The Avenue
The Avenue Family Network, Inc. (d.b.a. Caring Connection) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1891 that provides free social services — including domestic violence shelter, elder abuse intervention, adult day services, and guardianship — to children, families, and adults across Berrien and Van Buren Counties in Southwest Michigan.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1891
- HeadquartersBenton Harbor, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Avenue does
The Avenue Family Network, Inc., doing business as Caring Connection, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 777 Riverview Drive in Benton Harbor, Michigan, founded in 1891 as the National Children's Home Society for the District of Michigan. Originally focused on finding permanent homes for orphaned children, the organization has evolved over 130+ years into a multi-program social services provider serving children, families, and adults of all ages across Berrien and Van Buren Counties in Southwest Michigan. The organization rebranded from 'The Avenue' to 'Caring Connection' around 2023 to reflect its expanded scope.
The organization's service portfolio comprises four core programs: Adult Day Services providing therapeutic daytime care for adults with memory loss, cognitive impairments (Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, stroke), developmental disabilities, and related conditions across three locations (Benton Harbor, Paw Paw, South Haven); the Empowerment Center, formerly the Cora Lamping Center, offering shelter, a 24-hour crisis hotline, legal advocacy, counseling, support groups, and sexual assault services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence; a Guardianship program with National Guardianship Association-certified case managers providing court-appointed guardianship, financial management, and representative payee services for cognitively challenged adults; and the Safe & Secure program addressing elder abuse, exploitation, neglect, hoarding, and unsafe housing for vulnerable seniors aged 60 and older. All client-facing services are provided free of charge and confidential.
The underlying operating model is a hybrid nonprofit funding structure drawing from four revenue streams: charitable donations (monetary and in-kind), government and foundation grants (Area Agency on Aging, Van Buren Community Mental Health, Riverwood Mental Health, Veterans Administration, KCF Foundation, Pokagon Fund, DTE Foundation, South Haven Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan), corporate sponsorships (notably Corewell Health), and insurance/managed care reimbursements for Adult Day Services. The organization employs between 51 and 100 staff, including a CEO (Robin McGinnis, MSW), CFO (Wayne Sawyer), and program directors for each major service line. The Caring Connection Auxiliary, a women's volunteer organization founded in 1915, serves as a longstanding fundraising arm via events such as the annual Ice Cream Social. The organization uses no proprietary technology platforms — its digital footprint consists of a Squarespace website, a Bloomerang donation portal, and standard phone/email helplines.
The Avenue firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Avenue
- Legal name
- The Avenue Family Network, Inc.
- Website
- https://theavenue.ngo
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1891
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Avenue Family Network, Inc. (d.b.a. Caring Connection) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1891 that provides free social services — including domestic violence shelter, elder abuse intervention, adult day services, and guardianship — to children, families, and adults across Berrien and Van Buren Counties in Southwest Michigan.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Avenue industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Social Services
- NAICS
- Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Companion Care & Social Support (non-clinical) (HLADAGAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training (HLADALAG), Community Resources, Social Services & Transportation Coordination (HLADALAK)
Keywords
Where The Avenue is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Benton Harbor
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
The Avenue business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations: Monetary donations from individuals, community members, and organizations supporting the organization's social service programs.
- Government and Foundation Grants: Funding from government agencies, foundations, and nonprofit funders including Area Agency on Aging, Van Buren Mental Health, Riverwood Mental Health Center, and the Veterans Administration.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship support from corporations such as Corewell Health for fundraising events like Comedy for a Cause.
- Program Service Fees: Insurance companies and managed care providers fund adult day services. Private pay options also available for some services.
- In-Kind Donations: Donations of food, household goods, toys, clothing, and other necessities from community partners to support shelter residents and families.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Free Services - All programs provided at no cost to clients |
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Avenue product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Caring Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, confidential social services in Southwest Michigan, including domestic and sexual violence shelter and crisis response, daytime therapeutic care for adults with memory loss and developmental disabilities, court-appointed guardianship with certified case managers, and elder abuse prevention and intervention. Programs are delivered directly through multiple physical locations and a 24-hour helpline to vulnerable individuals and families across Berrien and Van Buren Counties.
