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THE GARDINER FOUNDATION
BRONX, NY · EIN 320207075 · Form 990 · FY2025 · NTEE B90 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · thegardinerfoundation.org
revenue
$228K
expenses
$232K
net assets
$-375K
employees
1
volunteers
4
program ratio
68%
mission · from form 990

PROVIDE SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS EXPERIENCING VARIOUS SOCIAL AND FINANCIAL NEEDS THROUGH A VARIETY OF EVENTS AND GROUP MEETINGS. SUPPORT RANGES FROM COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS, COMPUTERS, SCHOOL, AND OTHER SUPPLIES FOR BURIAL ASSISTANCE AND SPIRITUAL AND EMOTIONAL MENTORING AND GUIDANCE.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Gardiner Foundation is a Bronx-based nonprofit established in 2006 by Dexter Gardiner after losing eight family members in a year of tragedies. It supports low-income youth and families through educational scholarships, school supplies, burial assistance, and spiritual mentoring. The foundation uses community events like an annual basketball tournament and Thanksgiving turkey giveaway to engage and uplift the local community.

named programs · 8 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic
Two-day streetball tournament in St. James Park that includes youth all-star games, food, entertainment, and scholarship awards; draws top regional teams and media coverage
Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway
Distributes over 500 turkeys and full Thanksgiving meals to families in need in the South Bronx each year
Basketball Clinics
Free skill-building clinics for youth held at St. James Park, featuring elite coaches and former professional players
Easter Egg Hunt
Community event with games, candy, and prizes for children held annually at St. James Park
Gardiner Foundation Scholarships
Provides $1,500 college scholarships to high school seniors based on essays and recommendations; awarded since 2009
Memorial & Bereavement Assistance
Provides burial support and professional counseling to families who have suffered sudden tragic loss
Toy Drive
Annual December event providing toys to children in the community
Tru Talk Mentoring Program
Peer mentorship initiative for teenagers to discuss challenges including gangs, violence, and unwanted pregnancy; promotes the motto "We Are Our Brother's Keeper"
activities · 9 groups

What they do

  • Transportation Policy Advocacy & Infrastructure Reform 1 activity
    • Advocates for public safety improvements in the Bronx
      Successfully advocated for raised barriers on the Bronx River Parkway, leading to implementation by the Department of Transportation to improve highway safety.
  • Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
    • Awards annual college and preparatory school scholarships
      Provides $1,500 scholarships annually to high school graduates or students entering college as freshmen who submit an essay, receive a recommendation from a school official, and demonstrate resilience; recipients are required to volunteer at the Annual Gardiner Foundation Classic and other designated events. The foundation awarded five scholarships in recent years, with four awarded in 2022.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Conducts annual Easter egg hunts for children in the Bronx
      Hosts an annual Easter egg hunt event for children in the Bronx featuring games, candy, and prizes; events were documented in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025.
  • Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
    • Distributes Thanksgiving meals and turkeys annually
      Hosts an annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway event, primarily held outside St. James Park in the Bronx, distributing complete holiday meals and turkeys to hundreds or thousands of families each year; recent distributions include over 1,100, 750, and more than 2,000 turkeys in different years.
  • Youth One-on-One Mentoring 1 activity
    • Operates Tru-Talk mentoring program for at-risk teenagers
      Runs the Tru-Talk program to mentor local teenagers facing challenges such as gang involvement, violence, gun exposure, and unwanted pregnancy, offering guidance and community support.
  • Youth Sports Community Events 1 activity
    • Organizes annual basketball tournaments and youth recreational programs
      Hosts the two-day Annual Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic Tournament in St. James Park, providing free food, beverages, entertainment, and community engagement opportunities for thousands; includes youth basketball clinics and serves as the site for scholarship award ceremonies and school supply distribution.
  • Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
    • Organizes annual toy drives for community youth
      Conducts a December toy drive each year to support youth in the community, integrated into broader programming such as the annual basketball tournament and holiday outreach initiatives.
  • Financial and Emotional Support for Bereaved Families 1 activity
    • Provides burial assistance and counseling for families after sudden tragic loss
      Offers financial support for burial costs and professional counseling services to families who have experienced unexpected, tragic loss and lack funds for memorial services, along with spiritual and emotional mentoring as part of broader community support.
  • Back-to-School Supply Distribution 1 activity
    • Provides school supplies and electronics to local students
      Distributes backpacks filled with school supplies, Samsung tablets, and athletic apparel to local students, primarily during the annual basketball tournament and associated events; distributed over 450 backpacks and 20 tablets in one reported year.
financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$228K
Contributions & grants$202K89%
Program service revenue$25K11%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$284
expenses
Total expenses$232K
Program expenses68%
Admin / overhead32%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$43K
Grants paid out$9K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$115K
Cash$31K
Investments$0
Liabilities$490K
Net assets$-375K
Liquid reserves1.6 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +63.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
DEXTER GARDINER PRESIDENT 40 $40K
board members · 4
  • CARLTON JAY — CO-VICE PRESIDENT
  • DONNA KAMINSKY — TREASURER
  • ELLOY CASSELL — CO-VICE PRESIDENT
  • SHERRI BARFIELD — SECRETARY
relationships · 16

