Form 990 for tax year 2024

Totals

Total revenue

$11,386,005

Total expenses

$10,890,588

Contributions and grants received

$11,437,225

Grants paid

$8,846,506

Program service revenue

$0

Investment income

$116,516

Other revenue

-$167,736

Total assets, end of year

$5,162,279

Total liabilities, end of year

$23,034

Net assets or fund balances, end of year

$5,139,245

Program services expenses (Part IX)

$10,383,458

Management and general expenses

$430,145

Fundraising expenses

$76,985

Program service expenses (Part III)

$10,383,458

Program services were 95.3% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Mission and programs · 2024

• TODAY RIVER FUND STANDS AS A FRONTLINE POVERTY CENTER IN OUR RESPONSE TO THE DEVASTATION OF THOSE LIVING ON THE LINES OF POVERTY. FULFILLING ITS GOAL TO BE A RESOURCE TO THOSE AT-RISK, OVER THE PAST THREE PLUS DECADES THE RIVER FUND HAS GROWN TO BECOME ONE OF THE LARGEST PROVIDERS OF EMERGENCY FOOD IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK, DELIVERING WELL OVER 1 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD AND ESSENTIAL ITEMS, INCLUDING CLOTHING, SHOES, PET FOOD, AND HOUSEHOLD GOODS TO THE COMMUNITY EACH MONTH THROUGH ITS EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAMS.THE PROVISION OF NUTRITIOUS, CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE WEEKLY GROCERIES VIA A WALK-THROUGH, CLIENT CHOICE PANTRY AT THE ORGANIZATION'S HEADQUARTERS IN RICHMOND HILL, QUEENS. OPERATING FOR MORE THAN 15 YEARS, THIS PANTRY CURRENTLY DISTRIBUTES FOOD TWO DAYS EACH WEEK, WEDNESDAY, DEDICATED TO SENIORS AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS, AND SATURDAY, TO OVER 3,000 FAMILIES. EVERY WEEK, RIVER FUND PROVIDES GROCERIES AND ESSENTIALS TO A DIVERSE POPULATION OF FOOD, INSECURE FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS. IT ALSO OPERATES AN ARRAY OF EMERGENCY FOOD EFFORTS EXTENDING WELL BEYOND ITS HOME BASE. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE THE VERY FIRST MOBILE PANTRY IN THE COUNTRY, SERVING NEIGHBORHOODS WITH LIMITED EMERGENCY FOOD INFRASTRUCTURE; THE HUB & SPOKE PROGRAM, DELIVERING FOOD TO LOCAL COMMUNITY PANTRIES IN QUEENS AND BROOKLYN; AND THE HOMEBOUND INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM, SUPPORTING ELDERLY AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH BI-WEEKLY DELIVERIES OF GROCERIES AND OTHER ESSENTIALS. RIVER FUND IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT MORE THAN A THIRD OF ALL THE FOOD IT PROVIDES TO THE COMMUNITY WILL BE IN THE FORM OF FRESH PRODUCE.

  Expenses $9,321,039 · Grants $8,740,144

• THE RIVER FUND, BENEFITS ACCESS CENTER IN HELPING FAMILIES IN DISTRESS MEET THEIR NEEDS. SERVING ABOUT FIFTEEN HUNDRED FAMILIES ANNUALLY, RIVER FUND'S BENEFITS ACCESS CENTER PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SERVICES THROUGH A PROACTIVE, FLEXIBLE, AND SENSITIVE APPROACH DESIGNED TO IDENTIFY NEEDS BEYOND THOSE BEING EXPRESSED. THE GOAL IS TO PROMOTE EVERY FAMILY'S CAPACITY TO ADDRESS THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ITS IMMEDIATE AND LONGER-TERM NEEDS, AS WELL AS TO TAKE STEPS TO AMELIORATE THE EFFECTS OF CHRONIC POVERTY.BENEFITS ACCESS AGENTS HAVE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED CONSUMER ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING COUNSELING, HELP WITH INSURANCE ENROLLMENT, ADVOCACY WITH ACCESSING SERVICES AND ADVICE. THROUGH ITS DETAILED CLIENT-INTAKE PROCESS AND THOROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES, STAFF CAN REFER CLIENTS TO MORE THAN 40 SOCIAL SERVICE PROGRAMS RANGING FROM SNAP, IMMIGRATION ASSISTANCE, HEALTHCARE ASSISTANCE, AND MUCH MORE.FOR MORE THAN A DECADE, RIVER FUND HAS PROMOTED ITS "FAMILY-BY-FAMILY" APPROACH TO BENEFITS ACCESS IN THE BELIEF THAT IT CAN SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE THE ENROLLMENT OF QUALIFIED LOW-INCOME ADULTS, UNEMPLOYED, SENIORS, AND IMMIGRANTS. TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE, BEYOND THE MERE ACT OF OUTREACH, EASILY ACCESSIBLE ASSISTANCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE UNAWARE OF, OR PUZZLED ABOUT, THE APPLICATION PROCESS.

