What Hood Code does

Hood Code, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in July 2019 by Jason Gibson, a lifelong New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) resident, to deliver free coding education to youth ages 8-18 living in NYCHA public housing across New York City. The organization explicitly targets the socio-economic opportunity gap in technology access, citing that more than 90% of NYCHA-resident students are disconnected from coding and computer-science opportunities. Programming is structured into three tiers: one-day introductory Workshops that demystify coding, multi-week Cohorts (36-week or 13-week) of in-person classes held at community centers within NYCHA developments, and month-long Summer Camps during July-August that combine project-based coding with STEM exploration and team challenges. Instruction is delivered using Scratch, a block-based visual programming language, and WoofJS, a hybrid block-and-text JavaScript environment; field trips to local tech companies are integrated into cohort programming.

The organization generates no revenue from program delivery, as all services are provided free of charge to students. Operations are funded entirely through donations and grants from individual donors, corporate sponsors (notably Pfizer), foundations (notably the New York Community Trust), venture philanthropy (Primary.vc), and prize capital (The David Prize, awarded to the founder in 2022). Suggested donation tiers range from $50 (Program Expansion) to $1,300 (Coding Instructor for 13 Weeks), and pro bono legal, design, and consulting support is provided by Ropes & Gray, Lawyers Alliance, and Liminal Creative. Hood Code maintains a lean operating structure consisting of a Founder & President, a Co-Facilitator, and a three-member Board of Directors (Malcolm Edwards as Chair, plus Bill Cummings and Joe Robinson).

The go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer: students are recruited through parent intake forms, word-of-mouth within NYCHA communities, and partnerships with community organizations such as Hudson Guild, and programs are physically delivered inside NYCHA developments across all five NYC boroughs to eliminate transportation friction. Marketing and fundraising rely on the hoodcodenyc.com website, Instagram and Twitter/X handles, an email newsletter, and recurring earned-media coverage (NBC News Now in 2023; WPIX Channel 11 and WCBS Channel 2 in 2022). Hood Code has stated a long-term goal of expanding programming into each of NYCHA's 320 public housing developments, which collectively house more than 600,000 residents.

Name

Hood Code

Legal name

Hood Code, Inc.

Website

https://hoodcodenyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hood Code is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free coding education to NYCHA youth ages 8-18 in New York City through one-day workshops, multi-week cohort classes, and month-long summer camps using Scratch and WoofJS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Coding Education (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Computer Training (61142)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Introductory Coding (Block-Based & Beginner) (EDAMACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coding, Game Design & Computer Science Camps (EDAMALAD), Text-Based Programming (Python, Java, C/C++) (EDAMACAB), Coding & Programming Learning Platforms (EDAFANAA)

Keywords

• Free youth coding education
• Nonprofit coding programs
• NYCHA community outreach
• Scratch WoofJS curriculum
• After-school STEM programs

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Hood Code is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies entirely on donations and grants to fund operations. Revenue comes from individual donors, corporate sponsors, and foundation grants. No revenue is generated from program delivery as all services are free to students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Hood Code provides free after-school and summer coding education programs to youth ages 8-18 living in NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) public housing communities. Programs are delivered in-person at community centers across NYCHA developments and include one-day Workshops, 36-week (or 13-week) Cohort classes, and month-long Summer Camps, all teaching coding using Scratch and WoofJS. The organization also arranges field trips to technology companies to expose students to coding career pathways.

Product overview

Hood Code is a free after-school and summer coding education program for youth ages 8-18 living in NYC public housing (NYCHA). The organization offers three distinct program tiers: Workshops (one-day introductory sessions), Cohorts (36-week or 13-week in-person coding classes held at community centers with field trips to tech companies), and Summer Camps (month-long in-person camps during July-August with project-based learning). Programs teach coding using Scratch (block-based language) and WoofJS (a combination of block-based and text-based JavaScript), developing students' self-efficacy and technology-based skills.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• Substantial increase in participants' self-efficacy and technology-based skills

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Coding SpacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoding education partner providing curriculum support and resources for Hood Code's programs.
• Hudson GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization partner providing space and support for Hood Code programs in NYCHA communities.
• Lawyers AllianceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegal services partner providing nonprofit compliance and governance support.
• Liminal CreativeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing and design agency partner founded by Bill Cummings (also Hood Code Board Member) that works with social impact organizations.
• Ropes & GrayminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm providing pro bono legal services and support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ScriptEd: NYC-based nonprofit providing free coding education to underserved high school students. Operates in-person classes and workforce pathways in NYC public schools, directly mirroring Hood Code's mission and geography.
• All Star Code: NYC-based nonprofit providing coding and tech entrepreneurship programs for young men of color, with a summer intensive model. Highly comparable target demographic and program structure.
• Black Girls CODE: Nonprofit providing technology education to Black girls and other underrepresented youth. Runs workshops, hackathons, and summer camps with a similar demographic and equity focus as Hood Code.
• The Coding Space: NYC coding education nonprofit providing classes to kids and teens. Already a curriculum partner to Hood Code, and operates similar in-person coding programs for youth in the NYC area.

Broad incumbents

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free tech training and career pathways to adults from underserved communities. Comparable equity-mission and free-access model, though serving an older learner demographic.
• Code.org: National nonprofit focused on expanding access to computer science, particularly in K-12 schools. Serves as the broader incumbent in CS education equity that Hood Code aligns with at the local NYCHA level.
• TEALS (Microsoft): Microsoft Philanthropies program bringing computer science education to high schools through volunteer-led classes. Overlaps with Hood Code's K-12 coding access mission at greater national scale.
• Girls Who Code: National nonprofit working to close the gender gap in technology through after-school clubs, summer programs, and college-loops. Overlaps significantly with Hood Code's youth-coding mission and free-access model.
• Year Up: Large workforce-development nonprofit serving young adults from low-income communities with tech training. Comparable equity-focused outcomes and corporate-funding model, though serving an older demographic.

Emerging players

• Kode With Klossy: Nonprofit running free coding camps for young women and gender-expansive teens. Comparable summer-camp format and equity-focused mission serving youth from underrepresented backgrounds.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hoodcodenyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/hoodcodenyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hood Code