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Food Works

Public charity · Grantmaker Carbondale, IL EIN: 26-3662215 Website

Food Works is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable food economy in Southern Illinois. Through farmer training and consumer education, Food Works promotes long-term farming networks that create healthy soils, healthy food, and healthy communities in the 23 counties that make up Southern Illinois

Key facts about Food Works

EIN
26-3662215
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Total assets
$596,797

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$597K

-12.5% YoY

Revenue

$484K

-34.2% YoY

Net Investment Income

—

Expenses

$545K

+2.1% YoY

About Food Works

Based on IRS filings

Food Works is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Carbondale, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $597K in total assets.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

States

Cities

Tunnel Hill

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K0 grants20190 grants20200 grants20210 grants20221 grants20231 grants20240 grants2025

From 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $35K (2023) to $43K (2024). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $43K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

2 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 2 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for 2025.

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2019202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$596,797$682,377$565,316
Revenue$484,456$735,725$633,141
Expenses$544,619$533,598$397,988
Net Investment Income———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 15, 2021)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  3. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Food Works is led by Jennifer Paulson, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 26 of 32 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Jennifer Paulson

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2019

    30.6 hrs/week

    $7K (2019) → $58K (2025)

  • Jeb Asirvatham

    President

    Director → President, 2024

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ellen Esling

    Farmer Services Director

    Carbondale Community Farmers Market Manager → Mfm & Wfm Market Manager, 2024

    Mfm & Wfm Market Manager → Farmer Services Director, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    40 hrs/week

    $3K (2023) → $43K (2025)

  • Libby Ervin

    Assistant Director

    Market Coordinator → Farming Alliance & Market Coordinator, 2021

    Farming Alliance & Market Coordinator → Assistant Director, 2023

    On filings since 2019

    25 hrs/week

    $6K (2019) → $32K (2025)

  • Kyle J McAdams

    Operations Coordinator

    Office Assistant Extra Help → Operations Coordinator, 2025

    On filings since 2022

    27.5 hrs/week

    $360 (2022) → $27K (2025)

  • Elizabeth Mikso-DeRuntz

    Deputy Director

    Project Manager → Deputy Director, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $9K (2023) → $52K (2025)

  • Jennifer Duensing

    Coordinator of Farmer Training Programs

    On filings since 2023

    5 hrs/week

    $36K (2023) → $5K (2025)

  • Samantha Mauro

    Rx Manager & Graphic Designer

    Mobile Farmers Market Assistant → Rx Manager & Graphic Designer, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    16 hrs/week

    $4K (2023) → $14K (2025)

  • Alessandra Nicholson

    Social Media & Special Events Coordinator

    Communications & Special Events Coordinator → Social Media & Special Events Coordinator, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    6 hrs/week

    $128 (2024) → $5K (2025)

  • Lova Andersson

    Mfm Market Assistant

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    $10K (2024) → $3K (2025)

  • Morgan C Schmitt

    Mfm Market Assistant, Wfm Kids Club & Sol Farm Manager

    Extra Help → Mfm Market Assistant, Wfm Kids Club & Sol Farm Manager, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    7 hrs/week

    $409 (2024) → $5K (2025)

  • Noah Scalero

    Farm Beginnings Manager

    Frm Beginnings Facilitator → Farm Beginnings Manager, 2025

    On filings since 2024

    10 hrs/week

    $7K (2024) → $10K (2025)

  • Annaleigh Glory Stanwood

    Market Assistant

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    $2K (2025)

  • Blayne Harris

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $2K (2025)

  • Brandi Lybarger

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Brooke Kohlbrecher

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $750 (2025)

  • Charlotte K O'Neill

    Extra Help

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    $2K (2025)

  • Daniel Bronson Houle

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Dena Haun

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Elizabeth Virginia Graznak

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $2K (2025)

  • Indigo Arlette Seiler-Fuller

    Wfm Manager & Mfm Market Assistant

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    $5K (2025)

  • Jaleigh Peterson

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Justin Narusis

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Mildred K Matfeldt-Beman

    Market Assistant & Extra Help

    New on the 2025 filing

    3 hrs/week

    $5K (2025)

  • Mitchell Elston

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $1K (2025)

  • Portia Rose Carrera

    Intern

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $657 (2025)

  • Shannon Peiffer

    Extra Help

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    $750 (2025)

