Friendship Village
Friendship Village is a non-profit LifeCare continuing care retirement community on a 72-acre Kalamazoo, Michigan campus, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation to seniors, managed by Life Care Services (LCS).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersKalamazoo, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Friendship Village does
Friendship Village is a non-profit LifeCare (continuing care retirement community / CCRC) operating on a 72-acre campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serving seniors aged 65 and older. Founded in 1975 by John and Alene Markillie, the community has provided nearly 50 years of senior living services, operating under a multi-tiered model that includes independent living (Village Apartments and freestanding Garden Homes unique to the Kalamazoo area), assisted living and memory care at the Woodside neighborhood, Medicare-certified skilled nursing at its on-campus Health Center, and short-term rehabilitation services. The community is managed by Life Care Services (LCS), an Iowa-based senior living management company with 50+ years of experience.
The community's core technology layer centers on the Caremerge FVKLINKED smart-home platform integrated with Amazon Echo devices, enabling voice-activated access to community announcements, events, dining menus, and service requests in every independent living residence. Differentiated programs include Heartfelt Connections\u2014A Memory Care Program\u2122 (a person-centered Alzheimer's and dementia program), the LCS Health & Wellness Navigation Program built on the 8 Dimensions of Wellness framework, and the Extraordinary Impressions\u00ae hospitality culture. Operations incorporate evidence-based senior fitness programming developed with the National Institute for Fitness and Sports (NIFS), and the campus is minutes from Western Michigan University, supporting lifelong learning partnerships.
Friendship Village monetizes through three primary streams: (1) one-time entrance fees paid under LifeCare contracts, with refund options including a prorated 60-month plan, a 50% return-of-capital plan, and an 80% return-of-capital plan; (2) recurring monthly service fees covering housing, amenities, dining, and care, with LifeCare residents saving an estimated $5,000+ per month versus market-rate healthcare services; and (3) healthcare services revenue from assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation, supplemented by charitable donations across several restricted funds. Distribution is sales-led through a Director of Sales and Marketing team conducting campus tours, consultations, and community events, plus a Priority Deposit Club for the Atlee expansion. The community has earned J.D. Power recognition (7 consecutive years at the LCS portfolio level) and a deficiency-free state survey, and is currently mid-build on The Atlee, a new 76-unit independent living building.
Friendship Village firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Friendship Village
- Legal name
- Friendship Village Kalamazoo
- Website
- https://friendshipvillagemi.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Friendship Village is a non-profit LifeCare continuing care retirement community on a 72-acre Kalamazoo, Michigan campus, offering independent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation to seniors, managed by Life Care Services (LCS).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Friendship Village industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities (623311), Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (623312), Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (623)
- SIC
- Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Single-Site CCRCs (HLADAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Independent Living within CCRC Campuses (IL Component) (HLADAAAF)
Keywords
Where Friendship Village is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kalamazoo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Friendship Village business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
Revenue model
- LifeCare Contract - Entrance Fees: One-time entrance fees for LifeCare contracts with multiple refund options including Traditional Refund (prorated within 60 months), 50% Return-of-Capital Plan, and 80% Return-of-Capital Plan. Entrance fees provide access to the full continuum of care.
- Monthly Service Fees: Recurring monthly fees covering services, amenities, dining, maintenance-free living, and access to healthcare. LifeCare residents receive substantial discounts on care services compared to market rate, estimated at more than $5,000 per month in savings.
- Healthcare Services Revenue: Revenue from assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services provided on campus to residents as their care needs evolve.
- Donations and Charitable Giving: As a non-profit organization, Friendship Village receives donations through various funds including Employee Appreciation Fund, Residents Scholarships, Friends Fund, Greatest Needs Fund, and specific purpose funds like the Library, Garden, and Aquatic Center Capital Fund.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Traditional LifeCare Refund Plan - Prorated refund within 60 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | 50% Return-of-Capital Plan - Half of entrance fee returned |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | 80% Return-of-Capital Plan - Majority of entrance fee returned |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Friendship Village product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Friendship Village is a nonprofit LifeCare continuing care retirement community (CCRC) on a 72-acre campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It sells and delivers independent living residences (Village Apartments, Garden Homes, and the new Atlee building), assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services on a single campus, enabling residents to transition between care levels without leaving the community. Revenue is generated primarily through entrance fees and recurring monthly service fees under LifeCare contracts.
Product overview
Friendship Village is a LifeCare® continuing care retirement community (CCRC) offering a comprehensive continuum of senior living options on a 72-acre campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The community provides independent living through Village Apartments and Garden Homes; assisted living and memory care at Woodside; skilled nursing at the Health Center; and short-term rehabilitation services. Residents can seamlessly transition between care levels without leaving the campus. The community also operates fitness and aquatic centers and offers dining services. The Atlee expansion adds 76 new independent living apartments. All services are managed under Life Care Services (LCS).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Woodside: Assisted living and memory care residences at Friendship Village.
