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Beam Center: 20 Years of Innovative Education Inclusive Community Youth Autonomy Collaborative Growth

Beam Center’s ecosystem of year-round in- and out-of-school programs in New York City centers around youth autonomy and hands-on learning. Founded as a Brooklyn nonprofit in 2012, we developed our approach to youth development and education at Beam Camp, where young people build spectacular projects in the New Hampshire forest.

In 2024, our 20th year, Beam Center partnered with 73 Public Schools across New York City supporting STE(A)M-based teaching for educators, English-language literacy for the newest New Yorkers, and culturally responsive, career-connected learning and early employment for teens.

Since 2005, Beam has engaged 39,893 young people, built 36 public artworks, co-designed 325 academic-aligned projects with educators in all subject areas, and trained and employed 2,936 teenagers, who’ve earned $4,187,550.

We exist to provide youth from marginalized populations an inclusive community in which they acquire tools for work, learning and life. They graduate with the skills to meaningfully participate in the economy and to shape lives that are sustainable, thriving and fulfilling.

Our Impact

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Beam Camp:

20 Years of Building & Belonging

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Over 20 years Beam Camp has welcomed 2,156 Beam Campers into an environment where youth can achieve big things together, while learning the value of difference and shared skills. Film by Brandon Towns and Lesedi Lerato

2024 Beam Voices

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  • —ENL Teacher, PS 61

    Connected Worlds is an opportunity for Multilingual Learners to feel successful, feel accomplished and to be proud of themselves. These are feelings that may be lacking throughout the traditional school year.”

  • —Viva James Ariz (Apprentice, New Harbor High School)

    Participating in BEAM this summer was an amazing experience, it was such a positive work environment. I really enjoyed connecting with the people I worked with and learning about their unique experiences and how they ended up at BEAM. Learning how to use tools was so empowering, I felt capable and independent which I think is so important as a girl. I really appreciated the collaborative and patient nature of everyone at BEAM, especially as someone who is a very hands on learner. The satisfaction of building something large and working was something I never really experienced. I love learning new processes and how I can incorporate what I learn into other disciplines!”

  • —Marian Navarrete (Apprenticeship Graduate/Connected Worlds Instructor, Newcomers High School)

    During the Apprenticeship I improved myself and at the same time learned new stuff which helped me to improve my skills especially my English.”

  • —Teneika Benn, Principal

    PS 938, now in its fifth year, has benefited greatly from our partnership with Beam Center, which was instrumental in establishing and sustaining our STEM programming. Through Beam’s guidance, our students in grades K-4 experience project-based learning embedded in our ELA curriculum, embracing our core values of curiosity, joy, and voice. These hands-on projects spark excitement, deepen understanding, and foster a strong school community as students proudly share their work with their families.”

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What’s Next

What we’re focusing on in 2025:

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Youth Autonomy: Inviting more experienced Beam Youth into positions and influence and partnership as designers, teachers and co-workers

Post-Secondary Pathways: Building our capacity to support Beam Youth in their continued education and career options after they graduate from High School

Road to 2030: Envisioning a roadmap for continued growth and impact in collaboration with the Beam Community, Board of Trustees, Donors and Youth

Our Finances

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Beam Center 5-Year Financial Analysis

School and Community Programs Combined

Animated bar graph gif showing the growth of Beam Center's income and expenses from 2020 to 2024.

FY 2024 Finances (ending August 31, unaudited)

Income:

$4,050,682.00

Animated pie chart gif showing the percentage of Beam Center's 2024 income from general contributions, public grants, private grants, NYC Public School and DYCD Contract Income, and camp tuition

Expenses:

$4,003,092.94

Animated pie chart gif showing the percentage of Beam Center's 2024 expenses used for administration, fundraising, and program expenses

2024 Partnership Highlights

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Featured
Beacon Goes To LA
Beacon Goes To LA

If you’ve been following Beacon’s journey since 2020, you know our collaboration with artist Shervone Neckles honoring Lewis Latimer has visited museums and town squares all over the East Coast.

