Young Friends of Kids with Cancer

Name

Young Friends of Kids with Cancer

Legal name

Friends of Kids with Cancer

Website

https://friendsofkids.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Nonprofit Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer support
• Nonprofit fundraising events
• Young professionals volunteer
• Community charitable engagement
• Hospital partnership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals through the organization's website, mail, and various giving programs including monthly giving clubs (Friends Forever).
2. Friends Forever Loyalty Club: Monthly recurring donation program with tiered giving levels: Smile Maker ($10/month), Battle Booster ($30/month), Family Friend ($60/month), Ambassador of Hope ($90/month), Memory Maker ($140/month), Bell Ringer ($220/month).
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from businesses for events and programs. Includes title sponsors, gold, silver, bronze tiers at events like Golf Tournament, Walk with a Friend, Art from the Heart, and Fashion Show.
4. Third-Party Fundraising Events: Community members and organizations host independent fundraisers benefiting Friends of Kids with Cancer, including school hat days, restaurant partnerships, brewery events, and corporate campaigns.
5. Event Revenue: Registration fees, ticket sales, auction proceeds, and raffle revenue from annual events including Golf Tournament, Fashion Show, Trivia Night, and Pickleball Tournament.
6. Memorial and Honor Gifts: Donations made in memory or honor of individuals, often marking significant life events or commemorating loved ones.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Young Friends of Kids with Cancer is the young-professionals volunteer and fundraising arm of Friends of Kids with Cancer, a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Its core activities are organizing community fundraising events (Pickleball Tournament, Black Sheep Golf Tournament) and cultivating a pipeline of future leaders and donors who support the parent organization's free Educational (Think), Emotional (Feel), and Recreational (Smile) programs for children undergoing cancer and blood-disease treatment in St. Louis.

Product overview

Friends of Kids with Cancer is a St. Louis-based non-profit organization founded in 1992 that enriches the daily lives of children undergoing cancer treatment through three core program pillars: Educational (Think), Emotional (Feel), and Recreational (Smile). The organization operates Young Friends of Kids with Cancer as its young professionals group. Core programs include art therapy, music therapy, and therapeutic horticulture; tutoring and scholarship programs; the Toy Closet, Munchie Meals, and Jake's Crew iPad Fund; plus special events, support groups, and individual counseling. The organization hosts annual fundraising events including Trivia Night, Walk with a Friend, Golf Tournament, Art from the Heart, and Fashion Show & Boutique. Services are provided in partnership with three St. Louis hospital treatment centers: Mercy Cardinals Kids Cancer Center, Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children's Hospital, and The Costas Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Young Friends of Kids with Cancer (young professionals program)
• 2nd Annual Young Friends Pickleball Tournament
• Young Friends & Black Sheep Golf Tournament (Randi Perkins Memorial 18-Hole Scramble)

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 2,000 art therapy sessions delivered in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mercy Cardinals Kids, Adolescent, and Young Adult Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor hospital partner where Friends of Kids with Cancer funds an art therapist position. Services include art therapy and access to all Friends programs for patients and families at this treatment center.
• Siteman Kids at St. Louis Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor hospital partner where Friends of Kids with Cancer funds an art therapist position through a grant. Services include art therapy and access to all Friends programs for patients and families.
• The Costas Center at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital partner where Friends of Kids with Cancer funds an art therapist position. Services include art therapy and access to all Friends programs for patients and families.
• Blues for KidsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSt. Louis Blues hockey team charitable program that provides partial funding for art therapy programming and invites patient artists to team events.
• Scott Lowenbaum Art FundminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonor fund that provides partial funding support for art therapy programming.
• Mungenast Lexus of St. LouisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the 17th Annual Art from the Heart fundraiser.
• Jersey Mike's SubsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarch 2025 Month of Giving campaign generated over $154,000 for Friends of Kids with Cancer from 14+ St. Louis area locations.
• Side Project BrewingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCreates special 'For Friends' golden lager during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, with portion of proceeds donated to the organization.
• St. Louis BluesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNHL hockey team partner that supports events and invites patients to games. Robert Thomas (player) serves as Golf Tournament honorary chair.
• St. Louis CardinalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMLB baseball team partner with Fredbird mascot appearing at events. Paul Goldschmidt has donated $100,000 to support winter programming.
• Young Friends of Kids with CancercoreOthersYoung professionals group that organizes own fundraising events (Pickleball Tournament, Black Sheep Golf Tournament) to support the main organization. Provides pipeline of future leaders and donors.
• Jake's CrewminorOthersYouth-driven fundraising group that raises money specifically for the Jake's Crew iPad Fund, purchasing iPads for teens in treatment.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: National pediatric cancer charity funding research and family support programs; comparable mission focus on childhood cancer families and event-driven fundraising model.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Direct peer focused exclusively on pediatric cancer research funding and family support, similar program-pillar structure and donor base overlap.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Pediatric cancer nonprofit combining research funding with patient/family support programs, overlapping both mission and event-based fundraising approach.
• Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: Childhood cancer charity combining research funding and family support with a strong youth-volunteer engagement model, comparable to Young Friends.
• Children's Cancer Research Fund: Funds pediatric cancer research and family support programs with event-driven fundraising and corporate partnerships; directly comparable mission and operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Large national nonprofit providing family housing and support during pediatric medical treatment; overlaps in family-support services but at much greater scale and broader scope.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: National nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses including cancer; comparable recreational/experiential programming for pediatric cancer patients at much larger scale.
• St. Jude Children's Research Hospital: Dominant national pediatric cancer institution funding treatment and family support; overlaps in the patient-family support mission but at vastly greater scale and with research as the primary focus.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Large national blood-cancer nonprofit funding research and patient services; directly comparable blood-disease mission overlap with substantial resources and event-driven fundraising.

Emerging players

• Camp Quality USA: Smaller nonprofit providing camp and recreational experiences for children with cancer; overlaps with the Recreational (Smile) pillar and sibling/family support programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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 Young Friends of Kids with Cancer