Food Strong
Donations deductibleFood Strong's network
11 people2 organisationsi11 people and 2 organisations on this map.The large node is the subject of this page. Solid lines are what the register itself records (11). Violet dotted lines (2) are likely: the same full name sits on the current board of another organisation in the same register and region. Form 990 filings give names without a person identifier; SEC insider filings carry a CIK. It may be a different person.The board
11 listediTime on the board is observed from the annual filings: the IRS files no appointment date, so the bar counts years from the first filing the person appears on - a lower bound, not a filed start date. Names are exactly as filed. The IRS publishes no person identifier, so this edition does not yet link a person across organisations in the tables. The network map shows same-name matches as likely links only, never as confirmed.Tenure and departures are observed across annual filings. Observed tenure is a lower bound - a member may have joined before the first year on record. The organisation reported 11 voting members of its governing body on its latest Form 990 Part VI, which matches the board listed here.| Name | Role as filed | Since | On the board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamin Simmons | Board Member | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Caleb Curry | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| David Miller | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| John Fahsbender | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Joseph Jerdonek | Vice President | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Kevin Ament | Board Member | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Marissa Gerdes | Treasurer | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Mary Thomas | Board Member | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Nicole Salerno | President | 2021 | 5 yrs |
| Sam Weir | Company secretary | 2023 | 3 yrs |
| Susan Carroll | Board Member | 2021 | 5 yrs |
Officers and senior leadership
1 listediNamed in Part VII as officers, key employees or highest-compensated staff - not board members, shown for completeness.| Name | Title as filed | On the filings |
|---|---|---|
| Sara Continenza | Executive Director | since 2021 |
Pay and hours
year to 31 December 2025iFrom Part VII of the Form 990: compensation reported for each officer, director, trustee, key employee and highest-paid staff member, and the average hours a week they report. Most board members are unpaid; a blank means nothing was reported. Pay from related organisations is shown separately.| Name | Title as filed | Hours a week | Pay from the organisation | Related organisations | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sara Continenza | Executive Director | 40 | $60k | ||
| Susan Carroll | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Joseph Jerdonek | Vice President | 3 | $0 | ||
| Nicole Salerno | President | 3 | $0 | ||
| Sam Weir | Secretary | 3 | $0 | ||
| John Fahsbender | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Caleb Curry | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Julia Sieck | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Mark Mazzone | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| April Thompson | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Max Kolman | Treasurer | 3 | $0 | ||
| David Hester | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Kevin Ament | Board Member | 3 | $0 | ||
| Jon Eckerle | Board Member | 3 | $0 |
About
- Legal name
- Food Strong
- EIN
- 831580187
- Address
- 1901 Train Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44113-4203
- State
- Ohio
- Mission
- Our mission is to cultivate food justice in northeast ohio and beyond by building enduring local food systems from the ground up. We believe fresh, local food, like-minded residents and passionate partners can transform under-resourced neighborhoods into thriving, self-sustaining communities. (as filed on the Form 990)
- Activity (NTEE)
- K99 Food, agriculture and nutrition
- IRS classification
- 501(c)03 (tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) where shown)
- Classified purpose
- Food, Agriculture & Nutrition
- Size band
- 4 (IRS master file code)
- Formed
- 2018
- Principal officer
- Sara Continenza (as named on the Form 990)
- IRS ruling date
- 1 August 2018
- Status
- Code 01 (unconditional exemption)
- Form 990 filings on record
- 3, latest 2023
- IRS Publication 78
- PC (contributions deductible)
Most connected
Longest observed on the filings
≥5years on the filingsBenjamin Simmons
≥5years on the filingsJoseph Jerdonek
≥5years on the filingsMarissa Gerdes
≥5years on the filingsMary Thomas
Latest return
year to 31 December 2025iFigures from the newest Form 990 or 990-EZ in the IRS e-file releases of 2025 and 2026, for the year ending 31 December 2025. US dollars, as filed.- Total assets
- $820k
- Total liabilities
- $38k
- Net assets or fund balances
- $782k
- Contributions and grants received
- $926k
- Program service revenue
- $97k
- Employees
- 7
- Volunteers
- 834