Name

Extra Special People

Legal name

ESP, Inc.

Website

https://espyouandme.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Down Syndrome & Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Childcare (HSAAAIAC)

Keywords

• Disability services programs
• Special needs recreation
• Inclusive family programs
• Accessible youth programs
• Disability employment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Watkinsville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: Primary revenue stream from individual donors, foundations, and charitable contributions. Families never pay more than 25% of program costs, with scholarships covering the remainder.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Annual corporate sponsorships with tiered levels (Dream, Spark, Celebrate, Thrive, Encourage, Hope) providing recognition, volunteer opportunities, and brand benefits.
3. Space Rentals: ESP spaces are available for rental including the Miracle League Baseball Field ($300/2 hours), Patio + Field ($425/2 hours), Main Space ($250/2 hours), and Camp Hooray Pavilion & Dining Hall ($300/2 hours).
4. SEEABILITY Merchandise: Purpose-driven apparel and accessories brand where purchases directly support ESP programs. Includes brand partnerships like Onward Reserve collaboration.
5. ESP By The Sea Sponsorships: Beach retreat weekend with sponsorship tiers including Presenting Sponsor ($15,000), Lodging Sponsor ($10,000), Parent's Night Out Sponsor ($3,000), Beach Wheelchairs Sponsor ($2,000), Evening Programming Sponsor ($1,000), and Beach Power Hour Sponsor ($500).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Extra Special People (ESP) delivers year-round disability programs and family support experiences across five U.S. communities in Georgia and North Carolina, including Day Camp, Overnight Camp at Camp Twin Lakes, Afternoon Programs, Club Events, ESPLAY music therapy, Miracle League accessible baseball, Member+ virtual programming, and Family Support gatherings (Family Dinners, ESP Sibs, Fall Festival, Family Dance, Jolly Jubilee). Purpose-driven sub-brands include Java Joy (employment pathway through coffee cart hospitality) and SEEABILITY (apparel brand and school-based curriculum), with ESP By The Sea offering accessible beach retreats and the Hooray by ESP Camp & Retreat Center (Holland Campus) under development. Families pay no more than 25% of program cost, with the balance funded through donations, corporate sponsorships, events, and merchandise revenue.

Product overview

Extra Special People (ESP) operates as a multi-community nonprofit organization offering a unified platform of disability support programs rather than a software product. The portfolio centers on in-person experiences across five communities (Athens, Metro Atlanta, Rome, Savannah, and High Point NC), combining core recreation programs (Afternoon Programs, Day Camp, Overnight Camp, Club Events) with family support services (Family Dinners, ESP Sibs, Fall Festival, Family Dance, Jolly Jubilee) and specialized offerings including ESPLAY for young children, Miracle League accessible baseball, and Member+ virtual programming. Purpose-driven sub-brands include Java Joy employment services and SEEABILITY apparel/education initiative. The organization supplements in-person programming with beach retreats (ESP By The Sea) and is developing the Holland Campus at Camp Hooray. Families receive minimum 75% scholarship with no family turned away for inability to pay.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Java Joy: Meaningful employment program for adults with disabilities through statewide coffee carts and on-site service trailers.
• SEEABILITY
• Hooray by ESP Camp & Retreat Center

Products and services

• Afternoon Programs Year-round recreation and enrichment programs for ESP Members of all ages and abilities, offered during afternoon hours in Fall and Spring seasons.
• Day Camp Summer day camp for school-age children through adults featuring creative projects, movement, group games, and social connection with a 2:1 Member-to-Buddy ratio.
• Club Events Short-format social experiences offered throughout the year, designed for Members to explore interests and connect in a relaxed, supportive environment.
• Overnight Camp Week-long overnight camp experience at Camp Twin Lakes in Winder, Georgia, with dedicated sessions for Members ages 21 and under and Members 22 and over.
• ESPLAY (Early Childcare Music Therapy) Music-based experience for children ages 0–4 and their families using music therapy principles to support communication, social interaction, sensory engagement, and emotional expression.
• Miracle League Accessible baseball program with custom rubberized turf fields and universally accessible playground, enabling children of all abilities to play together.
• Member+ Online extension of ESP experience offering live virtual clubs, family resources, recorded programming, welcome supply packs, and merchandise discounts for remote or distant members.
• Family Dinners Regular community gatherings providing free meals and birthday celebrations for ESP Members, creating space for families to connect and feel supported.
• ESP Sibs Support program for siblings of ESP Members offering connection opportunities, social activities, and shared experiences in a supportive environment.
• ESP By The Sea Weekend beach retreat in Laguna Beach, Florida for people with disabilities and their families, providing accessible recreation, community connection, and respite.
• Java Joy Employment pathway program providing meaningful employment for adults with disabilities through statewide coffee carts and on-site service trailers, delivering hospitality and joy to communities.
• SEEABILITY Purpose-driven apparel brand and education initiative helping the world see ability first through merchandise and the SEEABILITY for Schools program.
• SEEABILITY for Schools Year-long school-wide education program building culture of ability and belonging through storytelling, visual content, classroom reinforcement, and student leadership opportunities.
• Hooray by ESP Camp & Retreat Center (Holland Campus) Future Holland Campus at Camp Hooray in Jefferson, Georgia featuring accessible cabins, year-round family retreats, summer day camp, and community gathering spaces.
• The Joy Exchange National Best Seller book by CEO Laura Hope Whitaker exploring joy as a transformative practice through personal stories and ESP community experiences.
• Family Support Resources Community resource guides, information packs, emergency support connections, and ongoing family support through newsletters and trained staff.

