Kids Above All

What Kids Above All does

Kids Above All is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, founded in 1894 (formerly ChildServ, rebranded in June 2020). It serves children, youth, and young adults ages 0-24 and their families who are impacted by poverty, violence, and injustice, operating across Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties. The organization has historically served more than 161,000 clients and currently operates seven office locations, including a headquarters on W. Higgins Road, neighborhood offices in Chicago South and Chicago West, county offices in Elgin, Waukegan, and Naperville, and an 8,000-square-foot Better Life Distribution Center in Des Plaines for material goods.

The organization's portfolio is organized into three program pillars: Early Childhood Education (Doula services, Parent Empowerment Program, HIPPY, and Family Child Care Homes); Safe, Supportive Housing (foster care in multiple modalities, three group homes for teens ages 13-18 in DuPage County, the Emerge transitional housing program for young adults ages 18-24, and adoption services including Wendy's Wonderful Kids); and Trauma-Informed Counseling (Counseling Solutions clinical services, Camp Sheilah bereavement program, and Becoming Me violence-prevention mentorship). The clinical backbone is the Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) framework, an evidence-based, trauma-informed model used to treat traumatic stress across these service lines.

Kids Above All generates revenue through a diversified mix of Illinois state government contracts (DHS, ISBE, DCFS), individual donations, corporate sponsorships, faith and community partnerships, planned giving, and insurance reimbursements for counseling services (Aetna, BlueCross BlueShield, Medicare, Molina, YouthCare, etc.). Programs are delivered free of charge to eligible families. The organization is led by President & CEO Dan Kotowski with a 36-member Board of Trustees chaired (effective January 2026) by Kristi Lafleur. It maintains formal affiliations with United Way, the Alliance for Children and Families, and the Child Welfare League of America, and a stable of corporate partners including BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, AT&T, UPS, and Power Construction.

Name

Kids Above All

Legal name

Kids Above All

Website

https://kidsaboveall.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Kids Above All is a Chicago-area 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded 1894, that delivers early childhood education, foster care and housing, and trauma-informed counseling to children and young adults ages 0-24 facing poverty, violence, and injustice across four Illinois counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child and Family Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (624410), Educational Services (611), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Education & Childcare Nonprofits (BPAGADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Trauma-informed counseling
• Foster care services
• Early childhood education
• Transitional housing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Financial contributions from individual donors supporting the organization's mission to build better lives for children and families impacted by poverty, violence and injustice.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and support from corporate partners including Sasser, Mattress Firm, HBK Engineering, UPS, AT&T, Power Construction, BlueCross BlueShield, and others.
3. Government Grants: Funding from government sources including Illinois Department of Human Services, Illinois State Board of Education, and Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
4. Faith and Community Partnerships: Support from faith communities and community organizations across Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties.
5. Planned Giving: Bequests, life insurance policies, charitable remainder trusts, IRA distributions, and other planned giving vehicles.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels15 records

Core offering

Kids Above All is a nonprofit social services organization that delivers free programs across three core areas: Early Childhood Education (Doula, Parent Empowerment Program, HIPPY, Family Child Care Homes), Safe, Supportive Housing (Foster Care, Group Homes, Emerge transitional housing, Adoptions), and Trauma-Informed Counseling (Counseling Solutions, Camp Sheilah, Becoming Me). It serves children ages 0–24 and their families impacted by poverty, violence, and injustice across Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties in Illinois. Services are delivered directly by case managers, licensed counselors, foster parents, and educators, funded through donations, corporate partnerships, and government grants.

Product overview

Kids Above All is a nonprofit social services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs serving children and families impacted by poverty, violence, and injustice across Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties. The organization operates three core program areas: Early Childhood Education (including Doula, Parent Empowerment Program/PEP, HIPPY, and Family Child Care Homes/FCCH), Safe, Supportive Housing (including Emerge, Foster Care, Group Homes, and Adoptions), and Trauma-Informed Counseling (including Counseling Solutions, Camp Sheilah, and Becoming Me). These programs work together to provide comprehensive support from prenatal care through young adulthood, using the evidence-based Attachment, Regulation and Competency (ARC) clinical framework to treat traumatic stress and foster resilience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Counseling Solutions: Therapy and clinical support program for children, youth, families, and individuals experiencing mental health issues, life challenges, and trauma.
• Camp Sheilah
• Emerge
• Better Life Distribution Center
• Parent Empowerment Program (PEP)
• HIPPY
• Becoming Me

