Mather

What Mather does

Mather is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1941 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, dedicated to creating 'Ways to Age Well' for older adults. It operates a dual model combining four owned Life Plan Communities — The Mather in Evanston, IL; The Mather in Tysons, VA (opened 2024); Splendido in Tucson, AZ (293 terrace and villa homes); and Mather Place in Wilmette, IL — with a nationwide freemium community programs portfolio that reached more than 227,500 people in 2025 across residences, virtual programs (53,000+ hours delivered in the US, Canada, and UK), in-person Chicago events, art and garden kits, PAW Packs, and Cook & Connect meal kits. The underlying proprietary framework is 'ContinuWell', built on the Person-Centric Wellness Model from Mather Institute (the research arm founded in 1999), which produces the longitudinal Age Well Study — described as the only national study of Life Plan Community health and wellbeing impact.

The business model mixes subscription-recurring revenue from residence entrance fees and monthly service fees for independent living through skilled nursing with philanthropic and freemium-funded community programming supported by Mather Possibilities (the charitable arm). Senior living residences drive the core fee revenue through direct sales-led relationship selling; community programs are free for adults 55+ and are funded through donations, bequests (e.g., a $5 million Spencer Powell gift for brain health research), and operating budget. Customer segments center on adults 55+ and 62+ and aging-services professionals; key partners include Agilysys (technology), Top Box Foods (food security), Chewy (pet supplies), Meez Meals (meal kits), and multiple U.S. universities. Financially, Mather ended 2025 with $901M in investments and trusts, $1,068M total assets, $666M in net assets, and $389M in owned/managed property, with an S&P AA- Stable bond rating upgraded in July 2025.

Name

Mather

Legal name

Mather

Website

https://mather.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1941

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Mather is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1941 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, that operates four Life Plan Communities in Illinois, Virginia, and Arizona and delivers free community, virtual, and wellness programs for adults 55+ across the US, Canada, and the UK.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Senior Living Services

NAICS

Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)

akta.pro primary industry

Assisted Living with Memory Care (Mixed Campus) (HLADABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Meals, Nutrition & Congregate Dining Day Programs (HSABANAM), Health, Wellness & Healthy Aging Education (Chronic disease, mobility, nutrition) (EDAAAMAG)

Keywords

• Senior living services
• Life plan community
• Independent living
• Assisted living
• Aging well programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Evanston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Senior Living Residence Fees: Monthly fees for independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing services at Life Plan Communities including The Mather Evanston, The Mather Tysons, Splendido Tucson, and Mather Place Wilmette.
2. Charitable Contributions: Donations through Mather Possibilities charitable arm support initiatives beyond operating budget. In 2023, touched lives of 168,700 older adults. Spencer Powell left $5 million bequest funding brain health research.
3. Community Program Services: Free community programs including virtual programs, D.I.T. Art Kits, G.I.T. Garden Kits, in-person events funded through philanthropy and operating budget.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mather operates four Life Plan Communities (senior living residences) offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing across Illinois, Virginia, and Arizona. In parallel, Mather delivers free community-based programs—including virtual classes, in-person events, art and garden kits, and meal/pet programs—for adults aged 55 and older across the US, Canada, and the UK, supported by Mather Institute research and the ContinuWell wellness philosophy.

Product overview

Mather is a not-for-profit organization (founded 1941) dedicated to creating Ways to Age Well through a multi-faceted portfolio of senior living residences and community-based programs. The core offerings consist of four Life Plan Communities: The Mather in Evanston, IL and Tysons, VA, Splendido in Tucson, AZ, and Mather Place in Wilmette, IL. These residential communities are complemented by community programs including Virtual Programs, In-Person Programs, D.I.T. Art Kits, G.I.T. Garden Kits, The Cov wellness center, PAW Packs, and Cook & Connect meal kits. Mather Institute serves as the research and innovation arm, while ContinuWell provides a wellness philosophy framework and Older Is Bolder is an awareness initiative. The organization enhanced the lives of more than 227,500 people in 2025.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Older Is Bolder: Mobile art installation initiative encouraging Chicagoland residents to look beyond age, embrace growing older, and appreciate the impactful lives of older adults.
• Mather Institute
• D.I.T. Art Kits
• G.I.T. Garden Kits
• PAW Packs
• The Cov
• Mather Possibilities

