Seamen’s Society for Children and Families

What Seamen’s Society for Children and Families does

Seamen's Society for Children and Families is a private New York nonprofit organization founded in 1846, headquartered at 50 Bay Street in Staten Island with additional offices in Brooklyn (Downtown and Brownsville) and a new preschool site at 95 Central Avenue in St. George. The organization delivers a continuum of child welfare and family services to vulnerable children and at-risk families in New York City, including foster care placement and adoption, family support and preservation services, a Family Treatment and Rehabilitation program for substance-abusing parents, domestic violence intervention (Safe Passage), behavioral health and Health Home care management, runaway youth services, a 3K/UPK preschool program, and a foster-youth scholarship program. In fiscal year 2025, the organization served 415 children in foster care, 848 children through family support services, and 134 youth via Empowerment Coaches, with a daily reach of more than 1,250 children and 500 families.

The organization operates on a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining government contracts, foundation grants, individual donations, and program fees. Primary funding sources are contracts with the NYC Administration for Children's Services for foster care and preventive services, Medicaid waiver reimbursements (coordinated with the Jewish Board for children with Serious Emotional Disturbance), NYC Department of Education vouchers for 3K/UPK seats, and grants from foundations including the Robin Hood Foundation, New York Community Trust, Staten Island Foundation, the Richard and Lois Nicotra Foundation, and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. Individual giving is cultivated through monthly giving, donor-advised funds, planned giving, matching gifts, and signature events such as the annual Hope Gala (250-300 attendees) and the Fitzsimmons Family Fun Walk. All client-facing services are delivered at no cost to recipients.

The technology footprint is a HIPAA-compliant enterprise environment built on Microsoft 365 and Azure, with SharePoint-based collaboration, mobile device management, and an active AI governance framework for evaluating emerging tools. Donor-facing systems include Stripe and QGIV for payment processing, Bloomerang for donor management, and Constant Contact for email outreach. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees and led by President and CEO David Gaskin (joined 2017), with CFO Philip Zweiger overseeing finance and a multidisciplinary executive team including a CIO/HIPAA Security Officer (Joseph Rodriquez), SVP of Programs (Dan Barckhaus), CDO (Teresa Cirelli), and CAO (Mary Ponte). The organization is not VC- or PE-backed and reports no parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Seamen’s Society for Children and Families

