Wellness House

What Wellness House does

Wellness House is an Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free psychosocial wellness programs to people affected by cancer. Founded in 1988 by three local women — two of whom were cancer survivors — with a 20-person planning commission, the organization began delivering services in 1990 from its headquarters at 131 N. County Line Road, Hinsdale, known as The Kay & Mike Birty Home of Hope. It serves cancer patients at all stages (newly diagnosed, in treatment, post-treatment, survivors), their caregivers and family members, children and teens impacted by cancer, and healthcare professionals who refer patients.

The organization delivers more than 525 evidence-based programs across nine categories: information and education, exercise (yoga, Qi Gong, chair yoga), nutrition (cooking classes, individual consultations), support groups and counseling, child and family programs (including Kids Kamp and Brave Teens Support Group), stress management, unique boutique services (wig fittings, Look Good Feel Better), prostate cancer-specific programming, and online/on-demand virtual classes. Programs are delivered at the Hinsdale headquarters, at five partner healthcare and community sites across Chicagoland (Rush University Medical Center, Loyola Medicine Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, UI Health Mile Square Health Center, OSF Little Company of Mary, and McKinley Park Public Library), and via virtual channels. A Spanish-language program track broadens access.

Wellness House is funded primarily through individual and corporate donations, foundation grants, planned giving, signature fundraising events (the annual Walk for Wellness House and the gala, which has historically raised over $550,000), and The Courtyard consignment shop, which has contributed more than $5 million to the organization since 1991. The Wellness House Foundation, established in 2000 as a wholly-owned supporting entity, oversees the endowment. The technology stack is intentionally lean: Mindbody Online handles registration, Volgistics manages volunteers, and DonorPerfect processes donations. All programs are provided at no cost to participants and require no insurance.

Name

Wellness House

Legal name

Wellness House

Website

https://wellnesshouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wellness House is a Hinsdale, Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers more than 525 free psychosocial wellness programs — exercise, nutrition, counseling, support groups, education, and child/family services — to cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and families across Chicagoland and online.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Wellness and Psychosocial Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Chronic Condition Lifestyle Coaching (Non-Clinical) (HSADAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mind-Body Wellness Coaching (Holistic/Integrative) (HSADAGAG), Wellness Program Design & Accountability Coaching (HSADAGAC)

Keywords

• Cancer wellness programs
• Psychosocial oncology support
• Oncology exercise programs
• Cancer counseling services
• Nonprofit community health

Headquarters

HQ city

Hinsdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Wellness House relies on financial support from individual contributors, corporations, grants, and foundations as its primary funding source. The organization is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit.
2. The Courtyard Consignment Shop: The Courtyard is an on-site consignment shop that has contributed over $5 million to Wellness House since 1991, generating ongoing revenue through retail sales.
3. Fundraising Events: Major annual events include the Walk for Wellness House and an annual gala. The gala has historically raised over $550,000 per event.
4. Planned Giving: The organization offers planned giving options including bequests, charitable gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, gifts of appreciated stock, real estate donations, and qualified charitable distributions from IRAs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Wellness House provides free, evidence-based psychosocial cancer wellness programs to people affected by cancer and their families, including exercise classes, nutrition education, support groups, individual counseling, stress management, child and family programs, and educational workshops. All programs are offered at no cost to participants and delivered at the Hinsdale headquarters, partner healthcare locations across Chicagoland, and through online/on-demand formats.