Products and services

• The Mather Evanston A Life Plan Community in Evanston, Illinois, offering 240 independent living apartment homes plus assisted living, memory care, long-term care, and rehabilitation services for older adults.
• The Mather Tysons A Life Plan Community near Washington D.C. offering luxury apartment homes for adults 62+ with assisted living, memory support via the Kokua health center, fine dining, spa, and fitness amenities.
• Splendido A Life Plan Community in Tucson, Arizona, at the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains, offering 293 Terrace and Villa Homes with assisted living, memory care, and Medicare-certified skilled nursing for older adults.
• Mather Place An independent living rental community in Wilmette, Illinois, on Chicago's North Shore for adults 62+, offering maintenance-free living, dining, and wellness amenities.
• Virtual Programs Free online classes and programs for adults 55+ including mindfulness meditation, art discussions, brain health, gardening, fitness and balance, history, and special topic offerings available nationwide.
• In-Person Programs Complimentary hands-on projects, guided wellness classes, and community events across Chicagoland neighborhoods, including Move & Mingle, Walking & Wellness Club, and creative workshops for adults 55+.
• D.I.T. Art Kits Do-It-Together Art Kits delivered monthly to Illinois residents 55+, containing materials and instructions for creative projects (mosaic coasters, macramé wall hangings, clay crafts) with weekly Zoom session support.
• G.I.T. Garden Kits Grow-It-Together Garden Kits provided to Illinois residents 55+ containing materials and instructions to grow herbs and vegetables indoors, including five seed packets (arugula, dandelion, mint, basil, cilantro).
• The Cov Free arts and wellness programs at New Covenant Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood, offering line dancing, Pilates, yoga, crafts, and hydroponic garden herbalism for adults 55+.
• PAW Packs Free pet food and treat deliveries to Chicago residents 55+ in select zip codes, delivered in partnership with Chewy.
• Cook & Connect Free meal kit deliveries to Chicago residents 55+ in select zip codes, delivered in partnership with Meez Meals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 53,000+ virtual program hours delivered to older adults in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AgilysyscoreTechnology or Integration · 15 May 2026Mather senior living communities deploy Agilysys technology solutions including PMS, POS, reservations and guest engagement systems. Specific outcomes include 50% reduction in maintenance staff time and record online booking revenue at Mather communities.
• Top Box FoodscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2025Mather partnered with Top Box Foods to distribute food baskets to over 15,000 Chicago households, expanding from an initial pilot program. The initiative provides nutritious food and recipes to older adults experiencing food insecurity due to SNAP benefit pauses, with a total commitment of $5.6 million over 14 months.
• Illinois LibrariesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMather programs partner with libraries across Illinois to deliver community programs including art kits, wellness activities, and educational sessions at library locations.
• Meez MealsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMather partners with local business Meez Meals to deliver free meal kits to Chicago residents age 55+ in select zip codes through Cook & Connect program.
• ChewyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMather partners with Chewy to deliver free pet food and treats to Chicago residents age 55+ in select zip codes through PAW Packs program.
• University PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMather Institute regularly collaborates with universities around the country as an innovation incubator, transforming senior living through research partnerships. Partner institutions include Northwestern University and others.
• Community OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMather community programs are complemented by in-person events and community collaborations across Chicagoland, including museums, cultural institutions, and healthcare organizations.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vi Living: Operator of 10+ luxury continuing care retirement communities in major U.S. metros. Direct peer to Mather on the upscale Life Plan Community positioning, continuum of care, and high-amenity offering; notable also because Mather's current CFO previously held a leadership role at Vi.
• Presbyterian Senior Living: Non-profit, faith-affiliated operator of senior living communities (independent living, personal care, skilled nursing, memory care) primarily in the Mid-Atlantic. Closely comparable to Mather on non-profit status, mission-driven positioning, and multi-state Life Plan Community model.
• Senior Lifestyle: Operates a portfolio of independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities across the U.S. Closely comparable to Mather on service mix, target demographic, and multi-state footprint; differs in being a for-profit operator.
• Life Care Services: Operator/manager of more than 140 Life Plan Communities (CCRCs) across the U.S. — among the largest CCRC management platforms. Most direct peer to Mather on the Life Plan Community model, including entrance-fee structure, continuum of care, and nonprofit/affiliated governance.
• Belmont Village Senior Living: Privately held operator of more than 40 senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care with a research-based wellness program. Comparable to Mather on the wellness-franchised assisted living + memory care model.
• Sunrise Senior Living: Operates a portfolio of senior living communities in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. offering assisted living, memory care, independent living, and short-term stays. Closely matches Mather on the care continuum and the geographic reach into the UK (where Mather's virtual programs also extend).
• Erickson Senior Living: Manages a national network of large-scale continuing care retirement communities for older adults. Directly comparable to Mather's Life Plan Community operating model, large-campus format, and continuum of care; differs in being a single-organization owner/operator with 20+ communities versus Mather's four.
• National Senior Campuses (NSC): Non-profit system of continuing care retirement communities serving older adults across multiple U.S. states. Direct peer to Mather on the non-profit CCRC/Life Plan Community model, multi-state footprint, and mission-driven senior living.

Broad incumbents

• Atria Senior Living: Major for-profit senior living operator with more than 200 communities across the U.S. and Canada, offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care. Comparable to Mather on the residential continuum-of-care model and target customer (adults 65+); differs in being a private, for-profit, multi-state platform.
• Brookdale Senior Living: Largest operator of senior living communities in the United States, providing independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Directly comparable to Mather on service mix and target demographic; differs in being a publicly traded, for-profit operator with much larger scale (~650 communities).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/MatherLifeways
• Facebookfacebook.com/matheragewell
• Instagraminstagram.com/matheragewell
• Xx.com/matheragewell
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/matheragewell

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Mather