Transparency & Accountability

This page provides details about the governance, finances, and operations of Pass It On Project (PIOP) so donors, community members, and partners can clearly understand how contributions are managed and used to support families in need. Pass It On Project is committed to operating with transparency, accountability, and responsible management of community donations.

About Pass It On Project (PIOP)
Pass It On Project is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization based in Staten Island, New York City that helps families experiencing hardship during the holiday season. Through community donations and volunteer support, the organization provides gifts, clothing, and essential household items to families facing financial hardship, housing instability, health challenges, or unexpected personal tragedies and loss.

Pass It On Project, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization serving families across Staten Island, New York City. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.

Pass It On Project complies with federal IRS filing requirements and New York State charitable registration requirements, including annual filings with the Internal Revenue Service and the New York State Attorney General Charities Bureau.

Our Story
Pass It On Project was founded by Randy Racioppi after his family experienced firsthand the financial challenges that many families face during the holidays.

As a young father, Randy’s family was struggling financially when the unexpected generosity of someone they had never met allowed them to experience a loving and joyful Christmas. Inspired by that kindness, Randy made a promise to his wife that when they were able to, they would pay that generosity forward. That promise later inspired the name of Pass It On Project.

What began as a small effort to help local families has grown into Pass It On Project, a volunteer-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping families in Staten Island, New York City experience the joy and dignity of the holiday season.

Today, the organization focuses on supporting families within the Staten Island community who are facing financial hardship or unexpected crisis.

Organization Overview
Organization: Pass It On Project, Inc.
Location: Staten Island, New York City
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
EIN: 99-1612585
Founded: 2024
Leadership: Volunteer Board of Directors
Employees: None (100% volunteer-run)

Strategic Plan (2025–2028)
Pass It On Project’s Strategic Plan outlines the organization’s goals for expanding support to families in need while maintaining a volunteer-driven and community-focused approach. The plan describes how the organization will strengthen partnerships, grow community support, and increase the number of families served through its Holiday Assistance Program in Staten Island, New York City. Pass It On Project’s strategic goal is to expand from serving approximately 17 families annually to 40–50 families each year. The full strategic plan is available below:

📄 Download Strategic Plan (2025–2028)

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Transparency Commitment
Pass It On Project is committed to operating with transparency, accountability, and responsible stewardship of community donations. Our organization is independently listed and verified on third-party research platforms that provide public access to information about our mission, leadership, programs, and impact.

Transparency builds trust. By publicly sharing financial information, governance details, and our impact, we want donors and supporters to feel confident that their generosity is being used responsibly to help families that are truly in need.

To support this commitment, the organization publicly shares:

• Annual donation totals
• Financial summaries
• Board governance information
• IRS filing confirmations
• New York State charitable filings

Detailed transparency reports and summaries are provided below.

Independent Transparency Verification

• Candid (GuideStar) Platinum Transparency Seal • IRS Tax-Exempt Status (EIN: 99-1612585) • New York State Charities Registry

Volunteer-Run Organization
Pass It On Project operates entirely through volunteers and has no paid employees. This structure allows the organization to keep operating costs low so that the majority of donations directly support families in need.

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Community Impact
In 2025, Pass It On Project supported 17 Staten Island families through community donations and volunteer support.

Pass It On Project began as a grassroots community effort helping a single local family during the holiday season. Since then, the organization has grown into a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to providing support to families throughout Staten Island.

Today, the organization focuses on providing meaningful assistance that helps ease the emotional and financial burdens of the holiday season while strengthening the well-being of the Staten Island community.

Impact Snapshot

• 17 families supported in 2025
• $20,573.16  raised through community donations
• Approximately 90% of funds allocated to direct program support
• Funds are responsibly managed, with a portion retained to cover ongoing administrative expenses (such as insurance and operating costs)

Families supported included:

• Families living in homeless shelters
• Families rebuilding after house fires or emergencies
• Families facing financial hardship
• Families coping with tragic personal loss

How Families Are Identified
Families supported by Pass It On Project are typically identified through referrals from schools, homeless shelters, trusted organizations, and community members throughout Staten Island. These referrals help ensure that assistance reaches families experiencing genuine hardship while maintaining a fair, consistent, and transparent selection process. Pass It On Project works with multiple referral sources to ensure a diverse and balanced group of families we serve.

To avoid potential conflicts of interest, board members and their immediate family members are not permitted to participate in the referral or selection of families connected to their workplaces or affiliated organizations. All referrals are reviewed independently to ensure fairness and consistency across all partner organizations.

Family selection is based solely on need, as identified by our partner organizations. Personal relationships or affiliations do not influence selection decisions. Pass It On Project maintains internal policies, including a Conflict of Interest Policy, to ensure all decisions are made fairly, consistently, and without bias.

Family Privacy & Confidentiality
Pass It On Project respects the privacy and dignity of all the families it supports. Personal information about families receiving assistance is kept confidential and is not shared publicly without their permission or unless required for legal or reporting purposes.

Downloadable Reports
As part of our commitment to transparency, we provide the following reports outlining our impact, financials, and how donations are used.

• 2025 Transparency Summary (1 Page) 
  Quick overview of our impact, funding, and how donations are used.
  📄Download PDF
• 2025 Impact Report (2–3 Pages)
  A more detailed look at our programs, operations, and community impact across Staten Island.
  📄Download PDF

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Annual Donation Summary
Total Support Received in 2025: $20,573.16

• Cash Donations: $16,394.16
• In-Kind Donations: $4,179.00

Total Support Received in 2024: $14,427.08

Use of In-Kind Donations
Pass It On Project receives in-kind donations such as clothing, toys, and household items that are distributed directly to families during the holiday season. These donations are included in the organization’s annual donation totals and are used solely to support families in need.

Funding Sources
Pass It On Project is funded through community donations and volunteer support.
Funding sources include:

• Individual donations
• Community fundraising
• Small business support
• In-kind donations

Donation Growth (2024–2025)
Total community support increased from $14,427 in 2024 to $20,573.16 in 2025

 

Financial Overview (2025)
Total Support Received: $20,573.16
Administrative Expenses: $2,082.31
Program Support: $18,490.85

Financial Overview (2024)
Total Support Received: $14,427

 

How Donations Were Used (2025)

In 2025, approximately 90% of donations directly supported families in need, while about 10% covered essential operating costs such as liability insurance, website hosting, and payment processing fees. A portion of program funds is retained year-over-year to cover upcoming program-related expenses, including costs incurred prior to the next fundraising cycle.

Administrative Costs (2025)

• Liability insurance — $1,242.63
• Payment processing fees — $155.20
• Website hosting — $175.48
• Amazon Prime subscription — $129.00
• TechSoup nonprofit services — $80.00
• Year-end bookkeeping — $300.00

Total: $2,082.31

Use of Donations
All donations are used solely to support the organization’s charitable mission and programs. Pass It On Project works to keep
administrative expenses as low as possible so that the majority of donations directly support families in need. No board members or volunteers receive compensation.

Donations are used to fulfill specific “Needs” and “Wants” identified by each family we support:

• Needs may include essential items such as winter coats, gloves, scarves, underwear, clothing, and basic household necessities like laundry detergent and other everyday items
• Wants include gifts that bring joy to children and families, such as toys, games, bikes, and other requested items

Each family provides a personalized list, and donations are used to directly fulfill those requests whenever possible. This approach allows us to provide both essential support and meaningful experiences for families during the holiday season.

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