  Expenses $405,176 · Grants $5,245

• COLLEGE ENROLLMENT AND SUCCESS ARE MAJOR PROBLEMS FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS IN URBAN SCHOOL SYSTEMS. FOR NEW YORK CITY TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL AND LASTING PROGRESS IN REDUCING INEQUALITY AND EXPANDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, GRASSROOTS EFFORTS FROM AGENCIES LIKE RIVER FUND ARE NEEDED TO INCREASE BOTH ATTENDANCE AND SUCCESS IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. RIVER FUND FIRST BEGAN ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE WITH THE CREATION OF THE MARY C. TIEDEMANN SCHOLARSHIP FUND, WHICH OVER THE PAST DECADE HAS GROWN AND EVOLVED INTO A BROAD ARRAY OF PROGRAMS UNDER THE BANNER OF CRADLE-TO-COLLEGE.CRADLE-TO-COLLEGE GREW OUT OF RIVER FUND'S "RIVER TO SUCCESS" INITIATIVE, A UNIQUE EFFORT SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN THE HOME THROUGH THE ANNUAL PROVISION OF THINGS THAT MIGHT SEEM MINOR IN MORE PROSPEROUS HOUSEHOLDS, LIKE COMPLETE SETS OF GRADE-APPROPRIATE SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND BACKPACKS; REGULAR PURCHASES OF NEW SHOES; AND SLEEPAWAY CAMP DURING THE SUMMER. IN FACT, THESE EFFORTS BEGIN EVEN BEFORE CHILDREN ARE BORN, WITH RIVER FUND'S BABY SHOWER PROGRAM SUPPORTING NEW MOTHERS WITH EVERYTHING FROM WORKSHOPS IN LACTATION AND PARENTING TO PRENATAL VITAMINS, AS WELL AS PROVIDING THEM WITH POSTNATAL ESSENTIALS SUCH AS STROLLERS, CAR SEATS, BASSINETS, DIAPERS AND MUCH MORE.IN TURN, "RIVER TO SUCCESS" FEEDS YOUTH INTO OUR EDUCATIONAL PATHWAYS PROGRAM, WHICH BEGINS DEVELOPING IMPORTANT SOCIAL AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT WHEN YOUTHS ARE IN JUNIOR HIGH BY OFFERING COUNSELING, TUTORING, AND A COMPUTER LAB, AS WELL AS ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEER WORK AND INTERNSHIPS. AS STUDENTS MOVE ON TOWARDS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, INVITEES TO THE MARY C. TIEDEMANN SCHOLARSHIP MAY ENROLL IN TWO- OR FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS ACCREDITED TRADE SCHOOLS. THE GOAL OF OUR CRADLE-TO-COLLEGE PROGRAM IS TO CREATE AN ACHIEVABLE PATH TOWARD COLLEGE OR TRADE SCHOOL FOR ANYONE WILLING TO WORK FOR IT.

  Expenses $238,688 · Grants $101,117

• Expenses $418,555

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Listed in Part VII

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Taxable family on this return

Schedule R Parts I, III and IV, as filed. These record ownership and control, not shared board members or money moved.

Provenance

Return type

form_990

Tax year

2024

Filed

23 December 2025

IRS schema version

2024v5.2

Source object

202523579349301407

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