What Erika's Lighthouse does

Erika's Lighthouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by Virginia and Thomas Neuckranz in memory of their daughter Erika, who died from depression at age 14. Headquartered in Winnetka, Illinois, the organization provides free, evidence-informed depression education and suicide prevention programs to K-12 schools across the United States. Since inception, Erika's Lighthouse claims to have partnered with over 6,200 schools and directly impacted more than 5.5 million students. The Staff Training program is listed on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) Best Practices Registry, providing third-party evidence-based validation.

The organization operates a Four Pillar Model comprising Classroom Education (grades 4-12), Empowerment Clubs, Family Engagement, and Policy & Staff Training, supported by ancillary offerings including Schoolwide Campaigns (Give Voice, Positivity Pledge), a Data Center for tracking program impact, and the Teen Toolbox sub-brand. All curriculum and digital resources are delivered through a web-based Resource Portal where schools register for free access and are assigned dedicated Education Team Members for implementation support; curriculum is available in English and Spanish. The platform does not expose a public API or SDK for partner integration, with terms of use explicitly prohibiting reverse engineering.

Erika's Lighthouse is funded primarily through individual donors (over 75% of funding), supplemented by foundation grants — including a $100,000 Imagine Learning Foundation grant in 2022 and a renewed $75,000 grant in 2025 — and modest merchandise revenue from an online store selling physical materials such as Recharge Cards and classroom posters. The organization maintains strategic partnerships with Google.org / ReflexAI (as part of a $30M crisis support initiative), SADD, Key Clubs, Anna Freud, Imagine Learning Foundation, and Elevance Health. Operating with a small team of 11-50 employees under a hybrid work model, the organization functions as a community-led entity that scales through free distribution rather than paid sales, with no parent company or holding structure.

Name

Erika's Lighthouse

Legal name

Erika's Lighthouse

Website

https://erikaslighthouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Erika's Lighthouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that provides free, evidence-informed depression education and suicide prevention curriculum to K-12 schools. It operates a Four Pillar Model across 6,200+ partner schools, impacting over 5.5 million students cumulatively since inception.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnetka

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor-Funded Programs: Erika's Lighthouse is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Over 75% of funding comes from individual donors committed to mental health and depression education. The organization also receives support from foundations and strategic partners. All programs and resources are provided free of charge to schools.
2. Store Sales: The Erika's Lighthouse Store offers physical versions of programs and resources such as Recharge Cards, classroom posters, and other materials. While core curriculum remains free, physical materials provide a revenue stream while supporting the mission.
3. Foundation Grants: The organization receives grants from foundations, including significant grants from Imagine Learning Foundation ($100,000 in 2022) and participation in broader initiatives like Google's crisis support ecosystem through Google.org.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Erika's Lighthouse provides free, evidence-informed depression education and suicide prevention programs to K-12 schools across the United States. Its offerings are organized under a Four Pillar Model covering Classroom Education (grades 4-12), Empowerment Clubs, Family Engagement, and Policy & Staff Training, delivered through an online Resource Portal and supported by a Data Center for outcome tracking. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit funded primarily by individual donors and foundation grants.

Product overview

Erika's Lighthouse is a nonprofit organization providing free, evidence-informed mental health education and suicide prevention programs for schools. The organization offers a suite of programs organized under four pillars: Classroom Education (grades 4-12), Empowerment Clubs, Family Engagement, and Policy & Staff Training. Supporting these core offerings are Schoolwide Campaigns (Give Voice and Positivity Pledge), the Data Center for tracking impact, the Teen Toolbox for student self-education, and an online store for physical materials. All programs are available for free to any school, with the curriculum recognized in the SPRC Best Practices Registry. The organization was founded in 2004 and has partnered with more than 6,200 schools, directly impacting over 5.5 million students.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Teen Toolbox: A resource for teens to learn about anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health disorders, providing coping mechanisms they can try.
• Give Voice
• Positivity Pledge