Legal name

Seamen's Society for Children and Families

Website

https://seamenssociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1846

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Seamen's Society for Children and Families is a New York nonprofit founded in 1846 that delivers foster care, family support, behavioral health, domestic violence, and early childhood education services to more than 1,250 children and 500 families daily across Staten Island and Brooklyn, funded primarily through NYC government contracts and philanthropic donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Family Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child Care Services (62441), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD), Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Foster care programs
• Family support services
• Domestic violence intervention
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Staten Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and monthly giving programs form the primary revenue stream. The organization operates Donor-Advised Funds, planned giving, tribute gifts, matching gifts, and in-kind donations.
2. Government Contracts and Reimbursement: Services funded through NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS) contracts, Medicaid waiver services, and New York State Office of Mental Health approvals for child welfare and mental health services.
3. Program Fees and Vouchers: Childcare programs accept vouchers from NYC Department of Education for 3K and UPK seats. Agency serves as provider for emergency child care services and receives reimbursement for eligible services.
4. Special Events Revenue: Annual Hope Gala, Fitzsimmons Family Fun Walk, 5K run/walk events, and scholarship dinners generate both direct revenue and community awareness.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Seamen's Society for Children and Families delivers community-based social services that protect vulnerable children, preserve families, and support child welfare, behavioral health, and education across New York City. Core programs include Foster Care placement, Adoption Services, Family Support Services, Family Treatment and Rehabilitation, Safe Passage domestic violence intervention, Health Home Care Management, behavioral health counseling, a 3K/UPK preschool program, a Scholarship Program for foster youth, and tutoring/mentoring services. Services are provided at no cost or on a subsidized basis through community offices in Staten Island and Brooklyn, supported by government contracts, foundation grants, donations, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Seamen's Society for Children and Families operates as a multi-service nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs to support vulnerable children and families in New York City. The organization provides a continuum of care centered around foster care placement and family preservation services, including Family Support Services, Family Treatment and Rehabilitation, and Preventive Services. Key programs include Safe Passage for domestic violence survivors, Health Home Care Management for care coordination, and behavioral health services. Education offerings include a 3K/UPK preschool program and tutoring services. The Scholarship Program supports higher education for foster youth, while the Robert and Barbara Fitzsimmons Children and Family Fund provides enrichment experiences. Programs are delivered across locations in Staten Island and Brooklyn, with a trauma-informed approach focused on mental health, addiction support, and family stability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foster Care Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 1,250+ children and 500+ families daily
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• South Shore KiwanissupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Service organization supporting scholarship program through donations and community engagement.
• The Staten Island AdvancesupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Local newspaper providing media support and sponsorship for scholarship program.
• Bridge Prep Charter SchoolsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023New York's first public school for students with dyslexia, board member Timothy Castanza's organization supporting children with learning differences.
• NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Primary government contractor and referral source for foster care and family support services across New York City.
• Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnership through Staten Island Mental Health division providing pediatric behavioral health, outpatient clinics, and Day Treatment Program.
• Jewish Board of Family and Children ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Partnership for Medicaid waiver services coordination for children with Serious Emotional Disturbance on Staten Island.
• NYC Human Resources AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997Government partner selecting agency to deliver domestic violence program services on Staten Island including case management, counseling, and advocacy.
• Staten Island University HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Healthcare affiliation providing on-site medical services for foster children at agency offices in Staten Island and Brooklyn.
• Fordham UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1957Social work education partnership providing work-study students for case work services since 1957.
• Columbia UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1957Social work education partnership providing graduate students for case work services while completing studies.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services: Large NYC behavioral health and child welfare nonprofit explicitly named as a partner of Seamen's Society for Medicaid waiver services coordination. Directly comparable in mental health, foster care, and family support programming serving vulnerable NYC populations.
• Children's Aid: One of New York City's largest and oldest child welfare nonprofits, providing foster care, adoption, family services, early childhood education, and behavioral health across all five boroughs. Directly comparable to Seamen's Society in service mix, target population, and government contract model, though operating at significantly greater scale and broader geographic reach.
• Children's Village: NYC-area nonprofit providing foster care, residential treatment, family preservation, and youth services with comparable programs including runaway/homeless youth intervention. Overlap with Seamen's Society on foster care placement, family support services, and runaway youth program (Runaway Youth Program).
• Good Shepherd Services: NYC-based nonprofit providing foster care, prevention, early childhood education, and youth development services across Brooklyn and other boroughs. Comparable wraparound services model with similar NYC government contract relationships and overlapping geographic presence in Brooklyn.
• SCO Family of Services: Long Island and NYC-based child welfare nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, preventive services, and family support. Directly referenced in management background (Karen DeGraaf-Faust's previous role), indicating overlapping service model and labor pool with Seamen's Society.
• Rising Ground: NYC child welfare, juvenile justice, and education nonprofit formed from mergers of Edwin Gould Services and Leake and Watts. Direct peer operating foster care, family preservation, and early childhood programs in NYC with comparable contract mix.
• Abbott House: Westchester/NYC child welfare nonprofit providing foster care, residential, and family services. Directly comparable in program mix, and explicitly named as the prior employer of Seamen's Society SVP Dan Barckhausen, indicating direct overlap in operating model and talent market.
• Cardinal McCloskey Community Services: NYC-based nonprofit providing foster care, mental health, and developmental disability services to children and families. Comparable in mission and program portfolio, particularly around foster care and behavioral health for vulnerable NYC children.
• New York Foundling: Major NYC child welfare nonprofit delivering foster care, adoption, prevention, and developmental disability services. Direct peer across the core foster care and family preservation service lines that represent the largest share of Seamen's Society's outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of New York: Large NYC-affiliated nonprofit operating across multiple service lines including family services, domestic violence, immigration, and child welfare. Broader incumbent with overlapping programs (DV, family support) but much wider portfolio and faith-based affiliation that differentiates it from Seamen's Society's child-welfare specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SeamensSociety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCRGmT0TTmDpHGnqhvQJtAYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SeamensSociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2164010
• Instagraminstagram.com/seamenssociety

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Seamen’s Society for Children and Families