What Wonders & Worries does

Wonders & Worries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2001 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, that provides free, professional support for children and teenagers ages 2–18 through a parent's serious illness or injury. Its core offering is the trademarked WonderWorks® curriculum, a clinically validated, curriculum-based intervention confirmed through a randomized clinical trial and delivered by Certified Child Life Specialists and licensed mental health professionals. Services are available in English and Spanish across physical offices in Central Texas, Houston, San Antonio, and Atlanta (sponsored), plus national reach via the helpline 1-844-WE-WONDER, the Registered Wonders & Worries Provider (RWWP) network, virtual sessions, the W&W2Go™ mobile apps, WonderChat™ webinars, WonderCast™ podcast, and WonderVR® virtual reality tools. Direct services to children and families are provided at no cost.

The business model is a hybrid of charitable contributions and professional services revenue. Free services are funded by individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and fundraising events (No Worries Classic, Envision Gala, Yappy Hour). Revenue-generating activities include the RWWP credentialing program ($1,350 individual registration for 3 years, with organizational volume discounts and $400 triennial renewals) and Continuing Education programs (live and on-demand courses with PDU/CE fees). The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, led by Executive Director Alex Gabbi, and employs between 11 and 50 staff. As of 2026, the organization has operated for 25 years and helped more than 21,000 children and parents, with the Association of Child Life Professionals issuing a 2019 Position Statement supporting the underlying clinical model.

Name

Wonders & Worries

Legal name

Wonders & Worries, Inc.

Website

https://wondersandworries.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wonders & Worries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, professional support to children and teenagers (ages 2–18) through a parent's serious illness or injury, delivered via its clinically validated WonderWorks® curriculum across Texas, Atlanta, and a national provider network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Family Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Social Assistance (624), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Caregiver Monitoring, Check-In & Family Notification Platforms (HSAHAHAE)

Keywords

• Child life services
• Pediatric psychosocial support
• Family counseling nonprofit
• Grief support services
• Continuing education

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Wonders & Worries relies entirely on donor generosity. The organization receives individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants to fund operations. Donation tiers include amounts ranging from $10 to $1000+ for various programmatic impacts.
2. Registered Provider Training Program: The organization generates revenue through its Registered Wonders & Worries Provider (RWWP) training program. Individual clinicians pay a $1,350 registration fee covering three years of registration, training materials, consultation hours, and ongoing support. Organizations receive volume discounts ($1,250 for 3-4 providers, $1,150 for 5+ providers). Renewal fees are $400 per RWWP every three years.
3. Continuing Education Programs: The organization offers continuing education courses for professionals including child life specialists and licensed mental health professionals. Live and on-demand online classes are available through an online catalog. PDU credits are available for a fee along with NBCC hours.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wonders & Worries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free, professional support services for children and teenagers ages 2-18 who are coping with a parent's serious illness or injury. Services are provided directly by certified child life specialists and licensed mental health professionals using the clinically-validated WonderWorks® curriculum, available in English and Spanish through in-person sessions, virtual support, a national helpline, and a network of authorized Registered Wonders & Worries Providers (RWWPs).

Product overview

Wonders & Worries is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free, professional support services for children and teenagers ages 2-18 through a parent's serious illness or injury. The organization operates a unified service model centered on its clinically-validated WonderWorks® curriculum, supported by a national network of Registered Wonders & Worries Providers (RWWP). The product portfolio includes professional training and credentialing programs, digital resources including the W&W2Go™ mobile apps for parents and professionals, educational content like WonderChat™ webinars and WonderCast™ podcasts, and innovative tools such as WonderVR® virtual reality solutions. Additional offerings encompass a therapeutic activity book, a national helpline (1-844-WE-WONDER), continuing education programs, and youth leadership opportunities through the Teen Leadership Council.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WonderChat™: Free webinars for professional development providing support strategies for professionals working with children of seriously ill parents
• WonderWorks®
• WonderVR®
• W&W2Go™
• WonderCast™
• Registered Wonders & Worries Provider™ (RWWP)

