St. Joseph Children's Home

What St. Joseph Children's Home does

St. Joseph Children's Home is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit child-caring organization founded in 1849 in Louisville, Kentucky, and operated continuously for 177 years from a 26-acre Crescent Hill campus acquired in 1885. The organization delivers an integrated portfolio of four core child welfare services: (1) a Residential Treatment Program providing 24/7 trauma-informed care for children on campus (48 residents annually), (2) Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption services placing Kentucky foster children with trained families, (3) a Behavioral Health Outpatient Services Program offering individualized and family therapy to the broader community, and (4) a Child Development Center providing childcare and preschool for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years (269 enrolled). As of 2025 the organization served 500+ children, foster parents, and family members, and has served over 75,000 children cumulatively since founding.

The organization's "technology" is fundamentally clinical and operational rather than software-based: a trauma-informed care methodology delivered through trained staff, modernized facilities, and Council on Accreditation-certified processes. Notable infrastructure includes the historic Landmark Building renovated via a $19.5 million capital campaign launched in 2019, residential cottages opened in 2015, and the planned SJ@Play therapeutic outdoor complex. The organization holds no app, API, or proprietary software platform and discloses no AI/ML capabilities.

St. Joseph Children's Home operates a nonprofit revenue model funded by four streams: individual donations, government contracts (primarily through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services for foster care and residential treatment), annual fundraising events led by the 177-year-running Picnic for the Kids, and corporate partnerships (LG&E, Kroger, Kosair For Kids, Arby's Foundation, Kelley Construction, and others). It does not charge beneficiaries for services. Distribution occurs via direct on-campus service delivery, state agency referrals for foster and adoption services, and community outreach including the Sewing Society volunteer program. The organization employs 51–100 staff under CEO Amanda Gehring, COO Julie Greenwell, CFO Sara Palmarini, and Chief Advancement Officer Suzy Hillebrand.

Name

St. Joseph Children's Home

Legal name

St. Joseph Children's Home

Website

https://sjkids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1849

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

St. Joseph Children's Home is a 177-year-old Louisville, Kentucky nonprofit providing trauma-informed residential treatment, therapeutic foster care and adoption, behavioral health, and early childhood services to vulnerable children and families across Kentucky, funded by donations, government contracts, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Welfare Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child Care Services (624410)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Child welfare services
• Foster care adoption
• Residential treatment
• Behavioral health therapy
• Early childhood education

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Charitable gifts from individual donors supporting the organization's mission to serve vulnerable children
2. Government Contracts: Funding from taxpayer-supported agencies for foster care, adoption, and residential treatment services
3. Annual Fundraising Events: Revenue from annual Picnic for the Kids event, the largest fundraiser hosted by the home
4. Corporate Partnerships: Support from corporate donors including LG&E, Kroger, Kelley Construction, and others who sponsor programs and events

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

St. Joseph Children's Home is a nonprofit child-caring facility that provides residential treatment, therapeutic foster care and adoption, behavioral health outpatient therapy, and early childhood education services to Kentucky's most vulnerable children and families. The organization delivers trauma-informed care and support through its campus-based programs and community-based foster care services, funded primarily through donations, government contracts, and fundraising.

