Teen Kitchen Project
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF TEEN KITCHEN PROJECT (TKP) IS TO BUILD HEALTHIER, MORE CONNECTED COMMUNITIES BY ENGAGING TEENS AND PROVIDING NUTRITIOUS FOOD TO INDIVIDUALS LIVING WITH SERIOUS ILLNESSES.
- Income
- $2.5 million
- Spending
- $2.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- fees for its services, 67%
- Employees
- 112
- Volunteers
- 250
- Highest pay
- $158,848, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 47 out of 100. Higher than 14% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
4 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 0.2 months of spending.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 54% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 1% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 8% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1580% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (youth development, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 258 of 8 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $2.0 million spent. TKP'S MAIN PROGRAM IS THE MEDICALLY-TAILORED MEALS PROGRAM. IN THIS PROGRAM, VOLUNTEER AND EMPLOYED TEENS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14-18 JOIN PROFESSIONAL CHEFS IN A COMMERCIAL KITCHEN TO PREPARE NUTRITIOUS, MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS THAT ARE DELIVERED TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED BY ILLNESS.CLIENTS SERVED: IN FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2024-2025, TKP DELIVERED 203,119 MEALS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY IMPACTED BY LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS. IN TOTAL, 1,098 HOUSEHOLDS RECEIVED MEDICALLY TAILORED FOOD DELIVERIES INCLUDING MEALS, GROCERIES, AND PRODUCE BOXES.THE MEDICALLY TAILORED MEALS PROGRAM MEETS THE NEEDS OF CRITICALLY AND CHRONICALLY ILL PEOPLE IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY WHO ARE LOW-INCOME, LACK A SUPPORT NETWORK OF FAMILY OR FRIENDS, AND/OR DO NOT QUALIFY FOR OTHER FREE MEAL DELIVERY SERVICES. AMONG TKP CLIENTS SERVED, 100% HAD A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS (E.G., DIABETES, CANCER, HEART DISEASE, RECENT SURGERY), 86% WERE LOW-INCOME (EARNING LESS THAN 200% BELOW THE POVERTY LEVEL), 58% WERE SENIORS AGED 60 AND ABOVE, 40% WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND 20% WERE SPANISH SPEAKERS.DURING FY 2023-2024, POST-SERVICE SURVEYS SHOWED 75% OF CLIENTS SERVED LEARNED MORE ABOUT HEALTHY COOKING AND EATING AND 88% SAW IMPROVEMENTS IN THEIR HEALTH CONDITION AS A RESULT OF EATING HEALTHIER FOODS. THE IMPACT OF THE MEAL DELIVERY PROGRAM IS ILLUSTRATED IN THE FOLLOWING QUOTE FROM ONE OF TKP'S CLIENTS: "TKP WAS CRUCIAL IN KEEPING ME NOURISHED IN THE FINAL STAGES OF MY CANCER TREATMENT. HAVING A RELIABLE MEAL, PREPARED WITH LOVE, REALLY REDUCED MY STRESS AND AIDED MY RECOVERY."TEEN ENGAGEMENT: THE MEAL DELIVERY PROGRAM ALSO BENEFITS LOCAL TEENS BY PROVIDING THEM WITH VALUABLE LIFE SKILLS AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY. DURING FY 2024-2025, TKP ENGAGED 175 TEEN EMPLOYEES/VOLUNTEERS IN PREPARING AND PACKAGING MEALS. ALL TEENS WENT THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS, ATTENDED A KITCHEN ORIENTATION, AND PARTICIPATED IN KNIFE SKILLS AND FOOD SAFETY TRAINING. TEEN CHEFS EACH SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 140 HOURS DURING THE 20-WEEK COHORT LEARNING HOW TO PREPARE HEALTHY FOOD. POST-PARTICIPATION SURVEYS CONSISTENTLY SHOWED THAT TEEN CHEFS REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE IN THEIR COOKING SKILLS AND COOKING MORE HEALTHY MEALS FROM SCRATCH AT HOME. THEY ALSO REPORT EATING HEALTHIER IN GENERAL.SINCE JANUARY 2022, TKP CONTRACTED WITH A LOCAL MEDI-CAL MANAGED CARE PLAN TO PROVIDE THEIR MEMBERS A MEDICALLY TAILORED MEAL BENEFIT. IN FY 2025, TKP CONTINUED TO INVEST IN ADDITIONAL STAFFING, TECHNOLOGY, AND KITCHEN EQUIPMENT TO INCREASE MEAL CAPACITY. THE CONTRACT WITH THE MEDI-CAL HEALTH PLAN, AND OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS, ENABLED TKP TO STABILIZE ITS EARNED INCOME THROUGH CONTRACTS IN FY 25. CONTINUED WORK ON STRATEGIC PLAN: OVER THE NEXT YEAR, TKP WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THREE STRATEGIC GOALS: 1) EXPANDING FACILITIES TO INCREASE MEAL CAPACITY AND PREPARE FOR FUTURE GROWTH; 2) INCREASING AWARENESS, INVOLVEMENT, AND SUPPORT OF THE ORGANIZATION BY TARGET AUDIENCES; AND 3) ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A QUALIFIED, MISSION-DRIVEN WORKFORCE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS CAPABLE OF STRENGTHENING SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES.POLICY WORK: TKP IS A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA FOOD IS MEDICINE COALITION (CALFIMC), AND IS ACTIVELY WORKING AT THE STATE LEVEL TO ADVOCATE FOR MEDICALLY TAILORED NUTRITION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MEALS, GROCERIES, PRODUCE BOXES, AND NUTRITION COUNSELING AND EDUCATION FOR ALL CALIFORNIANS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 2009.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
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