children aged 3–17 diagnosed with terminal or life-threatening illnesses, including experiences such as Disney vacations, Caribbean cruises, dolphin encounters, fishing trips, meet-and-greets with celebrities, concert and sporting event tickets, and home-bound technology like computers. Also fulfills exceptional wishes such as room or backyard renovations, medical equipment generators, and unique experiential trips like seeing snow in Vermont. The foundation averages $7,850 in spending per wish granted.
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Regional Chapter Network Support 1 activity
- Operating local volunteer chapters to support wish fulfillmentOperates 14 local chapters across 11 states—including Long Island (NY), New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina—that engage volunteers in supporting the foundation’s mission through direct participation in wish planning, events, and outreach. Chapters hold monthly meetings to develop strategies and advance operations.
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Charity Event Organization 1 activity
- Organizing and executing fundraising events to support wish grantingPlans and carries out special fundraising events with volunteer support, including solicitation of donated items, logistics coordination, and prize preparation. Examples include "Dance for Wishes," "Pie in the Face," bowling events, plant sales, raffles, "Dress Down" days, and "Sea of Hearts" campaigns, which have collectively raised thousands of dollars to fund children's wishes.
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Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
- Providing volunteer opportunities aligned with community service and employee engagement goalsOffers structured volunteer opportunities at both National Headquarters and local chapters that fulfill student community service requirements and employee volunteer program goals, including age-appropriate roles for students and group engagement activities.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$904K
Contributions & grants$384K43%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$7660%
Other revenue$519K
expenses
Total expenses$1.42M
Program expenses82%
Admin / overhead11%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$834K
Largest expense lineFacilities
balance sheet
Total assets$644K
Cash$570K
Investments$0
Liabilities$30K
Net assets$614K
Liquid reserves4.8 mo
3 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -8.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sandra White | Executive Dir. | 40 | $102K |
board members · 21
- Aaron Bookman — Director
- Adam Forgione — Director
- Brendan Murphy — Director
- Eileen Mayer — Director
- Ernest Vomero MD — Chief Medical
- George Lewis — Director
- Jake Brown — Director
- Jesse Lyons MD — Medical Directo
- John DeFranza — Secretary
- John Michael Nitti — Director
- John Nitti — Director
- Lucas Lyons — Director
- Lynne D'Eramo — Director
- Marty Lyons — Chairman
- Michael Brown — Director
- Michael Miller MD — Director
- Murray Legg — Director
- Paul Avvento — Director
- Rocky Lyons MD — Medical Directo
- Scott Maskin — Director
- Steve Kuperschmid — Director
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Carolina Chapter Partner — Local volunteer chapter supporting the Marty Lyons Foundation in North and South Carolina.
- Center Moriches High School Partner — Partnered with the foundation for the "Speak Up for Change" Student Leadership Conference featuring Marty Lyons.
- Central Islip High School Partner — Conducted a "Sea of Hearts" fundraising campaign benefiting the foundation.
- Charity Navigator Network — Profile available on Charity Navigator
- Connetquot High School Partner — Launched a Courage Club initiative with raffles and a "Pie in the Face" event to raise funds.
- Gardiner Manor Elementary School Partner — Hosted the foundation at its school carnival to promote awareness and engage the community.
- Great Nonprofits Network — Profile available on Great Nonprofits
- GuideStar Network — Profile available on GuideStar
- HIPAA Government — Uses HIPAA-compliant authorization forms to obtain medical information necessary for wish coordination.
- Lloyd Harbor Elementary School Partner — Collaborated on the Dance for Wishes fundraiser and "Wall of Fame" campaign to support a child's wish.
- Local Chapters Network — Network of 14 regional chapters delivering volunteer-supported wish fulfillment services across the U.S.
- Long Island (NY) Chapter Partner — Local volunteer chapter supporting the Marty Lyons Foundation's mission in the Long Island area.
- Marty Lyons Partner — Co-Founder and Chairman of The Marty Lyons Foundation Inc
- New York Jets Partner — Marty Lyons played his entire NFL career with the New York Jets and currently serves as a Team Ambassador, supporting the foundation's mission through his ongoing association.
- New York Jets Partner — Marty Lyons' affiliation with the New York Jets and involvement of teammate Kenny Schroy in founding the organization.
- New York Jets Partner — Partner organization featured in news coverage related to the foundation's activities.
- RJO Intermediate School of Kings Park Partner — Organized a Snowball "Super Bowl" Bowling Event fundraiser to support wish granting.
- St. Petersburg High School Partner — Conducted a "Dress Down" fundraiser through its "Kids Who Care Club" to benefit the foundation.
- Suffolk County Community College Rotaract Club Partner — Organized multiple fundraising events including a plant sale and "Pie in the Face" to support MLF kids.
strategies · 2
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.
- Chapter-Based Volunteer Engagement Modelmethodology: chapter-based_volunteer_engagementBy organizing volunteer efforts through local chapters, the foundation expands its service reach and deepens community impact, because localized, socially connected volunteer teams enhance sustainability and mission engagement.
- Personalized Wish Fulfillment for Emotional Well-Beingmethodology: wish_granting_for_emotional_well-beingBy granting individually designed wishes in collaboration with children and families, the foundation provides emotional and psychological support, because personalized experiences offer hope, comfort, and improved outlook during life-threatening illnesses.