Products and services

• Doula Program DONA-certified doulas provide birth and postpartum support for prenatal women and new mothers in Kane, Lake, and Suburban Cook counties, including doctor appointment attendance, breastfeeding support, and newborn care guidance.
• Parent Empowerment Program (PEP) A home visiting, parent support program for low-income families with children ages 0-5 in Chicago, Kane, Lake, and Suburban Cook County, using the Parents as Teachers evidence-based curriculum to help parents become their child's first teacher.
• HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) A home-based early childhood education program serving 3-5 year olds in Chicago and Suburban Cook County, empowering parents with skills and tools to serve as their child's primary educator using an evidence-based curriculum.
• Family Child Care Homes (FCCH) Connects income-eligible Lake County families with DCFS-licensed, in-home childcare providers, allowing parents to work or attend school while children receive safe, education-focused care.
• Emerge Program Helps homeless young adults ages 18-24 in Chicago and Lake County achieve self-sufficiency through transitional housing, case management, educational and career resources, counseling, and life skills training.
• Foster Care Provides safe, stable, loving homes for children who have experienced abuse and neglect through traditional, relative, Project 90 (sexual trauma), Juvenile Justice, Adolescent, and Emergency foster care programs.
• Group Homes Three residential group homes in DuPage County for teens ages 13-18 who have suffered abuse and neglect, providing supportive living environments with counseling, therapeutic activities, and life skills training.
• Adoptions & Wendy's Wonderful Kids Finding forever families for young people who have experienced trauma through adoption services.
• Counseling Solutions Therapy and clinical support for children, youth, families, and individuals experiencing mental health issues, life challenges, and trauma in Cook, DuPage, Kane, and Lake counties, covered by most insurance plans.
• Camp Sheilah Year-round, trauma-informed mental health support program for youth ages 7-17 who have lost a parent, guardian, or sibling to homicide, featuring a three-day bereavement camp, monthly group activities, and ongoing counseling.
• Becoming Me A 15-20 week mentorship program for youth ages 10-18 at risk of violence on Chicago's South and West Sides, helping them establish personal and professional goals through group and individual support.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 161,000 children and families helped since 1894
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 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.

• United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with United Way and United Way Metro Chicago and United Way Lake County for community support and funding.
• Alliance for Children and FamiliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational affiliation providing resources, advocacy, and best practices for child and family services organizations.
• Child Welfare League of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliation with CWLA providing advocacy and standards for child welfare services.
• Chapin Coffee (A Better Life Coffee)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to sell A Better Life Coffee Collection; 10% of proceeds help kids build better lives and a meal is delivered to a malnourished child in Guatemala.
• CLOZTALKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership for KAA Apparel store; CLOZTALK will donate a portion of net profit back to Kids Above All.
• Sheilah A. Doyle FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation that founded Camp Sheilah in 2011; entered formal partnership with Kids Above All in 2020 to assume operational control of the program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Children's Home & Aid: Illinois-based nonprofit serving children and families through foster care, adoption, early childhood, and family support programs — directly comparable service mix and Illinois geographic focus to Kids Above All.
• Lawrence Hall: Chicago-based nonprofit providing residential group homes, foster care, and community-based services for at-risk youth — closely mirrors KAA's DuPage County group homes and foster care programming.
• UCAN: Chicago nonprofit delivering trauma-informed youth development, counseling, and residential services to youth impacted by poverty and violence — comparable continuum-of-care model and South/West Side footprint.
• Hephzibah Children's Association: Illinois-based nonprofit providing foster care, group homes, adoption, and family support for children affected by abuse, neglect, and trauma — directly overlapping service lines and Illinois footprint.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago: Chicago-based youth development nonprofit offering after-school programs, mentorship (Becoming Me-like), and violence prevention — directly comparable to KAA's youth-focused programs like Becoming Me in South and West Side Chicago.
• All Chicago Making Homelessness History: Chicago collaborative focused on preventing and ending homelessness — directly relevant to KAA's Emerge transitional housing program for homeless young adults ages 18–24.
• Metropolitan Family Services: Chicago-area nonprofit providing early childhood education, counseling, foster care, and family support across multiple counties — closely aligned multi-county Illinois service footprint and program mix.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Chicago: Large archdiocesan social services agency offering foster care, counseling, family services, and early childhood programs across Cook and Lake counties — broader portfolio but directly competing for the same Illinois DCFS contracts and donor base.
• Lutheran Social Services of Illinois: Statewide faith-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, counseling, senior services, and refugee services — broader portfolio but competing for similar Illinois contracts and trauma-informed client populations.

Emerging players

• Thresholds: Chicago nonprofit providing mental health, housing, and substance use treatment — partial overlap with KAA's Counseling Solutions and trauma-informed mental health services for youth and families.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KAAIllinois
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@KidsAboveAll
• Facebookfacebook.com/KidsAboveAll
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kidsaboveall
• Instagraminstagram.com/KAAIllinois
• TikToktiktok.com/@kidsaboveall

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kids Above All