Student Lunchbox Inc
Student LunchBox Inc. is a public charity based in Los Angeles, California, established in 2020. It supports college students facing food and basic-needs insecurity in Los Angeles County through campus food and essentials distributions and grants to campus and community organizations.
Key facts about Student Lunchbox Inc
In short: Student Lunchbox Inc gave $2.2M across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $146K), mostly in California. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 85-2482031
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,184,958
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- Average grant
- $145,664
- Median grant
- $119,032
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2025)
- Total assets
- $1,154,787
- Primary geography
- California (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$1.2M
+4.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
+128.7% YoY
Grant Count
15
+15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$146K
+98.2% YoY
Is Student Lunchbox Inc open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $115K; repeat grants $161K. How we count
Medians: $145K first-time, $114K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2022–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
Student LunchBox’s stated mission is to empower college excellence through comprehensive basic-needs support. It describes using resource recovery initiatives to provide nutritious meals and essential supplies to economically disadvantaged college students across Los Angeles County, helping them focus on their education and reach their academic potential.
The organization’s 2025 filing describes a campus distribution model that replenishes college food pantries and basic-needs programs, and provides recurring farmers market-style mobile distributions at some campuses. Its listed grant purposes include fresh produce, shelf foods, clothing, and toiletries. Grantees include colleges, college foundations, and a community-based organization. Los Angeles City College Foundation says its work addresses students’ basic needs, including food, housing, utilities, transportation, and healthcare; California State University Los Angeles describes its mission as providing student services and resources that support student success; and Los Angeles Mission College Foundation says it advances the college’s educational and cultural goals.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Student LunchBox reported 15 grants totaling $2,184,958. Grant amounts ranged from $5,436 to $428,041, with a median of $119,032. The largest awards included $428,041 to Los Angeles City College Foundation, $335,638 to Los Angeles Pierce College, $295,886 to Associated Students California State University Long Beach, and $179,664 to Regents University of California Los Angeles. The stated purpose for these grants was fresh produce, shelf foods, clothing, and toiletries donations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Student LunchBox states that it serves college students across Los Angeles County, with a campus network extending from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach. In 2025, 99% of its grant dollars went to recipients in California, 1% to recipients in New York, and less than 1% to recipients in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $199K (2022) to $2.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Los Angeles City College Foundation Los Angeles City College City Cares Network ($428K). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
38 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 15 grants of 38 (39%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles City College Foundation Los Angeles City College City Cares Network Los Angeles, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $428,041 |
| Los Angeles Pierce College Brahma Bodega Woodland Hills, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $335,638 |
| Associated Students California State University Long Beach Long Beach, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $295,886 |
| Regents University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $179,664 |
| The Los Angeles Valley College Foundation Valley Glen, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $170,897 |
| California State University Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $168,834 |
| Los Angeles Mission College Foundation Sylmar, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $145,082 |
| California State University Trustees California State University Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $119,032 |
| Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science Pantry and Career Closet Los Angeles, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $109,182 |
| California State University Northridge Foundation Northridge, CA | Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation. | $80,758 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,154,787 | $2,413,875 | $2,409,509 | $2,184,958 |
| 2024 | $1,103,728 | $1,692,803 | $1,595,184 | $955,454 |
| 2023 | $1,001,889 | $1,569,017 | $792,639 | $290,852 |
The organization’s website states that 96% of its operating budget goes to programming. Its posted 2026 operating budget projects $2,161,000 in support and revenue, including $319,000 in foundation grants and $1,744,000 in in-kind donations.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,154,787 | $1,103,728 | $1,001,889 |
| Revenue | $2,413,875 | $1,692,803 | $1,569,017 |
| Expenses | $2,409,509 | $1,595,184 | $792,639 |
| Net Investment Income | $37,259 | $36,018 | $8,138 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 21, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The organization’s 2025 filing lists Karlen Nurijanyan as chief executive officer and Marco Gonzalez as treasurer and chief financial officer. Listed board members are Laurie Settle, chair; Kelly Alarcon, secretary; and Armineh Badalyan.
Student Lunchbox Inc is led by Karlen Nurijanyan, Chief Executive Officer since 2023 (on filings since 2022); 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Karlen Nurijanyan
Chief Executive Officer
Secretary & Chief Executive Officer → Chief Executive Officer, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$12K (2022) → $70K (2025)
Laurie Settle
Board Member & Chair
On filings since 2024
7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marco Gonzalez
Treasurer & Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
7 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Armineh Badalyan
Board Member
Secretary & Board Member → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Alarcon
Board Member & Secretary
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Janine Roberts (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Irene Yaymadjian (2022) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $70K, to Karlen Nurijanyan (Chief Executive Officer).
Contact
Mailing address: 10401 Venice Blvd Ste 462, Los Angeles, CA 90034
Phone: (310) 955-1216
Website: https://studentlunchbox.org
Frequently asked questions about Student Lunchbox Inc
How much does Student Lunchbox Inc give each year?
Student Lunchbox Inc gave $2.2M across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $955K across 13 grants.
What is Student Lunchbox Inc's typical grant size?
Student Lunchbox Inc's median grant in 2025 was $119,032, and its average grant was $145,664, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Student Lunchbox Inc that year got $115K on average.
Where does Student Lunchbox Inc give grants?
Student Lunchbox Inc gives mostly in California: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (6 grants).
Does Student Lunchbox Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Student Lunchbox Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Fresh Produce, Shelf Foods, Clothing & Toiletries Donation." (15 grants).
Who are Student Lunchbox Inc's largest grantees?
Student Lunchbox Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Los Angeles City College Foundation Los Angeles City College City Cares Network ($428,041), Los Angeles Pierce College Brahma Bodega ($335,638) and Associated Students California State University Long Beach ($295,886), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Student Lunchbox Inc?
Student Lunchbox Inc reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.4M.
What does Student Lunchbox Inc fund?
Student LunchBox’s stated mission is to empower college excellence through comprehensive basic-needs support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Student Lunchbox Inc?
Student Lunchbox Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check studentlunchbox.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Student Lunchbox Inc's EIN?
Student Lunchbox Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-2482031. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Student Lunchbox Inc by hand.
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