Product overview
The Avenue (d.b.a. Caring Connection) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of social service programs serving children, families, and adults in Southwest Michigan since 1891. The organization operates as a unified service provider with multiple interconnected programs including: Adult Day Services providing daytime care and therapeutic activities for adults with memory loss and special needs; the Empowerment Center offering shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and support for domestic and sexual violence survivors; Guardianship services for vulnerable adults requiring decision-making support; Safe & Secure addressing elder abuse and neglect; a 24-hour crisis hotline; Community Education classes; and volunteer/donation programs. All services are provided free of charge and confidential, with locations in Benton Harbor, Paw Paw, and South Haven.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Empowerment Center: Formerly the Cora Lamping Center for Survivors of Domestic and Sexual Violence. Provides shelter, helpline, legal advocacy, counseling, support groups, and sexual assault services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
- Guardianship
- Adult Day Services
- Safe & Secure
Products and services
- Adult Day Services A daytime program providing a safe environment for adults with memory loss, developmental disabilities, and cognitive impairments (Alzheimer's, dementia, stroke, Parkinson's) to participate in therapeutic activities and memory enhancement exercises, while also providing respite for family caregivers. Funded by insurance/managed care, private pay, Area Agency on Aging, Van Buren and Riverwood Mental Health, and the Veterans Administration.
- Empowerment Center Comprehensive service program for survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their children, providing confidential shelter, a 24-hour crisis helpline, legal advocacy, individual counseling, support groups, care advocacy, basic needs assistance, and sexual assault services, delivered free of charge. Operated from community-based offices in Benton Harbor and Three Oaks, Michigan.
- Guardianship Services Court-appointed guardianship, financial management, and representative payee services for adults 18+ who are cognitively challenged, developmentally disabled, mentally ill, or otherwise unable to make or communicate sound decisions about their personal finances or emotional needs. All case managers are certified by the National Guardianship Association.
- Safe & Secure Elder abuse prevention and intervention program providing safe housing, abuse intervention, financial exploitation protection, neglect assistance, and hoarding support for vulnerable adults aged 60 and older in Berrien and Van Buren Counties, Michigan.
- 24-Hour Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline 24-hour telephone crisis line providing immediate response to domestic and sexual violence emergencies, with access via phone (269-925-9500) and email ([email protected]).
- Community Education Educational programming for the Southwest Michigan community, including SAVVY Caregiver training and Guardianship Classes, designed to build caregiver skills and public awareness around aging and guardianship topics.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1100 boxes of Girl Scout cookies distributed to county nonprofits through community sharing partnership
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Avenue
Customer profileSegments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Avenue technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Avenue partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
22 partnerships are on record, tiered major sponsor, community partner, funder, core funder, advocacy partner, food partner, core partner and program partner.
- Corewell Healthmajor sponsorMajor sponsor for Comedy for a Cause fundraising event on April 23rd. Corewell Health Foundation Southwest provides ongoing support for community health initiatives.
- Four Winds Casinocommunity partnerDonated 100 Turkey Dinner Boxes for Thanksgiving and 85 Ham Dinner Boxes for Christmas to families in need in the community.
- LECO Corporationcommunity partnerDonated hams to the domestic violence shelter to support families during the holiday season.
- Community Foundation for Southeast MichiganfunderMade monetary donations to support Caring Connection and their programs during the holiday season.
- Area Agency on Agingcore funderGovernment agency funder for Adult Day Services programs serving seniors and adults with memory loss.
- Van Buren Community Mental Healthcore funderMental health services provider and funder for Adult Day Services in Van Buren County.
- Riverwood Mental Health Centercore funderMental health services provider and funder for Adult Day Services programs.
- Veterans Administrationcore funderFederal government funder providing support for Adult Day Services for veterans and their families.
- United Way of Southwest Michigancore funderMajor nonprofit funder and community partner supporting various programs and services.
- South Haven Elks Clubcommunity partnerProvided in-kind donations of food, paper products, household goods, toys and clothing for families staying at the domestic violence shelter during December.
- Berrien County Sheriff's Departmentcommunity partnerProvided in-kind donations for families at the domestic violence shelter.
- Girl Scouts (Berrien County and Northern Indiana Michiana)community partnerDelivered over 1100 boxes of unsold cookies to Caring Connection which were then shared with other county nonprofits.
- Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violenceadvocacy partnerState-level coalition advocating for funding of critical victim services and prevention programs.
- Feed America West Michiganfood partnerFood bank partner providing support for food distribution programs.
- KCF FoundationfunderFoundation funder supporting community programs and services.
- Pokagon FundfunderPrivate foundation providing financial support for community initiatives.
