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Needlers Foundation

New York, NY · EIN 112543741 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · needlers.org
revenue
$132K
expenses
$140K
net assets
$82K
employees
0
program ratio
86%
mission · from form 990

Raise funds for neurological surgeries for underprivileged children

profile · synthesized from sources

The Needlers Foundation is a New York City-based nonprofit that raises funds for children's medical causes, with a focus on neurological and pediatric care. Since 1962, it has directed millions of dollars to hospitals and children’s charities nationwide, supporting specialized treatment units and research. The organization sustains its mission through high-profile fundraising events like galas and golf outings.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Annual Golf Outing
Fundraising golf event supporting the foundation's charitable contributions to pediatric medical causes
Retailer of the Year Gala
Annual fundraising gala that honors retail executives for community commitment and raises funds for children's medical charities
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Pediatric Medical Care and Research Support 4 activities
    • Funding pediatric intensive care units
      Provided multi-million dollar funding to establish the Needlers Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Mount Sinai West (formerly Roosevelt Hospital), including a $1 million contribution specifically designated for its creation.
    • Funding pediatric neurosurgery and related medical expenses
      Funds full-cost pediatric neurosurgery operations for patients who cannot afford them, including international patients treated at the Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Roosevelt Hospital. Also covers medical and family-related expenses for children receiving neurosurgical treatment through the INN Project.
    • Grantmaking to children's healthcare institutions
      Awards grants to major children's medical centers and programs, including the Pediatric Wing at NYU Medical Center, Joslin Diabetes Center, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore. Has contributed millions of dollars cumulatively to these and similar institutions.
    • Supporting child life and non-medical care programs in hospitals
      Funds child life programs at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Beth Israel, providing support for non-medical care such as child life specialists, toys, entertainment, and supplies to improve the hospital experience for pediatric patients.
  • Charity Event Organization 1 activity
    • Annual fundraising for children's charities
      Hosts an annual golf outing that raises over $200,000 and a gala that raises over $2 million in strong years, with proceeds directed to children's charities and causes.
  • Summer Camp Access Scholarships 1 activity
    • Funding camps for underprivileged children
      Provides financial support for camps serving underprivileged children, expanding access to recreational and developmental opportunities.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$132K
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$132K
expenses
Total expenses$140K
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$120K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$82K
Cash$82K
Investments$0
Liabilities$0
Net assets$82K
Liquid reserves7.0 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -20.8%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

board members · 12
  • Athina Koutsoumadi — Trustee
  • Craig Miller — President
  • Elena Goynatsky — Trustee
  • Gary Vessecchia — Vice President
  • Howard Moore — Trustee
  • Jack Hendler — Vice President
  • Jeanne Siegel — Trustee
  • Joseph Ferrone — Treasurer
  • Lori Miller — Trustee
  • Paul Pagano — Trustee
  • Scott Adler — Trustee
  • Stephanie Wong — Trustee
relationships · 42

Who they work with

  • 230 Fifth Rooftop Partner — Venue partner for the Needlers Annual Gala 2026.
  • Burlington Coat Factory Partner — Honored Thomas Kingsbury, President & CEO of Burlington Coat Factory, at the Annual “Retailer of the Year” Gala.
  • Burlington Coat Factory Partner — Honored at the annual gala for its commitment to community and philanthropy; collaborates on supporting children’s charities through the gala.
  • Burlington Coat Factory Partner — Testimonial provider; corporate supporter of The Needlers Foundation.
  • Children's Hospital at Montefiore Partner — Supported by contributions from The Needlers Foundation.
  • Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Partner — Recipient of Needlers Foundation donations.
  • Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania Foundation Partner — One of Burlington’s designated children’s charities benefiting from funds raised at the gala supported by Needlers Foundation.
  • Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Partner — One of Burlington’s designated children’s charities benefiting from funds raised at the gala supported by Needlers Foundation.
  • Continuum Magazine Partner — Media partner that has featured The Needlers Foundation in an article.
  • Forvis Mazars Partner — Athina Koutsoumadi, a Managing Director at Forvis Mazars, serves on the board of The Needlers Foundation.
  • Grady Health System Partner — Collaborates with Grady Health System to support families needing critical neurosurgery.
  • Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery Partner — Funded by the Needlers Foundation to support pediatric neurosurgery and established a pediatric intensive care unit
  • IDB Bank Partner — Marina Davelman, a Senior Vice President at IDB Bank, serves on the board of The Needlers Foundation.
  • INN Project Partner — Recipient of financial contributions from The Needlers Foundation for children's healthcare.
  • INN Project at NYC’s Roosevelt Hospital Partner — Recipient of funding from The Needlers Foundation.
  • Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Partner — Supports the work of Dr. Alejandro Berenstein in pediatric neurosurgery and interventional neuroradiology.
  • Joslin Diabetes Center Partner — Recipient of Needlers Foundation donations.
  • Joslin Diabetes Center Partner — Recipient of Needlers Foundation funding in Boston.
  • Joslin Diabetes Center Partner — Recipient of funding from The Needlers Foundation.
  • Joslin Diabetes Center Partner — Supported through financial contributions from The Needlers Foundation.
  • Juvenile Diabetes Association Partner — One of Burlington’s designated children’s charities benefiting from funds raised at the gala supported by Needlers Foundation.
  • Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Partner — Burlington’s designated charity benefiting from funds raised at the Retailer of the Year gala, supported through partnership with Needlers Foundation.
  • MJHS Partner — Testimonial provider; affiliated organization supporting or collaborating with The Needlers Foundation.
  • Merchant Financial Group Partner — Employer of Scott Adler, who serves on the board of The Needlers Foundation.
  • Montefiore Partner — Testimonial provider; affiliated medical institution supporting or collaborating with The Needlers Foundation.
  • Mount Sinai Health System Partner — Longstanding partnership supporting pediatric neurosurgery, the Needlers Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and child life programs at Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai Beth Israel.
  • NYU Medical Center Partner — Recipient of Needlers Foundation contributions to the Pediatric Wing.
  • NYU Medical Center Partner — Recipient of contributions for the Pediatric Wing.
  • NYU Medical Center Partner — Supported the funding of the Pediatric Wing.
  • Pediatric Wing at NYU Medical Center Partner — Recipient of funding from The Needlers Foundation.
+ 12 more
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.

  • Event-Based Fundraising for Critical Pediatric Care
    methodology: event-based_fundraising
    By organizing high-profile charity events such as galas, golf outings, and pickleball tournaments, the foundation generates targeted funding for critical neurosurgery and medical care for underprivileged children, leveraging community engagement to sustain financial support.
  • Exclusive Focus on Children's Charities
    methodology: exclusive_focus_on_childrens_charities
    By concentrating all philanthropic resources on children's charities, the foundation maximizes long-term impact in pediatric health and welfare, shifting from earlier economic relief efforts to targeted, high-impact interventions for vulnerable children.
  • Holistic Pediatric Care Support
    methodology: holistic_pediatric_care_support
    By funding specialized treatment centers and supporting emotionally nurturing environments, the foundation improves outcomes for children with complex medical conditions, recognizing that clinical and psychosocial needs are interdependent in recovery and long-term well-being.
  • Medical-Needs Financial Aid
    methodology: medical-financial-aid
    By providing targeted financial support for neurological surgeries, the foundation removes economic barriers to life-saving care for underprivileged children, treating access to specialized medicine as a direct intervention in health equity.