Children’s Aid & Family Services

What Children’s Aid & Family Services does

Children's Aid and Family Services (CAFS), founded in 1899 and headquartered at 200 Robin Road, Paramus, New Jersey, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit human services organization serving northern New Jersey with a portfolio of approximately 20 direct-service programs organized into three divisions. The Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities division operates the STRIVE Day Program for adults aged 21 and older and maintains 19 community residences across Bergen and Passaic counties. The Children and Family Services division delivers adoption resources, foster care, Treatment Foster Care, Kinship Navigator and KINKONNECT programs, Mobility Mentoring, the statewide Adoption and Kinship Legal Guardianship Clinical Services (AKLG) contract, Brief Strategic Family Therapy, Baby Basics (diaper and formula distribution), Strengthening Families, EPIC Parenting, WISE Families, and Mentoring. The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources (NJ4S Bergen) provides prevention education, community coalitions, and recovery support services, reaching over 20,000 adults and teens annually.

The organization's business model is a multi-stream nonprofit funding structure: government grants and contracts (notably with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families), foundation grants (Hearst, Palestroni, CME Group, Horizon Foundation), individual and corporate donations, fundraising events (annual gala, 5K, bowling, wine tasting), and social enterprise proceeds from The Depot Gift Store (an all-volunteer exchange store that has contributed over $3 million since 1965). All services to clients are provided free of charge. The go-to-market motion is community-led: beneficiaries are reached through state agency referrals, community partner referrals, schools, healthcare providers, and grassroots word-of-mouth, supported by an extensive corporate sponsorship ecosystem spanning banks (Valley, Wells Fargo, TD, Provident, OritaniBank), healthcare/pharma (BD, Novartis, Horizon BCBSNJ), consumer brands (Huggies, Samsung, Nordstrom, Stop and Shop), and professional services (KPMG, AIG, Mutual of America). Headcount is reported at 51–100 employees, and the organization is governed by a Board of Trustees led by Chair Dennis Martin under President and CEO Shavonda E. Sumter.

Name

Children’s Aid & Family Services

Legal name

Children's Aid and Family Services, Incorporated

Website

https://cafsnj.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Children's Aid and Family Services is a 125-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Paramus, NJ operating STRIVE day programs, community residences, adoption and foster care, kinship support, and addiction prevention services for vulnerable children, families, and individuals with developmental disabilities across northern New Jersey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Family Human Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK), Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Foster care services
• Adoption support services
• Disability support services
• Addiction prevention education
• Family counseling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Paramus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events including galas, 5K runs, bowling events, and wine tastings.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: State of New Jersey Department of Children and Families grants, NJ4S Bergen coalition funding, and other government contracts for child welfare and disability services.
3. Foundation Grants: Funding from foundations including The William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Alfiero and Lucia Palestroni Foundation, CME Group Community Foundation, and others.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Children's Aid & Family Services is a nonprofit human services agency that delivers direct-service programs to vulnerable children, families, and individuals with disabilities across northern New Jersey. Core offerings include foster care and adoption support, treatment foster care, the STRIVE adult day habilitation program, supervised community residences, alcohol and drug prevention education, recovery support services, family counseling, parenting education, kinship family support, and the Baby Basics diaper and formula assistance program. The Depot Gift Store operates as a social enterprise funding the mission.

Product overview

Children's Aid and Family Services is a nonprofit human services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs organized into three main service divisions: (1) Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities services including the STRIVE Day Program and Community Residences; (2) Children and Family Services including Adoption Resources, Foster Care, Treatment Foster Care, Kinship Navigator Program/KINKONNECT, Mobility Mentoring, AKLG Clinical Services, Brief Strategic Family Therapy, Baby Basics, Strengthening Families, EPIC Parenting, WISE Families, Mentoring, Reunion Support, and Zoe's Place; and (3) The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources (NJ4S Bergen) providing Prevention Education, Community Coalitions, and Recovery Support Services. The organization also operates The Depot Gift Shop as a social enterprise. This is not a technology platform product but a collection of direct-service human welfare programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STRIVE: Structured day program for adults 21 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities, emphasizing personal development, independence, and community inclusion.
• The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources
• Baby Basics
• Kin Konnect
• WISE
• Zoe's Place
• NJ4S Bergen
• The Depot Gift Store

