Ellie Fund
Ellie Fund is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that provides free non-medical support services — including groceries, transportation, housekeeping, child and senior care, prepared meals, and integrative therapies — to breast cancer patients undergoing treatment, regardless of income or insurance status.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersNeedham, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Ellie Fund does
Ellie Fund is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1996 by two sons to honor their late mother Ellie Popkin, who lived with metastatic breast cancer throughout their childhoods. The organization provides free, non-medical support services to breast cancer patients receiving treatment in Massachusetts (or traveling to Massachusetts for care), regardless of income, insurance status, gender, immigration status, or religion. Its core service portfolio comprises six categories delivered primarily through gift cards or reimbursement: groceries, transportation (gas cards, Uber/Lyft, MBTA, parking), light housekeeping, child and senior care reimbursement, prepared meals via partnership with Nutre Meals, and integrative therapies including acupuncture, oncology massage, and Reiki. The organization supplements direct services with virtual and in-person support groups, including a dedicated BIPOC support group hosted at the Dorchester YMCA.
Ellie Fund operates a hybrid go-to-market combining clinical referrals from major Massachusetts healthcare systems (Dana-Farber, Massachusetts General Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess) and community health centers with a multilingual self-referral online platform launched in 2023 in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Distribution is amplified through "Meet Ellie" awareness postcards in 12+ languages distributed via volunteer ambassadors in clinical and community settings. Revenue is generated entirely through tax-deductible donations, corporate sponsorships and grants (including Genentech, Hologic, Arbella Insurance, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA), signature fundraising events (Red Carpet Gala, Real Golfers Wear Pink golf tournament, Boston Marathon and Falmouth Road Race teams), and planned giving vehicles. There is no proprietary technology platform underpinning the service delivery model; the organization relies on healthcare provider partnerships and community engagement for distribution.
The organization is led by Executive Director Meredith Mendelson (since 2018), under whom patient counts have more than doubled. Ellie Fund serves as the permanent host of the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition and operates the Equitable Pathways to Breast Cancer Care initiative, which embeds support services into clinical trial access and expanded hospital collaborations. The organization self-describes as a $5 million nonprofit, employs 11-50 staff, and currently serves approximately 2,000 breast cancer patients annually against a Massachusetts incidence of roughly 7,000 new cases per year, representing both its growth runway and its addressable market.
Ellie Fund firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ellie Fund
- Legal name
- Ellie Fund
- Website
- https://elliefund.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Ellie Fund is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1996 that provides free non-medical support services — including groceries, transportation, housekeeping, child and senior care, prepared meals, and integrative therapies — to breast cancer patients undergoing treatment, regardless of income or insurance status.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ellie Fund industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Cancer Patient Support Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF)
Keywords
Where Ellie Fund is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Needham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ellie Fund business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting breast cancer patients, including annual fund contributions and memorial gifts. Donors can give online, by check, or through Donor-Advised Funds.
- Corporate Sponsorships & Grants: Funding from corporations, foundations, and healthcare partners including Genentech, Hologic, Arbella Insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, and various regional foundations supporting the Equitable Pathways initiative.
- Special Events: Major fundraising events including the annual Red Carpet Gala (30th held in 2026, exceeded $1 million), Falmouth Road Race team, Boston Marathon team, Real Golfers Wear Pink tournament, and community fundraising campaigns.
- Planned Giving & Endowments: Legacy gift planning, bequests, IRA charitable rollovers, and endowment funds including the Ruth 'Chip' Spalding Endowment Flower Fund and Thanda Fields Brassard Endowment Fund for metastatic breast cancer patients.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels11 records
Ellie Fund product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ellie Fund is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, non-medical support services to breast cancer patients during treatment, including grocery gift cards, transportation assistance (gas cards, rideshare, MBTA), light housekeeping, childcare and senior care reimbursement, prepared meal gift cards, and gift cards for integrative therapies (acupuncture, oncology massage, Reiki). The organization also facilitates free virtual and in-person support groups and connects patients to services via healthcare provider referrals or a multilingual self-referral online platform.
