Wellfare is a nonprofit organization based in New York City on a mission to solve food insecurity and transform the state of grocery and nutrition in low-income communities across the country.

88¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$2K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
Revoked
IRS exemption revoked
Concern: the IRS revoked its tax exemption.
IRS Auto-Revocation List
Latest return
FY2022
latest Form 990
Worth a look: the latest return is for FY2022, 4 tax years back; more than 3 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 2
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $390K a year · 18% of revenue · last 2 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 2 of the last 2 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 2 filings
Spent on programs
88%
of spending
Looks good: 88% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$2K
to officers and key staff · 0.2% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 0% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.4 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $10K
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$24K
7% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 7% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
3
of 4 voting members
Looks good: 3 of 4 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$1.4M
Spent
$1.0M
To programs
88%
Net assets
$342K
By yearFY2021–FY2022
Revenue
$1.4M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$1.4M
FY2022$3.0M
Expenses
$1.0M
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$1.0M
FY2022$2.6M
Net assets
$342K
FY2021
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$342K
FY2022$772K

From the FY2021 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

990 PDF Claim
IRS revoked this organization's tax-exempt status on May 15, 2026
You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2022) →

Is it real?

No. The IRS revoked its tax exemption. Latest filing on record: FY2022. IRS ruling in Sep 2020.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

88 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 88% · $918K Management & general 10% · $105K Fundraising 1% · $15K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

4 people listed on the 990; $2K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Chair & CEO
$2,500Pt VII · Sec A
Treasurer
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Secretary
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 1 named individual · Part VII

NameFY2022FY2021
Cole Riley$68,000$2,500

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aNo

Programs and updates

Fights food insecurity and improves grocery access in low-income communities nationwide.

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Provided by the organization

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1 program · $918K · in their own filed words · FY2021
01

The Better Box from Wellfare is the first free food program in the country focused on premium, functional and nutritious packaged groceries. Each Better Box includes over $200 worth of low-sugar, low-salt and low-fat products like plant-based milk, nutrition bars, zero-sugar seltzers and protein-packed pasta donated from Wellfares…

$918Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$10K
Grants paid · 1 grant · $839K · 2021–2021
Unitemized GrantFY2021$839,116

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$1.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Money outPt IX
$1.0M
Ln 25
Programscol B$918K
Managementcol C$105K
Fundraisingcol D$15K
Owns and owesPt X
$342K
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$36K
Total assetsLn 16$366K
LiabilitiesLn 26$24K
PeoplePt VI, VII
4
listed · VII A
PaidVII A1
Voting boardVI 1a4
IndependentVI 1b3
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$1.4M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$1.2M
Gains on assetsLn 7$0
Total revenueLn 12$1.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$36K
SavingsLn 2$0
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$36K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Other assetsLn 15$0
Total assetsLn 16$366K
LiabilitiesLn 26$24K
Net assetsLn 32$342K
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 6435
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$156$36K
InvestmentsLn 11–13$0
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$0
Total assetsLn 16$156$366K
LiabilitiesLn 26$8K$24K
Net assetsLn 32−$8K$342K
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$0
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$839K$839K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$0
Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4$0
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$2K$2K
Pay of disqualified personsLn 6$0
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$0
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$0
Other employee benefitsLn 9$0
Payroll taxesLn 10$0
Management feesLn 11a$0
Legal feesLn 11b$0
Accounting feesLn 11c$0
Lobbying feesLn 11d$0
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$0
Investment management feesLn 11f$0
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$50K$5K$35K$10K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$35K$35K
Office expensesLn 13$0
Information technologyLn 14$4K$4K
RoyaltiesLn 15$0
OccupancyLn 16$69K$65K$2K$2K
TravelLn 17$6K$2K$4K
Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18$0
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$0
InterestLn 20$0
Payments to affiliatesLn 21$0
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$0
InsuranceLn 23$0
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$34K$8K$26K
All other expensesLn 24e$0
Total functional expensesLn 25$1.0M$918K$105K$15K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2022 Latest $3.0M$2.6M$430K$772K 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $1.4M$1.0M$350K$342K 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support M · Noncash O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $1,388,202 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grants$1,388,202
I-9 Program service revenue$0
I-10 Investment income$0
I-11 Other revenue$0
I-12 Total revenue$1,388,202
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paid$839,116
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefits$2,500
I-16a Professional fundraising fees$0
I-17 Other expenses$196,446
I-18 Total expenses$1,038,062
I-19 Revenue less expenses$350,140
Part VI · Governance 3 of 4 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body4
VI-1b Independent voting members3
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payNo
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $1,388,202 across 9 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$1,388,202
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$1,169,309
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$1,388,202
VIII-3 Investment income$0
VIII-5 Royalties$0
VIII-6 Net rental income or loss$0
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assets$0
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising events$0
VIII-12 Total revenue$1,388,202
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $1,038,062 across 31 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizations$0
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $839,116$839,116
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipients$0
IX-4 Benefits paid to or for members$0
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $2,500$2,500
IX-6 Pay of disqualified persons$0
IX-7 Other salaries and wages$0
IX-8 Pension plan contributions$0
IX-9 Other employee benefits$0
IX-10 Payroll taxes$0
IX-11a Management fees$0
IX-11b Legal fees$0
IX-11c Accounting fees$0
IX-11d Lobbying fees$0
IX-11f Investment management fees$0
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $5,100 · Management $34,958 · Fundraising $9,538$49,596
IX-12 Advertising and promotionManagement $34,557$34,557
IX-13 Office expenses$0
IX-14 Information technologyManagement $3,537$3,537
IX-15 Royalties$0
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $65,435 · Management $1,544 · Fundraising $1,544$68,523
IX-17 TravelManagement $1,809 · Fundraising $4,266$6,075
IX-18 Travel and entertainment for public officials$0
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetings$0
IX-20 Interest$0
IX-21 Payments to affiliates$0
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortization$0
IX-23 Insurance$0
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $8,300 · Management $25,858$34,158
IX-24e All other expenses$0
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $917,951 · Management $104,763 · Fundraising $15,348$1,038,062
Part X · Balance sheet $365,894 assets, 18 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $156$35,701
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investments$0
X-3 Pledges and grants receivable$0
X-4 Accounts receivable$0
X-8 Inventories for sale or use$330,193
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred charges$0
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, net$0
X-11 Publicly traded securities$0
X-12 Other securities$0
X-13 Program-related investments$0
X-14 Intangible assets$0
X-15 Other assets$0
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $156$365,894
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $8,469$24,068
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $8,470$24,068
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$8,314$341,826
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year −$8,314$341,826
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $156$365,894
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $341,826 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$1,388,202
XI-2 Total expenses$1,038,062
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$350,140
XI-4 Net assets at start of year−$8,314
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$341,826

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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