Product overview

Wellness House offers a unified portfolio of free cancer wellness programs provided at no cost to participants as a complement to medical treatment. The core offerings span nine program categories: Information & Education Programs (evidence-based cancer education), Exercise Programs (yoga, Qi Gong, chair yoga, physical fitness), Nutrition Programs (cooking classes, individual consultations), Support Groups and Counseling Programs (group sessions, individual counseling), Child and Family Programs (Kids Kamp, Brave Teens Support Group, family activities), Stress Management Programs (mindfulness, meditation, Qi Gong), Unique Boutique Programs (wig fittings, Look Good Feel Better makeup classes), Prostate Cancer-Specific Programs, and Online Programs (virtual and on-demand access). Programs are delivered at the main Hinsdale location, partner healthcare institutions (UI Health, Rush, Loyola Medicine, OSF Little Company of Mary), public libraries, and online. The organization also operates The Courtyard consignment shop as a fundraising arm. Wellness House's tagline is 'You'll feel better inside' and serves as an Illinois 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Information & Education Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• 96% of participants experience an increased sense of well-being (2023 participant survey)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UI Health Mile Square Health CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellness House offers cancer support programs at UI Health Mile Square Health Center in Chicago, bringing expert-led wellness services to underserved communities. Programs include exercise, nutrition, and support groups for anyone affected by cancer at no cost.
• Rush University Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Rush to deliver Wellness House cancer wellness programs at their facility, expanding access to Chicago-area residents. Waterford Place Cancer Resource Center is associated with this partnership.
• Loyola MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellness House partners with Loyola Medicine's Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center in Maywood to offer cancer wellness programs including exercise classes and other support services, complementing the medical care provided at the cancer center.
• OSF Healthcare Little Company of MarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrograms offered at OSF Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Evergreen Park, bringing Wellness House services to the south suburban community.
• McKinley Park Public LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership bringing Wellness House programs to the McKinley Park area, expanding reach to neighborhoods near Oak Park and River Forest.
• GuideStar (Candid)minorOthersWellness House has earned the GuideStar Seal of Transparency, demonstrating commitment to nonprofit accountability and financial transparency.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Cancer Support Community: National nonprofit delivering psychosocial oncology support, counseling, and education at no cost. Operates a network of regional centers (including the former Gilda's Club network) that compete for similar donors, hospital partnerships, and program content in the same space as Wellness House.
• Smith Center for Healing and the Arts: Washington DC-area nonprofit offering integrative cancer-support programs including mind-body classes, nutrition, counseling, and expressive arts. Closely comparable in its holistic, non-clinical wellness approach and free-of-charge community model.
• Hope Connections for Cancer Support: Mid-Atlantic nonprofit providing free cancer support groups, educational workshops, and mind-body programs to people with cancer and their loved ones. Mirrors Wellness House's free, holistic, community-based psychosocial support model.
• The Ulman Foundation: Baltimore-based nonprofit supporting young adults impacted by cancer through community programs, education, and survivor/caregiver navigation. Comparable as a regional, free cancer-wellness nonprofit serving patients and families, though with a narrower demographic focus.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer: National nonprofit providing education, support, and community programs for people affected by breast cancer. Comparable as a cancer-specific psychosocial support organization offering free programs, professional education, and peer/community resources.
• Stupid Cancer: National nonprofit focused on young adult cancer patients and survivors, providing community programs, education, and digital support resources. Comparable as a cancer-wellness nonprofit serving patients and families at no cost.
• The Center for Building Hope: Florida-based nonprofit offering free cancer wellness and support programs including counseling, support groups, and mind-body classes. Closely comparable free, community-based psychosocial cancer support model.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer-focused nonprofit, offering Hope Lodge lodging, Road to Recovery, and patient support programs at national scale. Overlaps with Wellness House in cancer psychosocial support and competes for the same donor and corporate partner pool.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Large national blood-cancer nonprofit providing patient support, education, and community programs. Comparable as a major cancer-support organization competing for fundraising dollars, corporate sponsorships, and community visibility.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: National nonprofit providing family-centered lodging and supportive services to families with seriously ill children. Comparable as a community-based nonprofit delivering free supportive services to families affected by serious illness, anchored by hospital partnerships and donor-supported funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WellnessHouse
• Facebookfacebook.com/WellnessHouseHinsdale
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wellness-house
• Instagraminstagram.com/wellnesshousehinsdale

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Wellness House