Product overview
Ellie Fund is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing essential support services for breast cancer patients to ease the stresses of everyday life. The organization offers a unified set of direct patient services including Groceries Support, Transportation Assistance, Light Housekeeping, Child and Senior Care, Prepared Meals, and Integrative Services. These core services are delivered alongside emotional support programs including virtual support groups (Ellie Talks), in-person BIPOC support groups, and multilingual outreach through Meet Ellie Postcards. Strategic initiatives include the Equitable Pathways to Breast Cancer Care program and hosting of the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition. The organization operates community fundraising and awareness programs including Team Ellie athletic events, October for Ellie campaigns, Students for Hope, Skating Strides, and Seeds of Support. Major annual events include the Red Carpet Gala and Real Golfers Wear Pink tournament. Patients can access services through healthcare provider referrals or self-referral via an online platform available in multiple languages.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Groceries Support Provides grocery gift cards usable at most grocery stores across Massachusetts to help breast cancer patients manage food costs during treatment.
- Transportation Assistance Helps breast cancer patients get to and from medical appointments through gas gift cards, medical escort services, MBTA programs (THE RIDE and Commuter Rail), parking expenses, and Uber or Lyft support.
- Light Housekeeping Offers light housekeeping support through partner companies, with the option for patients to choose their own provider and receive reimbursement.
- Child and Senior Care Reimburses a portion of childcare and senior care costs including before- and after-school programs, summer camps, daycare, and in-home care so patients can focus on treatment.
- Prepared Meals Provides gift cards for Nutre Meals, a preferred meal delivery or takeout service, making it easier for breast cancer patients to access healthy meals during treatment and recovery.
- Integrative Services Provides gift cards for reimbursement of integrative therapies including acupuncture, oncology massage, and Reiki or other healing practices during treatment and recovery.
- Ellie Talks (Virtual Support Groups) Free virtual support groups facilitated by a licensed counselor where breast cancer patients share experiences, ask questions, and build community. Separate tracks for Metastatic (Stage 4, 2nd Tuesday monthly) and Curative (Stages 0-3, 2nd Thursday monthly) patients.
- BIPOC Support Group In-person support group for women of color navigating breast cancer, offered in partnership with the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition; meets Wednesdays at 6:00 PM at Dorchester YMCA.
- Self-Referral Platform Online self-referral platform launched in 2023 that lets breast cancer patients apply directly for Ellie Fund services. Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French to address cultural, privacy, and trust barriers to accessing support.
Quantifiable outcome
- Patient surveys prove Ellie Fund services improve breast cancer patients' quality of life, with findings presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Ellie Fund
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Ellie Fund technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ellie Fund partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, operational and regional.
- Dana-Farber Cancer InstitutecoreIn 2022, after discussions about leadership, sustainability, and long-term growth, the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition (founded by Dana-Farber and Boston Public Health Commission in 2014) found its permanent home at Ellie Fund. Dana-Farber participates as a member with Kathryn Rigby serving on the BBCEC committee. Steven Isakoff, MD, PhD serves on Ellie Fund's Board as Associate Director for Clinical Research at MGH Cancer Center.
- Boston Public Health CommissioncoreCo-founded the Boston Breast Cancer Equity Coalition in 2014 with Dana-Farber. Mark Kennedy serves on the BBCEC committee representing the Commission. The coalition addresses inequities in breast cancer care for under-resourced communities through educational opportunities.
- Nutre MealsoperationalPreferred meal delivery or takeout service partner. Ellie Fund provides gift cards for Nutre Meals to patients for healthy meal support during treatment and recovery.
- WCVB BostoncoreOfficial media partner for the 30th Annual Red Carpet Gala 2026. WCVB provided live coverage of the event and has covered Ellie Fund stories during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
- Worcester RailersregionalProfessional sports team partner for Skating Strides hockey fundraising program. Teams turn rinks pink for Ellie Fund through various fundraising activities.