Products and services

• STRIVE Day Program A structured member-centered day program for adults 21 and older with intellectual and developmental disabilities that fosters independence, develops social and life skills, and strengthens community inclusion.
• Community Residences Supervised community-based residential housing services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, provided through 19 community residences operated by the agency.
• Adoption Resources Pre- and post-adoption counseling, search and reunion services, and support for adoptive families navigating the adoption system.
• Foster Care Services for children who have experienced abuse, neglect, and trauma, helping them heal and learn to live with foster families in safe, stable environments.
• Treatment Foster Care A short-term, intensive trauma- and evidence-based program for children ages 5-18 that helps children learn to live in a family environment with specially trained caregivers and one-to-one counseling.
• Kinship Navigator Program Support services for kinship families who are raising children not their own, helping them navigate resources and challenges.
• KINKONNECT Support program for kinship families, connecting them with resources and services to strengthen family units.
• Adoption and Kinship Legal Guardianship Clinical Services (AKLG) In-home, evidence-informed, family-focused clinical services to youth and their pre- and post-adoptive families within New Jersey's child welfare system, supporting attachment and family formation.
• Baby Basics Program providing free nutritional formula and diapers to low-income families living or working in Bergen County to help break the cycle of poverty.
• The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources A recognized leader in community and school-based education programs about alcohol and drug abuse prevention as well as recovery support services for Bergen County.
• Strengthening Families Evidence-based parenting program designed to strengthen families through skill-building and support.
• Brief Strategic Family Therapy Evidence-based family therapy services addressing troubled behaviors in youth and improving family communication.
• Mobility Mentoring A program helping foster youth and families achieve stability and independence through coaching and goal-setting.
• Prevention Education School and community-based education programs about alcohol and drug abuse prevention.
• Recovery Support Services Support services for individuals and families dealing with addiction and recovery.
• Zoe's Place Supportive housing program for teenage mothers and their babies.
• The Depot Gift Shop An all-volunteer exchange gift store in Midland Park, NJ; all proceeds benefit Children's Aid and Family Services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 11,000 children placed in adoptive homes
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• YMCAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for joint programming and community outreach.
• Table to TableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner addressing food insecurity.
• Ronald McDonald HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner for family support services.
• PSE&GcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partnership in Meadowlands Magazine for Baby Basics program and community support initiatives.
• The Depot Gift StoreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAll-volunteer exchange store in Midland Park; largest all-volunteer exchange in US. All proceeds benefit CAFS. Donated over $3 million since 1965.
• NJ4S Bergen CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of Bergen County social service providers led by CAFS to provide prevention and support services.
• Rutgers University School of Public HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Perry Halkitis, Dean and Professor, served as keynote speaker at 9th Annual Tree of Addiction Conference.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark: Large faith-based nonprofit in North Jersey providing adoption, foster care, behavioral health, and family services; broad incumbent offering overlapping programs in the same geography.
• Volunteers of America Greater New York: Large multi-state human services nonprofit operating housing, behavioral health, and family programs across the NY/NJ region with overlapping service categories.

Direct peers

• Easterseals New Jersey: Statewide disability services nonprofit offering day programs, residential, and community-based supports for individuals with IDD; directly overlaps CAFS's STRIVE and community residences.
• Family Service League: Regional nonprofit providing counseling, addiction prevention, and family support services; overlaps with CAFS's Strengthening Families and Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources programs.
• The Arc of New Jersey: Statewide advocacy and service organization for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, operating residential, day, and family support programs comparable to CAFS's IDD division.
• Children's Home Society of New Jersey: Pine Hill-based nonprofit with statewide adoption, kinship, and family preservation services; directly comparable to CAFS's adoption, AKLG, and kinship navigator programs.
• Jewish Family & Children's Service of Northern New Jersey: Teaneck-based nonprofit delivering counseling, foster care, and family support services in the same Bergen County/North Jersey geography as CAFS.
• Youth Consultation Service (YCS): Newark-based nonprofit serving vulnerable children and families across New Jersey with foster care, residential, and educational programs, directly overlapping CAFS's child welfare and family services.
• Children's Aid (Rising Ground): Large New York-area nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, juvenile justice, and family services; nearly identical mission, name, and service portfolio to CAFS, making it the closest comparable peer.

Emerging players

• NCADD New Jersey (Partnership to End Addiction): State and national addiction prevention nonprofit offering prevention education and recovery support; comparable to CAFS's Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources program.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cafsnj
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ChildrensAidFamServ?feature=watch
• Facebookfacebook.com/childrens.aid.and.family.services
• Instagraminstagram.com/cafsnj

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 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 Children’s Aid & Family Services