This summer Beacon took its place as the centerpiece of the Los Angeles’ Central Library and Getty Gallery’s No Prior Art exhibition. Beacon showcases the ingenuity and talent of our multigenerational youth collaborations and celebrates the lifelong inventive spirit we encourage our youth participants. The ongoing success of this project is an achievement we will continue to be proud of for twenty more years to come.

On view until May 11, 2025, at Los Angeles Central Library.

New Funder Spotlight: MacMillan Family Foundation
New Funder Spotlight: MacMillan Family Foundation

With more than twenty years of service themselves, we thank the MacMillan Family Foundation for investing in our Connected Worlds and Apprenticeship programs focused on building community and English-literacy with youth through creative expression and inclusive learning. The willingness to support our efforts deepens our dedication to the work we do, and the people we support. Commitment to art education helps contribute to the advancement of individuals, communities, and society as a whole and we look forward to continuing our partnership in benefit of future generations of our city.

2024 Beam Benefit Brunch
2024 Beam Benefit Brunch

Our 3rd annual Beam Benefit Brunch honoring Co-Founder & Board Chair Danny Kahn was a beautiful celebration of the people that help shape Beam Center. We are grateful to have people that are deeply committed and proud of the work they lead.

This year’s Beam Benefit Brunch also included a record breaking amount of $50,000 raised from live donations of the total $250,000. This support reinforces the ability for us to do the work that we do, the way we envision it, with consistent support. Your support does not go unnoticed; we will continue to uplift and highlight as we strive to be the big Beam we want to be.

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Our 2024 Partners

These partners show up in big and small ways, all working together for the good of our youth and enabling us to connect their potential to brighter futures.

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    • Benjamin Banneker Academy

    • Bronx Arena

    • Bronx International High School

    • Brooklyn International

    • BSI

    • City Polytechnic High School

    • Crotona International High School

    • East Brooklyn Community High School

    • Essex Street Academy

    • Facing History High School

    • Food & Finance High School

    • Health Opportunities High School

    • High School for Hospitality Management

    • Humanities Prep

    • IHSHS

    • International Community High School

    • International High School at Prospect Heights

    • International High School at Union Square

    • IS 145

    • James Madison High School

    • Khalil Gibran International Academy

    • Liberty High School Academy for Newcomers

    • Lower East Side Preparatory High School

    • Lyons Community

    • Manhattan Academy for Arts and Language

    • Manhattan Bridges

    • Manhattan International High School

    • Megar Evers Preparatory High School

    • MS 217

    • MS 311

    • MS 442

    • MS 48

    • MS 582

    • MS 676

    • MS 935

    • New York Harbor High School

    • Newcomers High School

    • PS 346

    • Pan American International High School

    • PS 1

    • PS 111

    • PS 127

    • PS 14

    • PS 149

    • PS 16

    • PS 178

    • PS 182

    • PS 188

    • PS 191

    • PS 191

    • PS 3

    • PS 333

    • PS 376

    • PS 503

    • PS 61

    • PS 76

    • PS 89

    • PS 938

    • PS Charrette School

    • PS114

    • PS145

    • Queens Satellite

    • South Bronx International Middle School

    • Sunset Park High School

    • The High School for Global Citizenship

    • The Lexington Academy/04

    • Thomas A. Edison CTE High School

    • UA Maker

    • UASDC: Urban Assembly School of Design & Construction

    • Van Siclen Community Middle School

    • Village Academy

    • America On Tech

    • Big Reuse

    • Brooklyn Children's Museum

    • Brooklyn Combine

    • Billion Oyster Project

    • Bracketville Books

    • CAMBA

    • NYC City Parks

    • Collective Fare

    • Cool Hand Movers

    • Cysana

    • Dukode Studios

    • Global Citizen

    • NYC Department of Youth and Community Development

    • NYC Public Schools Office of Multilingual Learners

    • NYC Public Schools Division of Inclusive and Accessible Learning

    • Intrepid Air & Space Museum

    • Kids In The Game

    • La Mansion

    • MakerState

    • New York Edge

    • New York Presbyterian

    • NYC Office of Technology and Innovation

    • One Love Foundation

    • People 4 People

    • Reti Center

    • Shandaken Projects

    • Soul Well

    • Steam Champs

    • Sunnyday Marketing

    • Textile Arts Center

    • The Yard

    • The Point CDC

    • Volovox Labs

    • World Explorers

    • Why Not Art

    • Los Angeles Public Library

    • ExpandEd Schools

    • FAB NYC

    • NYC STEM Educators Network

    • Councilmember Shahana Hanif

    • Work-Based Learning Coalition

    • Emmanuel Oni

    • Shervone Neckles

    • Danya Hani Almoghrabi

    • Nelson Kies

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Our Supporters

These generous donors serve a bridge, connecting our vision with the tangible impact of our work.