Products and services

• Registered Wonders & Worries Provider Program™ (RWWP) A multi-year training and credentialing program for individual clinicians ($1,350 for first 3 years) and organizations (volume pricing of $1,250 for 3-4 providers, $1,150 for 5+) to become authorized providers of the Wonders & Worries curriculum, including manual, additional curriculums, consultation hours, and listing on the provider directory.
• Continuing Education Programs NBCC-approved (ACEP No. 7106) continuing education courses for clinicians, offering up to 25 NBCC hours plus PDU credits via live and on-demand online classes with paid credits and quiz requirements.
• Wonders & Worries Therapeutic Activity Book A therapeutic activity book compiled by child life specialists providing structured activities for rapport-building, emotional regulation, and illness education for children impacted by a parent's illness.
• WonderChat™ Webinars (with PDU Credits) Professional development webinars available live and on-demand covering topics for child life specialists supporting children through parental illness; viewing is free, with PDU credits available for a small fee plus passing a quiz.
• National Helpline (1-844-WE-WONDER) A toll-free national helpline providing free support and resources to families navigating a parent's illness and to professionals seeking information about Wonders & Worries services.
• Direct Counseling and Support Services for Families Free individual and group counseling, therapeutic activities, and age-appropriate education for children and teenagers (ages 2-18) coping with a parent's serious illness, delivered by certified child life specialists and licensed mental health professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% satisfaction rate with services provided
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Kate's ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlanta community partner offering free grief support services both online and in-person for kids, families and young adults facing life after the death of a parent, sibling, caregiver, or someone important to them. Supports the mission of empowering children and teens.
• Community Foundation for Northeast GeorgiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity foundation that strengthens communities by providing leadership, addressing community needs, and assisting individuals and organizations with charitable giving. Connects people who care with causes that matter.
• Cancer Support Community AtlantaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit organization dedicated to providing support, education, and hope to individuals and families affected by cancer. Offers free programs including support groups, stress reduction classes, education workshops, and social opportunities led by licensed professionals.
• START Center for Cancer CarecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMedical facility in San Antonio where Wonders & Worries maintains an office location (4383 Medical Drive, Suite 127). Provides space for in-person support services to families receiving cancer care at the center.
• Memorial Hermann Health SystemcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHouston Methodist partnership at the Conroe location (Health Education and Learning - HEAL Houston Methodist) providing space for services at Medical Office Building 2, Suite 575.
• Atlanta WonderCouncil MembersminorOthersAdvisory council including Kimberly and Hal Nuckols, Jenna Scheinfeld, Forrest Caton, Paige Vohs, Sybil Hadley, Emma Baker, Shannon Somerville, and ReShea Balams who focus on increasing awareness, introducing potential supporters, and connecting the organization with referring professionals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Camp Kesem: National nonprofit supporting children and teens affected by a parent's cancer through free summer camps and year-round programming. Directly comparable in mission, population served (children of seriously ill parents), and nonprofit donation-driven model.
• Kids Konnected: Nonprofit providing support and education for kids and teens who have a parent with cancer, including peer support groups and bereavement services. Highly comparable in target population and service model, though with regional chapters rather than a centralized curriculum.
• The Children's Treehouse Foundation: Nonprofit offering CLIMB (Children's Lives Include Moments of Bravery), a structured peer-support program for children of parents with cancer, often delivered inside hospitals. Direct peer in target population and intervention format (curriculum-led support for kids of seriously ill parents).
• Kate's Club: Atlanta-based nonprofit offering free grief support for children, teens, and young adults after the death of a parent or significant person. Direct peer in mission, geography (Atlanta), and population served; explicitly listed as a Wonders & Worries community partner.

Broad incumbents

• Cancer Support Community: Large national nonprofit providing free support, education, and hope to people affected by cancer, including family and children programming. Comparable in mission and free-service delivery model, but operates at significantly greater scale and across a broader scope (patient + family).
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Large global nonprofit supporting families with sick children through lodging, meals, and family-centered services. Comparable as a major health-focused nonprofit serving families dealing with serious illness, though focused on the pediatric patient rather than the parent's illness.
• Children's Oncology Group (COG) Family Support Resources: National cooperative research and care organization that includes family psychosocial support guidelines and resources for families facing pediatric cancer. Adjacent ecosystem player that shapes standards of psychosocial care affecting W&W's referral environment.

Others

• Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP): Professional association representing Certified Child Life Specialists; published the 2019 Position Statement supporting specialists working with children of adult patients. Ecosystem partner that legitimizes W&W's curriculum and employs the same talent pool W&W recruits.

Emerging players

• Bright Spot Network: Smaller nonprofit providing support for parents in the NICU and their children, with an emerging national footprint. Adjacent in addressing family psychosocial needs during serious parental medical events, though with a NICU-specific focus.
• Super Sam Foundation: Nonprofit supporting children and families affected by childhood cancer, including sibling and family programs. Comparable in family-centered psychosocial support but primarily focused on the child's illness rather than parental illness.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/WondersnWorries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wonders-and-worries
• Instagraminstagram.com/wondersandworries
• Xx.com/wondersnworries

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 Wonders & Worries