Children's Harbor
Children's Harbor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1911 that operates five early childhood education centers across Virginia's Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore regions, serving children 6 weeks to 10 years old through income-based tuition, government subsidies, and community-funded programs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1911
- HeadquartersNorfolk, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Children's Harbor does
Children's Harbor (legal name: Places and Programs for Children, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and United Way-certified agency that has delivered early childhood care and education in Virginia's Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore regions since its 1911 founding as Norfolk Day Nursery. The organization operates five early childhood centers in Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and the Eastern Shore, serving children from six weeks to ten years old regardless of socio-economic background. Its core service is center-based care and education, supplemented by a Health & Nutrition Program for family day home providers, Community Training and Professional Development for educators, a Virginia Infant Toddler Specialist Network, Therapeutic Day Treatment, and income-based scholarships.
The organization generates revenue through three primary streams: tuition fees set on a sliding scale based on total family income (billed monthly), government and military subsidies including GSA, NACCRA, and Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) third-party client programs, and donations and grants — most notably a long-standing United Way of South Hampton Roads relationship dating to 1923 and a recent $50,000 grant from the Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation for Childcare Access and Stabilization. There is no proprietary software platform or technology stack referenced; the offering is delivered through direct, in-person service at the five centers, with an auxiliary website (childrensharbor.cc) used for marketing, donations, and program information.
Children's Harbor is governed by an independent Board of Directors, with CEO Wayne C. Bell, Jr. leading operations. Recent governance activity includes the November 2025 appointment of Mahmud Samad, MBA, to the Board, explicitly tasked with supporting program expansion and strategic growth. The organization markets through its website, social channels, community training programs, and the annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala, which in 2025 attracted a multi-tier corporate sponsorship base including Sentara, Atlantic Union Bank, Novick Childcare Solutions, Kaplan, Towne Bank, Security Technology Group, Charity Care Group, Safe and Sound, the City of Norfolk, and Wavy-TV 10.
Children's Harbor firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Children's Harbor
- Legal name
- Places and Programs for Children, Inc. dba as Children's Harbor
- Website
- https://childrensharbor.cc
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1911
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Children's Harbor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1911 that operates five early childhood education centers across Virginia's Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore regions, serving children 6 weeks to 10 years old through income-based tuition, government subsidies, and community-funded programs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Children's Harbor industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Early Childhood Education Services
- NAICS
- Child Care Services (62441)
- SIC
- Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Day Childcare Centers (EDACAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers (EDACABAL), Center-Based Toddler Care (18–36 months) (EDACAGAB)
Keywords
Where Children's Harbor is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Norfolk
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
Children's Harbor business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition fees: Tuition-based revenue model where fees are based on total family income with scholarship options for families in need
- Government subsidies: Accepts GSA subsidies, NACCRA subsidies, and VDSS third-party client subsidy programs
- Donations and grants: Funding from United Way and community foundation grants including a $50,000 grant from Eastern Shore of Virginia Community Foundation for childcare access and stabilization
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Income-based tuition with scholarship options |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Children's Harbor product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Children's Harbor operates five center-based early childhood care and education programs for children from 6 weeks to 10 years old across Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and the Eastern Shore in Virginia. The organization supplements its core center services with nutrition support for family day home providers, training and professional development for educators, Virginia Infant Toddler Specialist Network support, and Therapeutic Day Treatment services.
