City Year transforms the lives of two distinct sets of constituents — but it doesn’t stop there. Relying on powerful stories to engage them, it also transforms the lives of donors.

By Margaret Battistelli Gardner

City Year
287 Columbus Ave.
Boston, MA 02116

Phone: 617.927.2500

Annual operating budget: Nearly $50 million

History (from www.cityyear.org): Twenty years ago, City Year was founded by Michael Brown and Alan Khazei, then-roommates at Harvard Law School, who felt strongly that young people in service could be a powerful resource for addressing our nation’s most pressing issues. Since 1988, City Year has been built on the belief that one person can make a difference, and with the vision that one day service will be a common expectation — and a real opportunity — for citizens all around the world. Since its founding in 1988, City Year has graduated more than 11,400 alumni, served more than a million children, completed more than 18 million hours of service and engaged more than a million citizens in service.