Product overview

St. Joseph Children's Home operates as a social services organization offering a portfolio of child welfare and development programs. The core services include: Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption (connecting foster children with families), Residential Treatment Program (providing trauma-informed care in a home setting), Behavioral Health Services (outpatient therapy for individuals and families), and Child Development Center (childcare and preschool for ages 6 weeks to 5 years). The organization also runs ancillary programs including the SJ@Play Campaign (a therapeutic outdoor complex development project), the Sewing Society volunteer program, and the annual Picnic for the Kids fundraiser. These programs are designed to serve Kentucky's most vulnerable children from residential care through foster placement and community outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption Connects Kentucky's foster children to loving families and provides ongoing support services for successful placements, including licensing, training, and post-adoption support.
• Residential Treatment Program Provides a home and trauma-informed care to help children heal and transition into stable family environments, serving approximately 48 children living on campus annually.
• Behavioral Health Services Behavioral Health Outpatient Services Program providing individualized and family therapy for people of all ages and stages, serving community members seeking mental health support.
• Child Development Center Childcare and preschool services for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, with curriculum including handwriting skills through play and movement activities for learning; enrolled 269 children.
• SJ@Play Campaign Therapeutic outdoor complex project featuring a hillside amphitheater, outdoor classroom space, adaptive playground with sensory-rich equipment, ADA-compliant walking trails, inclusive splash pad, full-court basketball area, and multi-use pavilion for family visits and community events.
• Sewing Society Volunteer group making quilts and items raffled at the annual picnic; creates personalized welcome blankets for residential children and adoption day quilts for foster care program.
• Picnic for the Kids Annual community event held during the second weekend of August, serving as the largest fundraiser for the home and running longer than the Kentucky Derby.

Quantifiable outcome

• 82% of children transitioned out of foster care into a family
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Council on Accreditation (COA)coreOthersNational accreditation body for human service organizations. St. Joseph Children's Home holds a stellar rating from COA, demonstrating compliance with high standards of quality and performance.
• Face ItcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChild abuse prevention initiative. Organization logo appears on St. Joe's website as a partner organization addressing child welfare.
• Kentucky All StarsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState initiative promoting quality childcare. Partnership indicated by logo display on organization website.
• Better Business Bureau (BBB)coreOthersAccredited charity status demonstrating transparency and accountability standards. Organization holds BBB accreditation.
• Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family ServicescoreOthersState government agency. Children are referred through state child welfare system for services.
• AmazonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon Wish List program allows donors to purchase needed items for children. Wish lists published on social media for Halloween costumes and Christmas gifts.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bellefaire JCB: Cleveland-based nonprofit operating residential treatment, therapeutic foster care, behavioral health, and early childhood services — virtually the same integrated child welfare model as St. Joe's and the closest direct peer.
• The Children's Home of Cincinnati: Ohio nonprofit combining residential treatment, foster care/adoption, behavioral health, and a child development center under one roof, with a similar operating model and community-based funding strategy.
• Lawrence Hall: Chicago-based nonprofit providing residential treatment, therapeutic foster care, and behavioral health for youth in state custody — directly comparable child welfare, residential, and trauma-informed service mix.
• Pressley Ridge: Pittsburgh-based nonprofit delivering residential treatment, therapeutic foster care, and education to children with complex needs across multiple states, comparable in clinical model and case-mix.
• Maryville Academy: Illinois nonprofit operating residential treatment, foster care, adoption services, and behavioral health for abused and neglected children — closely aligned service mix and funding model.
• Grafton Integrated Health Network: Virginia-based nonprofit providing residential treatment, behavioral health, and special education for children and adolescents with behavioral and developmental needs — directly comparable clinical model.
• Nebraska Children's Home Society: Nonprofit offering adoption, foster care, and family support services in Nebraska with a similar single-state, community-embedded operating model and comparable funding mix.
• St. Mary's Home for Children: Nonprofit residential treatment and special education provider serving children with significant behavioral and developmental needs — closely comparable mission, residential model, and funding approach.

Broad incumbents

• Boys Town: National child welfare and youth services organization providing residential, in-home, and behavioral health services across the country — a much larger incumbent in the same child welfare category.
• KVC Health Systems: Multi-state child welfare and behavioral health nonprofit providing residential, in-home, and mental health services in Kentucky and beyond — broader incumbent with overlapping therapeutic foster care services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sjkids1849
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeQU3KnpHKM16hokwPnMg9w
• Facebookfacebook.com/StJosephChildrensHome
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sjkids
• Instagraminstagram.com/stjosephchildrenshome

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 St. Joseph Children's Home