Product overview
Children's Harbor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and certified United Way agency that has provided early care and education services since 1911. The organization operates as a multi-faceted agency offering center-based early childhood programs as models of excellence in childcare. Services include five early childhood programs for children 6 weeks to 10 years old, supported by community programs including Health & Nutrition support, Virginia Infant Toddler Specialist Network, Therapeutic Day Treatment, and Community Training and Professional Development services for educators. The organization also provides scholarships based on family income and accepts various subsidy programs including VDSS, GSA, and NACCRA subsidies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Children's Harbor
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Children's Harbor technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Children's Harbor partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Sentara CaresminorBronze sponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Atlantic Union BankminorGold sponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Novick Childcare SolutionsminorSilver sponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Charity Care GroupminorTable sponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- KaplanminorSponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Towne BankminorSponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Security Technology GroupminorSponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Safe and SoundminorSponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- City of NorfolkminorSponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- Wavy-TV 10minorMedia sponsor of the 18th Annual Safe Harbor Awards Gala 2025
- United Way of South Hampton RoadscoreLong-standing partnership with United Way providing sustained support of programs since 1923. Children's Harbor is a certified United Way agency.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Children's Harbor competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions: National operator of center-based early childhood programs and employer-sponsored childcare, with strong institutional and government partnerships — directly comparable in service model to Children's Harbor but at vastly larger scale.
- KinderCare Learning Companies: Largest private U.S. provider of early childhood education and care across hundreds of centers, offering center-based programs for infants through school-age children — same core offering as Children's Harbor at national scale.
- Primrose Schools: Franchised national chain of accredited early childhood education centers serving infants through after-schoolers, comparable in service model and age range (6 weeks to age 10) to Children's Harbor.
- Learning Care Group: Operates multiple early childhood brands (Childtime, Tutor Time, La Petite Academy) — directly comparable center-based care for infants through school-age children and similar tuition/subsidy model.
- Goddard School: Franchised early childhood education chain serving infants through pre-K with a play-based curriculum — overlapping service offering and age range with Children's Harbor's centers.
- Childcare Network: Regional/southeastern operator of licensed childcare centers accepting subsidy programs — closest direct competitor to Children's Harbor given geography and subsidy-accepting model.
Emerging players
- Guidepost Montessori: Growing network of Montessori early childhood centers serving infants through elementary — a differentiated curriculum approach competing for the same parent demographic in similar regional markets.
- New Horizons Academy: Multi-state operator of early childhood education centers providing infant, toddler, preschool, and school-age care — comparable service portfolio to Children's Harbor's centers.
Regional players
- YMCAs of Virginia (e.g., YMCA of South Hampton Roads): Local YMCA chapters operate licensed early childhood programs and before/after-school care across Hampton Roads — directly competing for the same regional family demographic as Children's Harbor.
Others
- Children's Defense Fund / Child Care Aware of Virginia: Statewide resource and referral network for childcare providers and families — adjacent ecosystem player with overlapping nonprofit, advocacy, and family-support mission to Children's Harbor's community programs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Children's Harbor social profiles
Digital presenceChildren's Harbor compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Children's Harbor financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Children's Harbor leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Children's Harbor funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Children's Harbor M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Children's Harbor
What does Children's Harbor do?
Children's Harbor operates five center-based early childhood care and education programs for children from 6 weeks to 10 years old across Chesapeake, Suffolk, Portsmouth, Norfolk, and the Eastern Shore in Virginia. The organization supplements its core center services with nutrition support for family day home providers, training and professional development for educators, Virginia Infant Toddler Specialist Network support, and Therapeutic Day Treatment services.
Is Children's Harbor a public or private company?
Children's Harbor is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Children's Harbor founded?
Children's Harbor was founded in 1911. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Children's Harbor based?
Children's Harbor is headquartered in Norfolk, United States, in the North America region.
How does Children's Harbor make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Tuition fees are the primary driver. The others are government subsidies and donations and grants.
Who are Children's Harbor's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bright Horizons Family Solutions, KinderCare Learning Companies, Primrose Schools, Learning Care Group, Goddard School and Childcare Network. Emerging players are Guidepost Montessori and New Horizons Academy. YMCAs of Virginia (e.g., YMCA of South Hampton Roads) is listed as a regional player. Children's Defense Fund / Child Care Aware of Virginia is listed as an others.
Does Children's Harbor have an API?
No public API is recorded for Children's Harbor.
What industry is Children's Harbor in?
Children's Harbor's product category is Early Childhood Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDACAAAA, Full-Day Childcare Centers, with a secondary code of EDACABAL, Preschool Programs within Childcare Centers. Its NAICS code is 62441 and its SIC code is 8351.