- DTE FoundationfunderCorporate foundation supporting community programs and services.
- South Haven Community FoundationfunderLocal community foundation supporting programs in the South Haven area.
- Caring Connection Auxiliarycore partnerWomen's organization supporting and raising funds for community services since 1915. Known for annual Ice Cream Social fundraiser, provides monthly meals for support groups, and exit baskets for shelter guests.
- St. Joseph/Benton Harbor Rotarycommunity partnerService club providing community support and donations.
- Boys and Girls Club of Benton Harborcommunity partnerYouth organization providing in-kind donations and community support.
- YDC (Youth Development Center)program partnerPartner organization for Intergenerational Program at South Haven Adult Day Center, with children participating in story time activities with adult day participants.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Avenue competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- United Way of Southwest Michigan: Major regional nonprofit funder and convener supporting human-services programs across the same counties — directly comparable in nonprofit governance, funding mobilization, and community-coordination role that Caring Connection plays.
- Area Agency on Aging Region IV: Southwest Michigan's primary funder and operational peer for elder services, including adult day programming, caregiver support, and elder abuse intervention — directly comparable to Caring Connection's Adult Day Services and Safe & Secure programs.
- YWCA Southwest Central Michigan: Regional YWCA chapter operating a domestic violence/sexual assault shelter and survivor services in Kalamazoo/Battle Creek — directly comparable to Caring Connection's Empowerment Center program in mission, service mix, and Southwest Michigan footprint.
- Salvation Army of Southwest Michigan: Community-services nonprofit operating emergency assistance, shelter, and senior support across the same Southwest Michigan region — directly comparable in shelter operations, fundraising model, and donor competition.
- Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan: Nonprofit social enterprise serving Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties with workforce development, disability services, and community programs — directly comparable in scale, regional footprint, and multi-program nonprofit model.
- Family & Children's Services of Western Michigan: Regional social-services nonprofit providing counseling, advocacy, and family support — directly comparable in mission, 501(c)(3) model, and Southwest Michigan service territory.
- Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Michigan: Community-based nonprofit serving Berrien and Van Buren Counties with similar donation- and volunteer-driven operating model — comparable in regional nonprofit governance, fundraising scale, and corporate-sponsorship overlap (LECO, Corewell, etc.).
- Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan: Nonprofit delivering in-home nutrition and social-check-in services to seniors in the same region — directly comparable in elder-services mission, donor/volunteer mobilization model, and Safe & Secure client overlap.
- Catholic Charities of Southwest Michigan: Broad nonprofit social-services provider offering counseling, family services, and community support across Southwest Michigan — directly comparable in multi-program nonprofit service delivery and funding-base overlap.
- The Arc Southwest Michigan: Regional chapter serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities — directly comparable to Caring Connection's Guardianship and Adult Day Services client base and disability-care mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Avenue social profiles
Digital presenceThe Avenue financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Avenue leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
The Avenue funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Avenue 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 The Avenue
What does The Avenue do?
Caring Connection is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, confidential social services in Southwest Michigan, including domestic and sexual violence shelter and crisis response, daytime therapeutic care for adults with memory loss and developmental disabilities, court-appointed guardianship with certified case managers, and elder abuse prevention and intervention. Programs are delivered directly through multiple physical locations and a 24-hour helpline to vulnerable individuals and families across Berrien and Van Buren Counties.
Is The Avenue a public or private company?
The Avenue is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Avenue founded?
The Avenue was founded in 1891. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Avenue based?
The Avenue is headquartered in Benton Harbor, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Avenue make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations are the primary driver. The others are government and Foundation Grants, corporate Sponsorships, program Service Fees and in-Kind Donations.
Who are The Avenue's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are United Way of Southwest Michigan, Area Agency on Aging Region IV, YWCA Southwest Central Michigan, Salvation Army of Southwest Michigan, Goodwill Industries of Southwest Michigan, Family & Children's Services of Western Michigan, Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Michigan, Meals on Wheels of Southwest Michigan, Catholic Charities of Southwest Michigan and The Arc Southwest Michigan.
Does The Avenue have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Avenue.
What industry is The Avenue in?
The Avenue's product category is Nonprofit Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLADAGAB, Companion Care & Social Support (non-clinical), with a secondary code of HLADALAG, Caregiver Support, Coaching & Training. Its NAICS code is 624120 and its SIC code is 8300.