KID

What KID does

Kids In Distress, Inc. (KID) is a Fort Lauderdale-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1976 and incorporated in 1979 to prevent child abuse, preserve families, and treat abused and neglected children across South Florida. The organization is Council of Accreditation (COA) accredited and operates a portfolio of interrelated human services programs including Supported Foster Care and Adoption, KID Preschool PLUS (Gold Seal Provider), Aftercare and Summer Camps, a Family Counseling Center, the NSU-affiliated KID Dental Clinic, and an in-home Family Strengthening suite (KID FIRST, KID HomeBuilders, Healthy Families, Healthy Start, Kinship Support, and Benefit Enrollment). Service recipients span at-risk children, foster and adoptive families, kinship caregivers, and early-childhood learners across Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade counties. The underlying operating model is people- and facility-intensive rather than technology-driven, with clinical delivery through licensed professionals at multi-acre campuses.

KID generates revenue through three principal streams: individual, corporate, and foundation donations; government contracts and grants (notably ChildNet and Broward Sheriff's Office Child Protective Services) for mandated child welfare services; and program service fees from Medicaid, private pay, and low-cost co-pay arrangements for clinical services such as counseling and dental care. The go-to-market is community-led, accessed via self-referral, community outreach, and formal referrals from government agencies; services are provided at no cost to qualifying families for most core programs. Fundraising is augmented by signature annual events (Duck Derby, KID Hero 5K presented by UKG, and Elevate) and channel partnerships such as United Way of Broward County.

The organization completed a transformational 2019 merger with Family Central Inc. (now a wholly owned subsidiary) and in 2024 extended geographic reach into Miami-Dade via the new Miami-Dade Family Support Center. Infrastructure includes a 5-acre Fort Lauderdale main campus, a 4-acre KID West Campus in Southwest Ranches with Foster Family Group Homes, and the Miami Shores site. KID is led by President and CEO Mark Dhooge alongside CFO Dr. Tony Tucker, COO Wendy Salomon, VP of HR Valerie Ford, and VP of Advancement Maria Jose Villavicencio, and has helped more than 20,000 children since founding.

Name

KID

Legal name

Kids In Distress, Inc.

Website

https://kidinc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kids In Distress, Inc. (KID) is a Fort Lauderdale-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 delivering foster care, adoption, family strengthening, counseling, dental, and educational services to at-risk children and families across South Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child Care Services (62441), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Special Needs Early Intervention & Preschool Programs (EDAKAAAE)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Foster care programs
• Family counseling services
• Early childhood education
• Nonprofit family support

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Lauderdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Individual, corporate, and foundation donations provide critical funding for operations and programs serving children and families in South Florida.
2. Government Contracts and Grants: Funding from government agencies including ChildNet and Broward Sheriff's Office Child Protective Services for mandated child welfare services.
3. Program Service Fees: Medicaid and private pay fees for counseling, dental, and other clinical services. Accepts most Medicaid plans, private pay, and offers free or low-cost co-pay services for qualifying children.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Kids In Distress (KID) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers child welfare, family preservation, foster care, adoption support, mental health counseling, pediatric dental care, and early childhood education services to at-risk children and families in South Florida. Services are delivered through programs such as Supported Foster Care, KID Preschool PLUS, Aftercare, Summer Camp, Family Counseling, KID Dental Clinic, KID FIRST, KID HomeBuilders, Healthy Families, Healthy Start, and Kinship Support, with most services offered at no cost or on a sliding scale through Medicaid, donations, and government contracts.

