Sandy Feet Initiative

What Sandy Feet Initiative does

Sandy Feet Initiative is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered at 23351 Madero, Suite 280, in Mission Viejo, California. It runs beach-based recreational programs exclusively for neurotypical siblings (ages 7 and older) of children with disabilities, special needs, or chronic illness, operating across multiple Southern California coastal sites in Orange County (San Clemente, Salt Creek/Dana Point, Bolsa Chica/Huntington Beach) and, as of 2026, San Diego County (Moonlight Beach, Encinitas). The core product portfolio comprises week-long summer SibShop beach camps, a six-week Teen Summer Sunset Surfs program, teen meet-ups, single-session SibShops, and year-round after-school programs at what the organization describes as the first-of-its-kind Sibling Center in Mission Viejo. All programs combine water activities such as surfing and boogie boarding with recreationally therapeutic games, art projects, yoga, mindfulness, and facilitated peer-support discussions.

The underlying service model adapts the nationally accredited Sibshop peer-support framework and pairs it with an ocean-based therapeutic recreation layer. Programs are facilitated by staff and youth leaders who are themselves adult siblings of individuals with disabilities, providing lived-experience credibility that the organization positions as a core differentiator. The technology footprint is intentionally lightweight — Wix-hosted website, Eventbrite for event registration, PayPal for donations, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) — with no proprietary software platform or AI components.

Commercially, Sandy Feet operates as a donation- and fee-supported nonprofit. Revenue is generated through program fees (with scholarships available), one-time tax-deductible donations via PayPal, recurring monthly giving, corporate sponsorships (surf shops, equipment makers, food brands), and small affiliate commissions. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, programs are priced per-session or per-camp on a pay-as-you-go basis, and registrations flow primarily through Eventbrite and partner city recreation pages. The organization is privately held with no parent company, no disclosed funding rounds, and a small staff in the 1–10 range.

Name

Sandy Feet Initiative

Legal name

Sandy Feet Initiative

Website

https://sandyfeetoc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sandy Feet Initiative is a Mission Viejo-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that runs beach-based recreational programs exclusively for neurotypical siblings (ages 7+) of children with special needs, disabilities, or chronic illness across Southern California, combining the Sibshop peer-support model with ocean activities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special-needs sibling support services

NAICS

Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAMALAA

Multi-Activity Enrichment Camps (Academic + Arts + Sports)

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/Summer & Holiday Enrichment Camps (Multi-Activity, Academic)

SECONDARYTHAAAOAB

Youth Adventure Camps & Summer Programs

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Educational Adventure Programs (Outdoor Education, Skill Development)

SECONDARYMPAKAJAA

Youth Multi-Sport Camps (General Athletics, Summer Camps)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Sports (Leagues, Teams, Events, Venues)/Sports Camps, Academies & Training Centers

Keywords

• Special needs sibling support
• Therapeutic recreation programs
• Nonprofit youth services
• Beach camp programs
• Peer support groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Dana Point

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Fees charged for beach camps and SibShop programs to cover equipment, permits, and instructor salaries.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations through PayPal supporting equipment purchases (rash guards, wetsuits, booties, surfboards, body/boogie boards) and general operations.
3. Monthly Donations: Recurring monthly donor program for ongoing support.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide equipment and financial support in exchange for brand recognition.
5. Affiliate Revenue: Commission revenue from affiliate links (e.g., Tandem Boogie) where purchases support the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sandy Feet Initiative runs beach-based SibShop recreational programs exclusively for the neurotypical siblings (ages 7+) of children with special needs, disabilities, and chronic illness. Core offerings include week-long summer SibShop Beach Camps at multiple Southern California beaches (San Clemente, Salt Creek/Dana Point, Bolsa Chica/Huntington Beach, Encinitas), Teen Summer Sunset Surfs, teen meet-ups, and after-school programs at the Sibling Center in Mission Viejo. The organization combines the nationally recognized Sibshop peer-support model with ocean-based recreational activities (surfing, boogie boarding, yoga, mindfulness, beach clean-ups) and supplies all program equipment.

