Friends Way

Name

Friends Way

Legal name

FRIENDS WAY

Website

https://friendsway.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FRIENDS WAY is a nonprofit children's bereavement center and division of Gateway Healthcare (Brown University Health), providing free peer-based grief support to approximately 160 families and 300 children annually across Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAFAEAO

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Home Health & Hospice Providers

SECONDARYHSABAFAO

Volunteer & Companion Support Services (Hospice Volunteer Programs)

Home & Personal Services/Elder Care & In-Home Care Services/Hospice & Palliative In-Home Care

Keywords

• Children's bereavement support
• Grief counseling services
• Peer support groups
• Nonprofit family services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Warwick

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations (one-time and recurring): Donations processed through Network for Good allowing one-time or re-occurring gifts, plus mail-in donations via printable donation form. 100% of programs funded through fundraising activities and community support.
2. Annual Diamonds in the Sky Gala: Largest annual fundraiser bringing in almost half of FRIENDS WAY's operating revenue; includes sponsorships, ticket sales, and online auction via Greater Giving platform. 2019 gala raised $125,325.
3. Corporate and foundation grants: Grants from foundations and corporate giving programs including CVS Health Foundation Hometown Fund, Tufts Health Plan Foundation ($25,000), Centreville Bank Charitable Foundation ($12,000), United Way, Red Sox Foundation IMPACT Award, and New England Patriots Difference Maker of the Week ($5,000).
4. Specialty fundraising events: Funny 4 Funds Comedy Fundraiser, Family Day Picnic, and participation in Play4Kids Golf Tournament (which raised $60,000+ for Bradley Hospital and FRIENDS WAY in 2018).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Friends Way provides free, peer-based bereavement support to grieving children ages 3-18 and their adult caregivers across Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Programs include age-appropriate weekly group sessions facilitated by licensed mental-health professionals and trained volunteers (using art, music, storytelling, and games), the Camp Starfish summer camp, specialized biweekly groups for suicide/addiction loss, a dedicated opioid-impacted families program, urban outreach groups for BIPOC communities, and a curated grief resources library with downloadable materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Starfish: Annual FRIENDS WAY bereavement summer camp held in July, supported by the Michael Wiggins Enrichment Endowment.
• Funny 4 Funds Comedy Fundraiser
• Diamonds in the Sky Gala

Products and services

• FRIENDS WAY Peer Support Program Free, age-appropriate peer-based group support for grieving children, pre-teens, teens, and adult caregivers following the death of a significant person; held at the Warwick, RI center and via Zoom, with creative activities (art, music, storytelling, games) used to help participants express grief.
• Camp Starfish Annual three-day summer camp for grieving children held at Camp Fuller in South Kingstown, RI (July 31, August 1, and August 2 per the 2026 schedule); includes ropes course, tower, and archery activities with bus pickup/drop-off and is supported by the Michael Wiggins Enrichment Endowment.
• Specialized Bereavement Groups for Suicide or Addiction Loss Biweekly Wednesday-evening sessions (6:30-8:10pm) for children, teens, and young adults who have experienced a sudden loss from suicide or addiction; led by Sophia Baptiste and incorporating painting, drawing, and clay sculpting. Free to participants, supported by fundraising.
• Opioid Addiction Support Program for Children and Families Dedicated program supporting children and their families affected by opioid addiction; part of Friends Way's specialized bereavement offerings and expanded in 2019 in response to Rhode Island's opioid crisis.
• Grief Resources Library Curated online library of recommended grief-related publications for adults, teens/young adults, caregivers, and children; includes downloadable Grief and Loss Coloring Book developed by clinicians at Bradley Hospital and available in English and Spanish.
• Central Falls Bereavement Services (United Way / Segue Learning Institute) Weekly bereavement services for grieving children in Central Falls, Rhode Island, delivered in partnership between Segue Learning Institute and Friends Way and funded by United Way to address loss in young people's lives and expand access for urban BIPOC families.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~160 families served per year on average; up to ~300 children served per year
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