Product overview

KID (Kids In Distress) is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interrelated human services programs rather than a technology product platform. The core offerings include the Supported Foster Care Program providing short and long-term placements; KID Preschool PLUS, Aftercare, and Summer Camps providing educational services; the Family Counseling Center, KID Dental Clinic, and Adoption Support for mental and physical health; and KID FIRST, KID HomeBuilders, Healthy Families, Healthy Start, Kinship Support, and Benefit Enrollment Services for family strengthening. Signature fundraising events (Duck Fest Derby, KID Hero 5K, and Elevate) support the organization's mission. The organization operates across Broward and Palm Beach counties and recently expanded into Miami-Dade through Family Central Inc.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Supported Foster Care Program Provides short- and long-term foster placements for children removed from their homes due to abuse, neglect, and abandonment while birth families work toward reunification. Operates in Broward and Palm Beach counties, including foster family group homes on the main and West campuses.
• KID Preschool PLUS Full-time early childhood education program for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, offering school-readiness curriculum, therapeutic support, and developmental enrichment, including a free VPK program. Holds Florida Department of Education Gold Seal designation.
• KID Aftercare
• KID Summer Camps and Mini Camps Eight-week summer camp for children ages 5 to 12 offering academic programming, physical education, social skills workshops, cultural enrichment, field trips, swimming lessons, and mini-camps during winter, spring, and end of summer.
• Family Counseling Center Professional counseling services for children and families in Broward County addressing infant mental health, positive parenting, grief/loss, divorce, anger issues, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, and school adjustment. Accepts most Medicaid plans, private pay, and offers free or low-cost co-pay services for qualifying children.
• KID Dental Clinic Pediatric dental clinic operated in partnership with Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine, providing affordable preventive, orthodontic, and periodontic services. Accepts Medicaid and private pay.
• Adoption Support Provides vital care before, during, and after adoption through individual therapy, family therapy, and support groups for parents and children to ensure family success.
• KID FIRST (Family Intervention Response & Support Team) In-home family preservation program assisting families in crisis through weekly counseling sessions to teach parenting skills, provide case management, and crisis intervention over a 3-4 month period.
• KID HomeBuilders Internationally recognized evidence-based program designed to strengthen families to prevent out-of-home child placements, serving families with children in imminent danger of removal due to abuse, neglect, or other factors. Maximum capacity of 90 families annually.
• KID Healthy Families Community-based voluntary home visiting program promoting positive parent/child interaction and healthy child development while reducing abuse occurrence. Serves families during pregnancy and with children up to age 5.
• KID Healthy Start Program providing expectant mothers and women with children up to age 3 with resources, support, and education to ensure child health and well-being, including counseling to reduce infant mortality, disease, low birth weight, and pre-term birth.
• Kinship Support Services Services provided throughout Broward County to extended family members or friends who have taken on care and custody of children, offering assistance with legal aid, respite, support groups, and access to benefits.
• Benefit Enrollment Services

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Family Central Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019KID merged with Family Central Inc. in 2019, creating the largest continuum of care for South Florida children and families. Family Central is now a wholly owned subsidiary of Kids In Distress, Inc. Barbara Weinstein serves as President/CEO of Family Central, Inc.
• Nova Southeastern University College of Dental MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Collaborative partnership to operate the KID Dental Clinic, a state-of-the-art pediatric dental clinic. Dental students overseen by NSU faculty provide preventive care and education. Also on KID's Wilton Manors campus, NSU opened The Eye Care Institute offering low-cost eye exams and glasses.
• United Way of Broward CountycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFunding agency partner supporting KID's educational programs including aftercare and summer camp services.
• UKGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUKG is the presenting sponsor of the KID Hero 5K, an annual signature fundraising event.
• Duck Derby Event PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual signature event featuring 40,000 rubber ducks racing for prizes. 18th Annual event offering $10,000 cash prize to lucky duck adopter.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• United Way of Broward County: Funding intermediary and KID partner supporting educational and family programs — adjacent enabling organization representing the donor ecosystem KID depends on.
• Florida Department of Children and Families (community-based care partners): State agency that contracts with KID and similar nonprofits as lead agencies for community-based care — represents the funder/regulator ecosystem that defines operating constraints and revenue opportunity.

Direct peers

• 4KIDS of South Florida: 4KIDS is a South Florida-based nonprofit serving foster children, kinship families, and at-risk youth through residential homes, family preservation, and transition programs — directly comparable to KID in geography, mission, and program mix.
• Children's Home Society of Florida: One of Florida's largest child welfare nonprofits, providing foster care, adoption, family preservation, and early childhood services statewide — directly comparable to KID across nearly all core program lines.
• Our Kids of Miami-Dade / Monroe: Lead child welfare agency for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties providing foster care, adoption, and family support — directly comparable to KID and now a direct competitor following KID's 2024 Miami-Dade expansion.
• Place of Hope: South Florida faith-based nonprofit offering foster care, residential, and family preservation services for at-risk children — directly comparable geographically and programmatically to KID.
• Camelot Community Care: Multi-state child welfare nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, family preservation, and behavioral health services in Florida — directly comparable in service mix and operating model.
• Family Support Services of North Florida: Lead child welfare agency for Northeast Florida offering foster care, adoption, and family strengthening — directly comparable mission and service portfolio, different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: Nationwide behavioral health and child welfare nonprofit operating residential, community, and therapeutic services across multiple states — broader incumbent with overlapping foster and behavioral health offerings.
• Boys Town: Nationally recognized child and family services organization operating residential programs, in-home family services, and community-based programs — a broad incumbent with overlapping foster care and family preservation offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Kidsindistress
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KidsInDistressFL
• Facebookfacebook.com/KidsInDistress
• Instagraminstagram.com/kidincorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kids-in-distress-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 KID