Quantifiable outcome

• Java Joy Atlanta created meaningful employment for 20+ adults with disabilities since October 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Camp Twin LakescoreOthersCamp facility partner hosting ESP overnight camp experiences. Provides the location for Club Overnight Camp sessions including week-long programming for members ages 21 and under and members 22 and over.
• Piece of Cake (Baker)minorOthersDonates birthday cakes for ESP Family Dinners' birthday celebration program, supporting member birthday recognitions at monthly gatherings.
• Landmark PropertiescoreOthersNational corporate partner at the Dream tier level, providing support across ESP communities. CEO Tyler Barr serves on ESP National Board.
• Hotel Indigo AthensminorOthersAthens community corporate partner providing support for local ESP programs and events.
• Chick-fil-A Epps BridgeminorOthersAthens community corporate partner supporting ESP programs through Hope tier sponsorship.
• Zaxby's WatkinsvilleminorOthersAthens community corporate partner providing food donations and sponsorship support.
• Georgia Ports AuthorityminorOthersSavannah community corporate partner at Thrive tier level supporting ESP programming in the coastal region.
• Bridgepointe ChurchminorOthersAtlanta community corporate partner at Thrive tier level supporting ESP Metro Atlanta programs.
• Onward ReservecoreOthersBrand partnership collaboration on limited-edition collection merging Onward Reserve's Southern style with SEEABILITY's ability-forward message. Creates new audiences and extends mission reach through authentic co-branded merchandise.
• Atrium Health Floyd-Polk FoundationcoreOthersNamed as founding partner in Rome's 'Home Sweet Rome' $10.7 million campaign, supporting the campaign to build a place where every ability belongs.
• Laguna Beach Florida (Host Community)minorOthersHost location for ESP By The Sea 2026 beach retreat weekend, providing accessible coastal venue for family retreats.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves16 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The Arc: National organization advocating for and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including family support, employment, and community programs. Highly comparable to ESP's holistic family-and-individual disability services approach.
• Easterseals: National nonprofit providing disability services including recreation, camp, employment, and family support across the U.S. Directly comparable to ESP's multi-service disability support model, but operating at vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• Special Olympics: Global organization providing sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable to ESP in delivering recreation-based programming for individuals with disabilities, but with a narrower athletic/competition focus.
• Best Buddies International: Nonprofit creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comparable to ESP through its employment pathway programs and friendship-building mission.

Direct peers

• National Ability Center: Park City, Utah-based nonprofit providing adaptive recreation and outdoor adventures for individuals with disabilities. Directly comparable to ESP through its adaptive recreation programming and similar mission to enable access to experiences otherwise unavailable.
• SOAR (Outdoor Adventure Recreation): North Carolina-based nonprofit providing outdoor adventure programs for youth and adults with disabilities. Directly comparable to ESP in delivering adaptive recreation, with overlap in ESP's newly launched Piedmont Triad territory in High Point, NC.
• Keshet: Illinois-based nonprofit providing programs for children and adults with disabilities including day programs, recreational activities, and family support. Closely comparable to ESP in operating community-based recreational and enrichment programs for people with disabilities.
• Center for Courageous Kids: Kentucky-based nonprofit medical camp serving children with chronic medical conditions and disabilities through residential camp experiences. Comparable to ESP's overnight camp and Miracle League programming model.

Emerging players

• Camp Twin Lakes: Georgia-based nonprofit network of camps serving children with serious illnesses, disabilities, and other life challenges. Serves as ESP's overnight camp venue partner; comparable in mission to provide inclusive camp experiences for children with disabilities.
• SourceAmerica: Nonprofit creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities through federal contracts. Comparable to ESP's Java Joy employment pathway mission but operating at significantly larger scale through AbilityOne program contracts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/espyouandme
• Facebookfacebook.com/ESPyouandMe
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esp-empowers
• Instagraminstagram.com/espyouandme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Extra Special People