This list reflects general operating support from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2024.

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    • Robin Hood Foundation

    • Macmillan Family Foundation

    • Maggie Poxon & Brian Cohen

    • Hollyhock Foundation

    • NYC Dept of Cultural Affairs (DCLA)

    • Joseph Steinberg

    • The Concordia Foundation

    • Robert & Adele Schiff Family Foundation

    • Auchincloss Creative Fund

    • New York State Council on the Arts

    • Jennifer Mangino and James Falick

    • Arch Capital Group

    • Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation

    • Sarah Friedman

    • Juliette and Aaron Adams

    • Robert McCain

    • Four Friends Foundation

    • Fabian Jabro and Renee Epps

    • Hillman Family Foundation

    • National Grid Foundation

    • Fordham Street Foundation

    • Jessica Millstone & Steve Rivo

    • Danny Kahn and Anita Merk

    • Cindy Levit

    • Amy Batallones

    • Kelly Bird

    • Carleen Borsella and Jonathan Hoefler

    • Derek Fordjour

    • van Beuren Charitable Foundation

    • The Tow Foundation

    • Baskin Family Foundation

    • Young Lee Chalker

    • H. Anna Suh and Perry Garon

    • The Beekman Family Association

    • Nicole and Philip Kim

    • Harry & Sandra Sacks

    • Nancy Hoffman

    • Jeanne Elise Messing

    • Alex and Cas Stachelberg

    • Peter Wright

    • Mark Zimet and Amy Sirot

    • Glenn Morrow and Elizabeth Van itallie

    • Carolyn Powers

    • Juan Bissone

    • Barbara & Andrew Senchak

    • Julia van Hoogstraten

    • Mitchel Friedman & Heidi Fuld

    • Grace & Michael Freedman

    • Making Space LLC

    • Christine Larchian and Nick DeSantis

    • Diana and Jack Kahn

    • Cody Brown

    • Craig Wood

    • Nancy Sussman

    • Stephen Maharam

    • Merrilee Heifetz

    • Michael J. Hirschhorn

    • Lisa Barbaris

    • Holly Halvarson and Jim Macnie

    • Kathryn Wallem

    • Ann Harrell

    • Michael Lonuzzi

    • Traci Thomas

    • Solomon Family Foundation

    • Leslie Ehrlich

    • The Kappler Marrack Foundation

    • PJT Partners

    • Katherine Larchian and Marco Perry

    • Katie and Sam Benrubi

    • Bobbie (Barbara Silber) Lamont

    • Rebecca Maury

    • Nancy Jeffries

    • Julie Penney

    • Brad Hunt

    • Amanda Niu

    • Jenette Kahn

    • Daniel Goldberg

    • Sally Cohen

    • Kenneth J Montgomery Esq.