Who they work with

  • Councilman Fernando Cabrera Partner — Sponsored the 2016 basketball clinic hosted by The Gardiner Foundation.
  • Department of Transportation Government — Collaborated with the foundation to implement raised barriers on the Bronx River Parkway for improved highway safety.
  • Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. Government — Legal firm serving as fiscal sponsor and administrator for donations to The Gardiner Foundation
  • Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. Partner — Title sponsor of the Annual Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic Tournament and collaborator on the Annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway.
  • Gersowitz, Libo & Korek, P.C. Partner — Title sponsor of the annual Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic Tournament since 2009, providing financial support and manpower for Foundation activities.
  • HeartShare Women's Shelter Partner — Partner organization where the Gardiner Foundation hosts events to support women and children.
  • Kyrie Irving Partner — Donated 23 pairs of sneakers and t-shirts for the community
  • Lawyertime.com Partner — Co-hosts events including the Annual Turkey Giveaway, toy drive, and mentoring program with The Gardiner Foundation.
  • Lawyertime.com Partner — Sponsor and long-term collaborator since 2009, supporting the Annual Turkey Giveaway and other foundation initiatives.
  • Lawyertime.com Partner — Sponsor of the Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic
  • Lawyertime.com Partner — Sponsored the 7th Annual Gardiner Turkey Giveaway.
  • Liakas Law P.C. Partner — Legal partner providing financial and scholarship assistance to local families in collaboration with the Gardiner Foundation.
  • St. James Park Partner — Host site for the annual Easter Egg Hunt event.
  • Steiner Sports Partner — Contributed autographed memorabilia by Mariano Rivera and Chris Paul for community gifting
  • The Brooklyn Nets Partner — Contributed to the Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic
  • The New York Knicks Partner — Contributed to the Gardiner Memorial Basketball Classic
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.

  • Holistic Community Support Rooted in Family Legacy
    methodology: holistic_community_support
    By anchoring community programs in a family legacy of loss and service, the foundation delivers integrated support—including education, burial assistance, emotional well-being, and spiritual guidance—because shared memory and narrative continuity increase trust, participation, and cultural relevance in underserved communities.
  • Peer and Mentorship-Driven Resilience Building
    methodology: peer_mentorship
    By pairing youth with peer mentors and requiring service engagement, the foundation strengthens resilience and life navigation skills because mutual care, shared experience, and responsibility foster deeper behavioral change and community connection than top-down support models.
  • Sports-Based Youth Development and Healing
    methodology: sports-based_youth_development
    By using basketball and recreational activities as a platform, the foundation engages youth in lower-income neighborhoods to teach life skills, promote education, and build community resilience, because structured athletic participation fosters mentorship, service, and personal growth. This approach extends to collective healing by transforming personal and family tragedy into communal hope through sports events.