- MassDOTregionalPartner for Light the Night Pink initiative. MassDOT lights four bridges pink including Zakim (Boston), Longfellow (Boston), Fore River (Weymouth), and Burns (Worcester) for Breast Cancer Action Month.
- Northeastern University HockeyregionalCollege hockey partner for Skating Strides program. Participates in pink-the-rink fundraising with custom jerseys, chuck-a-puck promotions, and specialty merchandise sales.
- Boston University HockeyregionalCollege hockey partner for Skating Strides program. Teams turn pink to support breast cancer patients and fundraise for Ellie Fund.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ellie Fund competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CancerCare: CancerCare provides counseling, support groups, education, and financial assistance to people with cancer. Its broader cancer-support platform overlaps Ellie Fund's navigation and practical patient-support activities.
- Susan G. Komen: Susan G. Komen is a national breast-cancer nonprofit with patient support, education, advocacy, and research programs. It is a broader incumbent that competes for the same breast-cancer donors and community relationships.
Emerging players
- Cancer Support Community: Cancer Support Community operates a broad network of psychosocial support, education, and cancer-navigation services. It overlaps Ellie Fund's support-group, patient-access, and community-support mission.
- The Breasties: The Breasties builds peer community, events, and support for people affected by breast and gynecologic cancers. It compares through community-led engagement with patients, survivors, and caregivers.
Direct peers
- Young Survival Coalition: Young Survival Coalition focuses on education and support for younger people affected by breast cancer. It shares Ellie Fund's core beneficiary population and community-based support layer.
- Patient Advocate Foundation: Patient Advocate Foundation provides case management and financial and insurance navigation to patients with chronic illnesses. It is comparable to Ellie Fund's benefits-navigation and logistical support, although it serves a broader disease population.
- Pink Fund: Pink Fund provides financial assistance to breast cancer patients for non-medical expenses, closely matching Ellie Fund's patient-support and financial-assistance model.
- Living Beyond Breast Cancer: Living Beyond Breast Cancer provides education, support, and resources across the breast cancer journey. It is comparable through its patient education, peer support, and survivorship engagement.
- Family Reach: Family Reach helps families manage cancer-related financial burdens through grants and navigation, making it a direct analog to Ellie Fund's food, transportation, household, and care support.
- Cleaning for a Reason: Cleaning for a Reason provides free home-cleaning services to cancer patients, overlapping directly with Ellie Fund's light-housekeeping offering and patient-support mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Ellie Fund social profiles
Digital presenceEllie Fund compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Ellie Fund financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ellie Fund leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Ellie Fund funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ellie Fund 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 Ellie Fund
What does Ellie Fund do?
Ellie Fund is a Massachusetts-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, non-medical support services to breast cancer patients during treatment, including grocery gift cards, transportation assistance (gas cards, rideshare, MBTA), light housekeeping, childcare and senior care reimbursement, prepared meal gift cards, and gift cards for integrative therapies (acupuncture, oncology massage, Reiki). The organization also facilitates free virtual and in-person support groups and connects patients to services via healthcare provider referrals or a multilingual self-referral online platform.
Is Ellie Fund a public or private company?
Ellie Fund is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ellie Fund founded?
Ellie Fund was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Ellie Fund based?
Ellie Fund is headquartered in Needham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ellie Fund make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships & Grants, special Events and planned Giving & Endowments.
Who are Ellie Fund's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CancerCare and Susan G. Komen. Emerging players are Cancer Support Community and The Breasties. Direct peers are Young Survival Coalition, Patient Advocate Foundation, Pink Fund, Living Beyond Breast Cancer, Family Reach and Cleaning for a Reason.
Does Ellie Fund have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ellie Fund.
What industry is Ellie Fund in?
Ellie Fund's product category is Nonprofit Cancer Patient Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAK, Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services, with a secondary code of HLAJALAF, Community Health & Prevention Program Funding. Its NAICS code is 624190.