    • Jim Glancy

    • Susan Feldman

    • Jim Macnie

    • Joseph Killian

    • David van Hoogstraten

    • Kristopher Marx

    • Anita Merk

    • Laura Rosenthal

    • Clayworks On Columbia

    • Engin Bumbacher

    • Alice Naude

    • Claire Lynch

    • Dov Alperin

    • Walker Schiff

    • John Berman

    • Simon Kahn

    • Mark Kaminsky

    • Sean Connelley

    • Jennie Quinn

    • Julie Sacks

    • Sarah Robertson

    • Marcia Rock

    • Rebecca Weller

    • Sonia Biancalani-Levethan

    • Kerrie and Ken Brayman

    • Christine Larchian

    • Erik Wallin

    • David Herbstman

    • Ellie Weiss

    • Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal

    • New York Life

    • Kathleen Deems

    • Judith Ruland

    • Lisa Lenz

    • Nancy Robinson

    • Jennifer Pearman Lammer

    • Lucy Fradkin

    • Janine Nicols

    • Michael Brown

    • Misha Macnie

    • MIchael Zeh

    • Sylvie Freedman

    • Steven Siegel

    • Charline Tetiyevsky

    • Sally Lee

    • Edward Sergi

    • Nicole Hearn

    • Utkarsh Pandey

    • George Nikitkov

    • Scott Padden

    • Allen Riley

    • Monika Wuhrer

    • Jennifer Henriquez

    • Sophia Marsh

    • Drea Gomez

    • Emily Terry

    • Rob DiRenzo

    • David Baron

    • Emily Wilson

    • Laure Sullivan

    • June Cerrito

    • Michael Preston

    • Don Alan

    • Tal Kocen

    • Elizabeth Shaw

    • Catherine Hnatov

    • Mark Righter

    • Scott Pollack

    • Anna Schechter

    • Alan and Susan Lewis Solomont Family Foundation

    • Amber Gregory

    • Kam Wong

    • Alexandra Panzer

    • Abby Rothschild

    • Deborah Heffan

    • Mark Williams

    • Rick Knutsen

    • David Langendoen

    • Jennifer Hanlin

    • Michael Hennick

    • Janet Boye Jenkins

    • Vicente Caride

    • Phi Pham

    • Mark Tilden

    • Keith White Esq.

    • Amanda Vender

    • Lucien Zayan

    • Andrew Hilsberg

    • Gargi Seshadri

    • Stephen Craig

    • Chris Whipple

    • Lucy Perry

    • David Fernandes

    • Janet Rich

    • Dick Connette

    • Cliff Fagin

    • Meryl Kaynard

    • Kate Apostolou

    • John Leventhal

    • Adam Long

    • Toni L. Ross Charitable Trust

    • Kay Gardiner

    • Ginger Tandoi

    • Sam Penney

    • Steven Kleinberg

    • Malissa Smith

    • Gregg August

    • Tony Martinez

    • Sharelle Hicks

    • Miriam Feuerman

    • Jenny Carroll

    • David Bither

    • Ruth Hawkins

    • Kim Muench

    • Megan Hodges

    • Utkarsh Pandey

    • Liana Guzman

    • Linda Hagan

    • Jeremy Hawkins

    • Theo Haber

    • Abby Marcus

    • Sydney Recht

    • Ellen Lewis

    • Kathleen Landy

    • James Cain

    • John Jackson

    • Katie Benrubi

    • Lisa Downey

    • Michael Lasky

    • Jonah Pregerson

    • Matthew Thorp

    • Matt Robinson and Clare Henrie

    • Kieran Pierre

    • Danielle Rabe

    • Give Lively Foundation

    • Elizabeth Koch

    • Penny Toombs

    • Pearl Cohen

    • Jazee Handfield

    • Manuela Gaines

    • Nik Gottesdiener

    • Romina Schulz

    • Cheryl Eth

    • Lyse Pamphile

    • Charlotte Jacobs

    • Lawrence Williams Jr

    • Monica Figueiredo

    • Carolyn Wolfe

    • Daniel Martynetz

    • Janet Stern

    • Matt and Sarah Shanes

    • James Clampett

    • Jody Drezner Alperin

    • Shawon Jackson

    • Molly Shnee

    • Judy Schwartz

    • Watson Bosler

    • Linda Ng

    • David Rubien

    • Marc Fernandes

    • Taylor Barton

    • Mark Koppelkam

    • Joel Kahn

    • Nikki Whang

    • Reynaldo Tungol Jr.

    • Kimberly Alonso

    • David Terreri

    • Carrie Kries

    • Marni Aarlev

    • Julie Lubbers

    • Sharona Kahn

    • Teneika Benn

    • Linda Wexelblatt

    • Mitchell Dose

    • Claire Penney

    • Julie DeLoria

    • Christine Apostolou

    • Calvin Stalvig

    • Joanne K Bouknight

    • Nathan Larsen

Help us meet our goals

Here’s to 20 more years

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