Product overview

Sandy Feet Initiative operates a portfolio of beach-based recreational programs exclusively for the neurotypical siblings of children with special needs, disabilities, and chronic illness. The core offerings include week-long SibShop Beach Camps held at multiple Southern California coastal locations (San Clemente, Salt Creek, Bolsa Chica/Huntington Beach, and Encinitas), a 6-week Teen Summer Sunset Surfs program, and after-school programs at the Sibling Center in Mission Viejo. Programs combine water activities (surfing, boogie boarding) with recreationally therapeutic games, art projects, and peer support discussions to build coping skills, communication abilities, and peer connections. The organization adopted the nationally acclaimed SibShops model and added ocean-based activities as a unique differentiator. All equipment including wetsuits, boards, and rash guards is provided to participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SibShop Beach Camp - San Clemente (Linda Lane Beach) Week-long summer beach camp at Linda Lane Beach in San Clemente, California, offering surfing, boogie boarding, beach games, crafts, and peer-support discussions for neurotypical siblings ages 7-12 of children with special needs, disabilities, or chronic illness.
• SibShop Beach Camp - Salt Creek (Dana Point) Week-long beach camp at Salt Creek Beach, Dana Point, featuring boogie boarding, beach games, crafts, and Sibshop-style support discussions for siblings of children with special needs ages 7-12.
• SibShop Beach Camp - Bolsa Chica (Huntington Beach) Week-long summer beach camp at Bolsa Chica State Beach, Huntington Beach, offering boogie boarding, beach games, and crafts for siblings of children with special needs ages 7-12.
• Summer SibShops in Encinitas (Moonlight Beach) Surf sessions at Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas, hosted in partnership with Surfing Madonna Oceans Project, providing wave-riding opportunities for siblings of special-needs children ages 7 and up; wetsuits and equipment are provided.
• Teen Summer Sunset Surfs Six-week surfing program for teenagers meeting Wednesday evenings from 6 PM to 8 PM, combining surfing instruction with facilitated group discussions about the experience of being a sibling to a child with special needs.
• Bolsa Chica Teen Meet Up Teen sibling meet-up at Bolsa Chica State Beach (Tower 20) featuring boogie boarding and group discussions about the unique experiences of siblings of children with special needs.
• After-School Programs at the Sibling Center After-school recreationally therapeutic programs hosted at the Sibling Center in Mission Viejo, California, providing games, art projects, and facilitated discussions that build communication, coping, and life skills for siblings of children with special needs ages 7-12.

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs serve siblings across Southern California with beach camps in San Clemente, Huntington Beach, Dana Point, and Encinitas.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Surfing Madonna Oceans ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2026Partnership to host sibling surf sessions at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas during summer months. Surfing Madonna hosts surf sessions for kids with special needs while Sandy Feet Initiative runs simultaneous programs for siblings, providing best of both worlds beach experience.
• KD Surf ShopminorOthersLocal surf shop providing equipment donations/sponsorship support for beach programs.
• Surfside PizzeriaminorOthersLocal business sponsor supporting Sandy Feet programs through donations.
• XM Surf MoreminorOthersLocal surf business sponsor for beach programs.
• Doyle SurfboardsminorOthersSurfboard manufacturer sponsor providing equipment donations.
• Clif BarminorOthersEnergy bar company providing food/nutrition sponsorship for beach camps.
• Tandem BoogieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAffiliate partnership where purchases through Sandy Feet links generate small commissions supporting the nonprofit's programs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth-development non-profit running after-school and summer programming. Comparable in delivering multi-activity enrichment to youth at dedicated facilities, and in combining fee-based and donation-based revenue, though not focused on the special-needs sibling niche.
• Best Buddies International: Large national non-profit serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with sibling- and family-adjacent programming. Comparable in mission space (special-needs community engagement) and non-profit funding model, though much larger in scope and geographic reach.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: National non-profit serving children with critical illnesses, including through experience-based programming. Comparable as a non-profit supporting children/families in the special-needs community with experience- and recreation-based offerings, though focused on wishes rather than sibling support.
• Easter Seals: Long-standing non-profit providing services for people with disabilities and their families, including family-support programming. Comparable as a special-needs-focused non-profit that serves family units, though the scope is much broader than Sandy Feet's sibling-specific focus.
• Special Olympics: Global non-profit delivering sports and recreational programs for people with intellectual disabilities. Comparable as an incumbent in the special-needs recreation space, with broader scale and a more sports-competition orientation rather than the sibling-support focus.

Others

• Surfrider Foundation: Beach and ocean-focused non-profit active across Southern California. Comparable as a non-profit operating in the same beach/coastal community ecosystem, sharing potential donor and volunteer overlap, though mission-aligned rather than competitive.

Direct peers

• Sibling Support Project: The national non-profit that originated the Sibshop model used by Sandy Feet Initiative. It is the most direct peer — both organizations serve siblings of individuals with special needs, run Sibshop-based programs, and share facilitator training frameworks. Sandy Feet effectively operates a regional chapter of this broader model.

Emerging players

• Surfing Madonna Oceans Project: San Diego-based non-profit running ocean programs for children with special needs. Directly partnered with Sandy Feet Initiative for Encinitas surf sessions; comparable in combining ocean recreation with special-needs programming and a similar SoCal coastal community footprint.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sandyfeetinitiative
• Instagraminstagram.com/sandyfeetoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Sandy Feet Initiative