  • Kathryn Head

    Secretary

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ruth Hambleton

    Treasurer

    Director → Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Aur Beck

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gloria Queriapa-Valdes

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nwamaka Anaza

    Board Member

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (17)
  • Former: Karen Jensen-Britton (2020–2024) — Market Manager
  • Former: Regan W Roberts (2022–2024) — Extra Help
  • Former: Mark L Fisher (2023–2024) — Extra Help
  • Former: Arlette M Seller-Fuller (2024) — Extra Help
  • Former: Kennedy Rawlings (2024) — Extra Help
  • Former: Marika Josephson (2019–2023) — President
  • Former: Marjorie Sawicki (2019–2023) — Program Director Farm Beginnings
  • Former: Sarah N Koth (2021–2022) — Market Director
  • Former: Charles Bradley (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Jill Rendleman (2019–2021) — President of Board of Directors
  • Former: Karen Schauwecker (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: Kimberly Miller (2019–2020) — Secretary of the Board of Directors
  • Former: Rhea Joslin (2019–2020) — Farmers Market Assistant
  • Former: Kathy Head (2020) — Director
  • Former: Brad Genung (2019) — Vice President of the Board of Directors
  • Former: Jessie Jo Warner (2019) — Farmers Market Manager
  • Former: Sandra Sorensen (2019) — Farm Beginnings Coordinator

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Jennifer Paulson — Executive Director: $58KJennifer PaulsonExecutive Director$58KElizabeth Mikso-DeRuntz — Deputy Director: $52KElizabeth Mikso-DeRuntzDeputy Director$52KEllen Esling — Farmer Services Director: $43KEllen EslingFarmer Services Director$43KLibby Ervin — Assistant Director: $32KLibby ErvinAssistant Director$32KKyle J McAdams — Operations Coordinator: $27KKyle J McAdamsOperations Coordinator$27KSamantha Mauro — RX Manager/Graphic Designer: $14KSamantha MauroRX Manager/Graphic Designer$14KNoah Scalero — Farm Beginnings Manager: $10KNoah ScaleroFarm Beginnings Manager$10KJennifer Duensing — Coordinator of Farmer Training Programs: $5KJennifer DuensingCoordinator of Farmer Training…$5KMorgan Schmitt — MFM Market Asst/WFM Kids Club/Sol Farm Manager: $5KMorgan SchmittMFM Market Asst/WFM Kids…$5KAlessandra Nicholson — Social Media / Special Events Coordinator: $5KAlessandra NicholsonSocial Media / Special Events…$5KMildred K Matfeldt-Beman — Market Assistant/extra help: $5KMildred K Matfeldt-BemanMarket Assistant/extra help$5KIndigo Arlette Seiler-Fuller — WFM Manager/MFM Market Assistant: $5KIndigo Arlette…WFM Manager/MFM Market Assistant$5KLova Andersson — MFM Market Assistant: $3KLova AnderssonMFM Market Assistant$3KCharlotte K O'Neill — Extra Help: $2KCharlotte K O'NeillExtra Help$2KAnnaleigh Glory Stanwood — Market Assistant: $2KAnnaleigh Glory StanwoodMarket Assistant$2KElizabeth Virginia Graznak — Intern: $2KElizabeth Virginia…Intern$2KBlayne Harris — Intern: $2KBlayne HarrisIntern$2KMitchell Elston — Intern: $1KMitchell ElstonIntern$1KDena Haun — Intern: $1KDena HaunIntern$1KDaniel Bronson Houle — Intern: $1KDaniel Bronson HouleIntern$1KBrandi Lybarger — Intern: $1KBrandi LybargerIntern$1KJustin Narusis — Intern: $1KJustin NarusisIntern$1KJaleigh Peterson — Intern: $1KJaleigh PetersonIntern$1KBrooke Kohlbrecher — Intern: $750Brooke KohlbrecherIntern$750Shannon Peiffer — Extra Help: $750Shannon PeifferExtra Help$750Portia Rose Carrera — intern: $657Portia Rose Carreraintern$657

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $58K, to Jennifer Paulson (Executive Director). 26 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Food Works

How large is Food Works?

Food Works reported $597K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $484K.

What is Food Works?

Food Works is a public charity focused on Food, Agriculture & Nutrition, based in Carbondale, IL. It holds $597K in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Food Works operate?

Food Works has awarded grants in Illinois.

What is Food Works's EIN?

Food Works's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3662215. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

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