Products and services

• Classroom Education Turn-key educational lessons about mental health, depression, and suicide designed for classroom implementation in grades 4-12, taught by educators in collaboration with school counselors or social workers.
• Empowerment Clubs Good mental health clubs designed to empower young people to become advocates for mental health awareness and create positive change in their school communities.
• Family Engagement Programs and resources designed for families to be partners in mental health, including discussion guides, family workbooks, and resources to support mental health conversations at home.
• Policy & Staff Training Staff training, well-being activities, and resources designed to equip educators with materials, confidence, and empathy to support a positive school climate around mental health; listed on the SPRC Best Practices Registry.
• Schoolwide Campaigns Campaigns including Give Voice (Suicide Prevention Week) and Positivity Pledge (Mental Health Awareness Month) that impact whole school communities through themed activities and daily challenges.
• Data Center Tools that help schools make data-informed decisions regarding student well-being through real-time, data-driven impact and results tracking dashboards.
• Teen Toolbox A resource for teens to begin informing themselves about anxiety, stress, depression, and other mental health disorders, with options for coping mechanisms they can try.
• Give Voice Campaign A week-long campaign during Suicide Prevention Week (September 13-19) advocating for depression education, help-seeking, kindness, and positivity with daily themed activities on Education, Help-Seeking, Positivity, Awareness, and Yourself.
• Positivity Pledge A 31-day mental health empowerment campaign during May's Mental Health Awareness Month with themed weeks focused on nutrition, gratitude, exercise, mindfulness, and reflection.
• Erika's Lighthouse Store An online store offering physical versions of programming materials including Recharge Cards, classroom posters, swag (t-shirts, pullovers), school resources, family resources, and Mental Health Toolkits.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% of students believe we should be talking about mental health after using Erika's Lighthouse curriculum
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Google.org / ReflexAIflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 April 2026Erika's Lighthouse is included in Google's initiative to support crisis helplines globally through a $30 million, 3-year commitment. The partnership involves AI-based simulations to train crisis volunteers through the Prepare platform, with Erika's Lighthouse among the partners.
• SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with SADD Nation allows Erika's Lighthouse to take The Positivity Pledge during Mental Health Awareness Month and Give Voice during Suicide Prevention Month, impacting school communities nationwide.
• Key ClubscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Key Clubs enables Erika's Lighthouse to reach youth through club networks during mental health awareness campaigns, amplifying impact across school communities nationwide.
• Anna FreudminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working alongside Erika's Lighthouse to improve youth mental health in complementary ways.
• Alongside AndrewminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization collaborating with Erika's Lighthouse on youth mental health initiatives.
• Ask Listen LearnminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in the mental health education ecosystem.
• The Daily MileminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization working on physical activity and mental well-being connections.
• Effective School SolutionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner focused on providing mental health solutions within school settings.
• FVP (Foundation for Voice)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in mental health education.
• MHLC (Mental Health Liaison Committee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in mental health education and advocacy.
• Shine Light on DepressionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based partner with specific programming for non-school organizations serving children and teens, accessible at ShineLightonDepression.org.
• Chicago WolvesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional hockey team that partnered with Downers Grove North Teen Empowerment Club for community outreach activities, distributing hats and informational cards.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Child Mind Institute: Independent nonprofit providing clinical care, education, and research on child and adolescent mental health, including school and family resources. Comparable audience and mental-health education focus, but also delivers direct clinical services.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): The largest U.S. grassroots mental health organization, offering school-based education programs (NAMI Basics, Ending the Silence) and family/community resources. Comparable in mission and school focus, but much broader in scope.
• Mental Health America (MHA): Community-based nonprofit promoting mental health awareness, screening, and education across all age groups. Comparable to Erika's Lighthouse in mental health education mission, with much wider scope and longer history.

Direct peers

• Active Minds: Nonprofit that empowers students to speak openly about mental health and supports schools in building peer-to-peer programs. Closely comparable to Erika's Lighthouse's Empowerment Clubs and schoolwide campaign model.
• The Trevor Project: Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for LGBTQ+ young people, including a 24/7 digital lifeline and school-based educational resources. Comparable to Erika's Lighthouse's digital wellbeing tools and crisis-response curriculum.
• Sandy Hook Promise: National nonprofit delivering school-based violence prevention and mental wellness programs (e.g., Say Something, Start With Hello). Directly comparable to Erika's Lighthouse's K-12 mental health and safety curriculum distribution model.
• JED Foundation: A leading nonprofit focused on protecting teen and young adult emotional health and preventing suicide. Direct peer to Erika's Lighthouse in the K-12 and college youth mental health space, with overlapping school-district programming.
• Born This Way Foundation: Foundation co-founded by Lady Gaga focused on youth mental wellness and peer support programs, partnering with schools and young people. Comparable in donor-funded youth mental health curriculum and empowerment-club format.
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): National nonprofit funding research, advocacy, and education programs to prevent suicide. Peer in the suicide-prevention education category; both organizations engage schools and youth audiences with evidence-informed programming.

Others

• Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC): National resource center funded by SAMHSA that curates evidence-based suicide prevention programs (the registry in which Erika's Lighthouse is listed). Functions as a standards body and referral channel rather than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Erikas_LH
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/erikaslh
• Facebookfacebook.com/ErikasLH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erika-s-lighthouse
• Instagraminstagram.com/erikas.lighthouse

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

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 Erika's Lighthouse