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

• Judi's House / JAG InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2022Selected FRIENDS WAY as a Childhood Bereavement Changemaker in partnership with the New York Life Foundation and National Alliance for Children's Grief. The one-year cohort provides training, workshops, and collaborative learning to grow capacity for data collection and program evaluation supporting grieving youth.
• Gateway Healthcare (Brown University Health)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRIENDS WAY is a division of Gateway Healthcare, a Brown University Health partner. Gateway is the largest provider of behavioral health care services in Rhode Island, serving more than 15,000 clients annually across multiple locations. Susan Stevenson serves as both Executive Director of FRIENDS WAY and Director of Gateway Healthcare Child and Family Therapeutic Outreach Services; Denise Barrese (Director of Finance, Gateway Health) serves as a non-voting officer on FRIENDS WAY's Board. Henry Sachs, MD, President of Bradley Hospital and Gateway Healthcare, sits on the Board as Secretary.
• National Alliance for Grieving ChildrencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFRIENDS WAY is a member of the National Alliance for Grieving Children. The alliance publishes the resource "When Someone Dies: A Child-Caregiver Activity Book" (2016) used in FRIENDS WAY programming. National Alliance for Grieving Children co-developed the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker initiative with Judi's House/JAG Institute and New York Life Foundation, in which FRIENDS WAY participated.
• The Dougy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner providing a nationwide directory of grief support groups (dougy.org) for families not close to FRIENDS WAY's Warwick, RI center. The Dougy Center's Grief Out Loud Podcast is promoted through FRIENDS WAY's resources page.
• Christmas Décor by SeascapecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual multi-year partnership (4+ years, 2019/2021/2022/2023) in which Seascape donates and installs outdoor Christmas lights and decorations for grieving families identified by FRIENDS WAY to help ease their grief during the holiday season. Coverage of the partnership has appeared on WJAR TV 10 and Turnto10.com.
• Bradley HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinicians at Bradley Hospital developed the Grief and Loss Coloring Book used by FRIENDS WAY. Bradley Hospital and FRIENDS WAY share proceeds from the annual Play4Kids Golf Tournament (which raised $60,000+ in 2018). Henry Sachs, MD, President of Bradley Hospital and Gateway Healthcare, sits on FRIENDS WAY's Board.
• Segue Learning InstituteminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnered with FRIENDS WAY to deliver new bereavement services for grieving children in Central Falls, Rhode Island, funded by United Way.
• Providence Children's MuseumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-hosted a webinar on May 14, 2020 with FRIENDS WAY Program Director Ryan Loiselle, LICSW and Kristin Read (Director of Education at Providence Children's Museum) on "Grief, Play and Children" as part of a virtual lecture series.
• Family Service of Rhode IslandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presented on April 29, 2020 webinar "Talking about Grief and Loss with Children during COVID-19" with Sarah Kelly-Palmer, LICSW and Kayla David, LMFT from Family Service of RI, alongside FRIENDS WAY's Ryan Loiselle, LICSW.
• Kirkbrae Country ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted the 2025 Diamonds in the Sky Gala, FRIENDS WAY's largest annual fundraiser.
• Ledgemont Country ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted the annual Play4Kids Golf Tournament on September 25, 2018 (raised $60,000+ for Bradley Hospital and FRIENDS WAY) and the 2019 Diamonds in the Sky Gala with 250+ guests.
• Portuguese Comedy ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted the Funny4Funds Comedy Fundraiser on Thursday, March 21, 2024.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Dougy Center: National nonprofit pioneering peer-based grief support for children and families, founded in Portland, OR. Directly comparable model (peer group model, trained volunteers, family-inclusive) and explicitly cited as a referral partner by FRIENDS WAY for out-of-area families.
• Judi's House / JAG Institute: Denver-based bereavement center for children and families using evidence-based, peer-facilitated group support. Directly comparable service model and is the lead organization behind the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker cohort FRIENDS WAY joined.
• Good Grief: Boston-based nonprofit providing free peer-based bereavement support to children, teens, and families across Massachusetts. Closest direct geographic peer in New England with comparable free, peer-group delivery model.
• Experience Camps: National nonprofit offering free summer camp programs (and year-round support) for grieving children — directly comparable to FRIENDS WAY's Camp Starfish component on the summer-camp delivery model.
• Kara (Palo Alto): California-based nonprofit providing free, peer-based grief support to children, teens, families, and adults. Closely comparable free peer-group service model to FRIENDS WAY, with a broader age-range offering.

Broad incumbents

• National Alliance for Grieving Children: U.S. membership and advocacy umbrella for children's bereavement programs; publishes the activity book used by FRIENDS WAY and co-runs the Changemaker initiative. A broader ecosystem incumbent rather than a direct local competitor.
• Camp Erin (Moyer Foundation): Nationwide network of bereavement camps for children and teens operated by the Moyer Foundation; comparable summer-camp bereavement offering to Camp Starfish at a much larger national footprint.

Regional players

• Center for Grieving Children (Portland, Maine): Maine-based peer support program for grieving children, teens, and families — comparable service model (peer groups, trained volunteers) but operates in adjacent New England geography to FRIENDS WAY.
• Children's Bereavement Center of South Texas: San Antonio-area free peer-support bereavement program for children and families. Comparable peer-group delivery model, serving a different U.S. region.

Emerging players

• GriefNet / KIDSAID: Online community-based grief support resources including moderated communities for grieving children/parents. Less direct than in-person peers but represents a digital-channel adjacency that could compete for virtual referrals.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/FriendsWay
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=WC3A3UUeIxc
• Facebookfacebook.com/FRIENDSWAYRI
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-way
• Instagraminstagram.com/friendswayri

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Friends Way