Hope in a Suitcase
To provide children and teens entering and impacted by foster care with clothes, shoes, blankets, other essentials, and comfort items to help ease their transition. At a higher level, the mission is to spread awareness of the challenges facing children in foster care. Current programming is concentrated in the Greater Los Angeles area.
Hope in a Suitcase at a glance
In short: Hope in a Suitcase gave $171K across 4 grants in 2024 (avg $43K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $171,304
- -0.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 4
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $42,826
- -0.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $32,862
- Total assets
- $991,121
- +25.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Hope in a Suitcase funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wayfinder Family Services ($91K). Together the top 4 received $171K.
Grant Size Distribution
16 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 16 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Hope in a Suitcase gives
- Giving grew 29% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $133K (2021) to $172K (2023). In 2024 it made 4 grants totaling $171K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wayfinder Family Services Los Angeles, CA | Operational assistance | $90,580 |
| Make Good Inc Los Angeles, CA | Operational assistance | $33,464 |
| Dimondale Adolescent Care Facility Torrance, CA | Operational assistance | $32,260 |
| Department of Children and Family Services Los Angeles, CA | Operational assistance | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $991,121 | $1,006,560 | $811,672 | $171,304 | 4 | $14,961 |
| 2023 | $789,131 | $699,355 | $649,137 | $171,855 | 4 | $7,569 |
| 2022 | $745,090 | $554,812 | $511,325 | $161,592 | 3 | $9,816 |
| 2021 | $713,380 | $483,907 | $424,510 | $133,017 | 3 | $7,013 |
| 2020 | $661,665 | $503,158 | $414,299 | $166,349 | 2 | $130 |
About Hope in a Suitcase
Based on IRS filings
Hope in a Suitcase is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Beverly Hills, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $991K in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 4 grants totaling $171K. Net investment income was $15K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Hope in a Suitcase is led by Marsha Austen, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 13 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Marsha Austen
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Bartman
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eufe de la Torre
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaime Schwartzberg
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Meenaghan
Director
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nicole Field
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roquesa Brown Jordan
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Danielle Sherrod
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Freeman
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Lefton
Director
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Horn
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacy Kravetz
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amber Hartgens
Secretary
Director & Secretary → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Kimberly Stephens (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Danielle Geller (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Sherri McGee McCovey (2020–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Hope in a Suitcase
How much does Hope in a Suitcase give each year?
Hope in a Suitcase gave $171K across 4 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $172K across 4 grants.
What is Hope in a Suitcase's typical grant size?
Hope in a Suitcase's median grant in 2024 was $32,862, and its average grant was $42,826, across 4 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does Hope in a Suitcase give grants?
Hope in a Suitcase gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (3 grants).
Does Hope in a Suitcase give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Hope in a Suitcase's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
How large is Hope in a Suitcase?
Hope in a Suitcase reported $991K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.0M.
What is Hope in a Suitcase?
Hope in a Suitcase is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Beverly Hills, CA. It holds $991K in total assets as of 2024.
What is Hope in a Suitcase's EIN?
Hope in a Suitcase's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5071911. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Hope in a Suitcase funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hope in a Suitcase's focus areas in our free grants database
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Hope in a Suitcase's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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