UMFS

What UMFS does

Shineforth (formerly UMFS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1900 as a Methodist orphanage and rebranded to Shineforth in 2025. The organization operates eight locations across the Commonwealth of Virginia and provides a continuum of child and family services including K-12 specialized education at two private day schools (Charterhouse School in Richmond and Edinburg), treatment foster care, youth residential treatment at the Child & Family Healing Center for youth ages 11-17 with trauma experience, adoption services, family support, counseling, life skills training for youth with autism and foster care experience, and services for unaccompanied migrant minors through a partnership with the Caminos Home Study & Post Release Services Program. The organization employs between 251 and 500 staff including educators, therapists, and mental health professionals who collaborate to deliver personalized trauma-informed care.

The business model is a nonprofit human services model with revenue derived from a mix of government contracts (state DSS, Medicaid, federal refugee resettlement), private school tuition, and philanthropic donations. The organization relies on a multi-channel intake and referral system including a dedicated phone line, online referral forms, faith-based community partnerships, and outreach to social workers and child welfare professionals. Marketing and donor engagement are supported through a website, blog, speaker series, publications, and a newsletter called the Generosity Collective. No public pricing exists as services are provided to children and families in need across Virginia, and revenue is not publicly disclosed.

Operationally, Shineforth is led by executive leadership including a Chief Program Officer (Adalay Wilson, retiring after 35 years as of February 2025), with no disclosed technology platform, AI/ML capabilities, or proprietary software. The organization is governed as an independent nonprofit corporation with no parent company, private equity, or venture capital backing. Its competitive position rests on 125+ years of brand legacy, a licensed and accredited multi-site service network, and integrated continuum-of-care delivery that makes it difficult for new entrants to replicate quickly within the Virginia child welfare market.

Name

UMFS

Legal name

Shineforth

Website

https://umfs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1900

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Shineforth (formerly UMFS) is a 125-year-old Virginia-based nonprofit operating eight locations that provide foster care, residential treatment, K-12 specialized education, adoption, counseling, and family support services to children, teens, and families across the Commonwealth.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Family Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Behavioral & Social-Emotional Support (ABA, PBIS, Counseling) (EDAJAKAE)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Foster care programs
• Residential treatment
• Special education services
• Adoption services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Shineforth (formerly UMFS) is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides a continuum of child and family services across eight Virginia locations, including specialized K-12 education at two private day schools (Charterhouse School), treatment foster care, youth residential treatment at the Child & Family Healing Center for trauma-affected youth ages 11-17, adoption services, mental health counseling, family support, life skills training for young people with autism and foster care experience, and home study/post-release services for unaccompanied minors via the Caminos partnership. Services are delivered in person by a multidisciplinary team of educators, therapists, and mental health professionals.

Product overview

Shineforth is a social services organization offering a portfolio of programs and services for children, teens, and families across Virginia. The organization operates eight locations and provides a continuum of care including specialized K-12 education at Charterhouse School (two private day schools), treatment foster care, youth residential treatment at the Child & Family Healing Center, adoption services, family support, life skills training, counseling, and services for unaccompanied minors through the Caminos partnership. The programs are designed to meet people where they are, offering personalized paths toward healing and stability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• K-12 Education (Charterhouse School) Specialized K-12 education services delivered at two private day schools located in Richmond and Edinburg, Virginia, designed for students who need individualized or specialized instruction, including students with autism and other learning differences.
• Foster Care Treatment foster care program providing wraparound support and resources for children placed in foster families and for the resource families themselves, with an emphasis on belonging, stability, and clinical support.
• Youth Residential (Child & Family Healing Center) Trauma-informed residential treatment program providing holistic healing in a safe and secure environment for youth ages 11-17 who have experienced trauma and require intensive therapeutic support.
• Adoption Program Adoption services that facilitate permanency for youth in foster care and provide adoptive families with extensive pre- and post-placement resources and support.
• Counseling Mental health counseling services delivered by therapists and mental health professionals for children and families.
• Family Support A comprehensive array of wraparound services supporting every family and child in need, addressing stabilization, parenting, and family functioning needs.
• Life Skills Programs equipping young people with autism and foster care experience with skills for college success and independent living.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Caminos Home Study & Post Release Services Program (HS/PRS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShineforth partners with Caminos Home Study & Post Release Services Program to serve recently migrated youth (unaccompanied minors). The partnership provides home study and post-release services for youth who have migrated, offering comprehensive support including case management and family reunification services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health: National nonprofit operating residential treatment, special education, and foster care across multiple states. Directly comparable integrated continuum-of-care model targeting youth with trauma, autism, and emotional challenges.
• KidsPeace: Nonprofit organization providing residential treatment, foster care, community-based services, and specialized education for children and adolescents. Highly analogous service portfolio and youth population focus.
• Boys Town: Long-standing faith-inspired nonprofit delivering residential youth services, in-home family services, foster care, and specialized education. Directly comparable full continuum of care for at-risk youth and families.
• Arrow Child & Family Ministries: Faith-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, residential treatment, and family preservation services across multiple states. Similar integrated youth and family services mission and operating model.
• Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services: Faith-rooted nonprofit operating residential programs, foster care, adoption, and family services. Comparable historical legacy as a denominational child welfare organization now serving diverse populations.
• National Youth Advocate Program: Nonprofit providing foster care, residential treatment, behavioral health, and community-based services to youth and families across multiple states. Direct overlap in treatment foster care and youth residential programs.
• Children's Home & Aid: Illinois-based nonprofit delivering foster care, adoption, residential services, counseling, and early childhood programs. Comparable comprehensive service portfolio for children and families with deep regional roots.

Broad incumbents

• BrightSpring Health Services: Large diversified provider of home and community-based health and human services including foster care, behavioral health, and youth services. Broader portfolio but operates in overlapping categories with much greater scale.
• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): National provider of home and community-based services for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including foster and behavioral health services. Overlaps with Shineforth's IDD/life skills and residential offerings.

Regional players

• ForKids: Hampton Roads, Virginia-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, family housing, foster care, and case management for children and families. Direct regional peer operating a similar mission in the same state.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/umfs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/umfs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 UMFS