- The Atlee
- Heartfelt Connections—A Memory Care Program™
- LifeCare®
- Extraordinary Impressions®
Quantifiable outcome
- Savings of more than $5,000 per month on care services compared to market rate through LifeCare contract
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Friendship Village
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments6 records
Friendship Village technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Friendship Village partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Western Michigan UniversitycoreWMU partnership provides Lifelong Learning opportunities for residents, allowing participation in university educational programs and cultural activities. Located minutes from the WMU campus.
- Kalamazoo Public SchoolsminorEducational partnership allowing intergenerational programs and volunteer opportunities between the school district and senior living community.
- Kalamazoo Community CollegeminorPartnership providing educational and internship opportunities for students in healthcare and related fields.
- Kalamazoo Institute of ArtsminorCultural partnership providing residents access to art programs, exhibitions, and educational activities.
- Alzheimer's AssociationcorePartnership supporting dementia care education, staff training, and community awareness programs. Director of Sales and Marketing has served on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee Board.
- Kalamazoo Public LibraryminorLibrary partnership providing residents with access to reading materials, digital resources, and literacy programs.
- Parkinson's MichiganminorPartnership providing specialized programs and support for residents with Parkinson's disease.
- Portage Senior CenterminorLocal partnership connecting community resources and programs for seniors in the greater Kalamazoo area.
- MRC IndustriesminorLocal partnership supporting employment and vocational programs that may benefit residents and community engagement.
- National Institute for Fitness and Sports (NIFS)coreNIFS assisted in developing the Fitness and Aquatic Centers specifically for senior fitness needs, providing evidence-based programming for older adults.
- Life Care Services (LCS)coreLCS is the management company overseeing Friendship Village operations. LCS is an industry-leading senior living management company with nearly 50 years of experience and has earned J.D. Power awards for 7 consecutive years.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Friendship Village competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sunrise Senior Living: Large senior living operator with assisted living, memory care, independent living, and skilled nursing across the U.S. and internationally. Comparable on continuum-of-care service mix and quality-focused positioning.
- Brookdale Senior Living: Largest U.S. senior living operator with independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing across hundreds of communities. Comparable broad continuum-of-care model and LifeCare-adjacent offerings, though operating at vastly greater scale and for-profit.
- Atria Senior Living: National operator of independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities. Directly comparable on multi-level senior living service delivery, though primarily for-profit and absent the nonprofit CCRC/LifeCare structure.
Direct peers
- Life Care Services (LCS): Management company for Friendship Village and the third-largest U.S. senior living operator. Manages numerous CCRCs and life plan communities including the Friendship Village portfolio, with the same J.D. Power-validated operating platform and LifeCare model.
- The Arbor Company: Operator of senior living communities offering independent living, assisted living, and memory care across multiple states. Comparable on multi-level service offering and quality-focused resident experience.
- National Church Residences: Nonprofit operator of continuing care retirement communities, senior housing, and supportive services. Comparable on nonprofit CCRC structure and mission-driven approach to senior living across multiple states.
- Lifespace Communities: Nonprofit operator of 15+ continuing care retirement communities across the U.S. Closely comparable on nonprofit CCRC structure, LifeCare-style contracts, and multi-level continuum-of-care delivery.
- Five Star Senior Living: Operator of independent living, assisted living, and memory care communities across the U.S. Directly comparable on senior living service mix and community-level operating model.
- Erickson Senior Living: Operator of large-scale continuing care retirement communities with a continuing-care contract structure similar to LifeCare. Highly comparable on CCRC business model, though operates multi-campus, for-profit communities in larger metros.
Regional players
- Brio Living Services (formerly Holland Home): Nonprofit senior living and services organization in West Michigan, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing. Closest geographic peer in Michigan and comparable on nonprofit continuum-of-care mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Friendship Village social profiles
Digital presenceFriendship Village compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Friendship Village financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Friendship Village leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Friendship Village funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Friendship Village M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Friendship Village
What does Friendship Village do?
Friendship Village is a nonprofit LifeCare continuing care retirement community (CCRC) on a 72-acre campus in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It sells and delivers independent living residences (Village Apartments, Garden Homes, and the new Atlee building), assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services on a single campus, enabling residents to transition between care levels without leaving the community. Revenue is generated primarily through entrance fees and recurring monthly service fees under LifeCare contracts.
Is Friendship Village a public or private company?
Friendship Village is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Friendship Village founded?
Friendship Village was founded in 1975. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Friendship Village based?
Friendship Village is headquartered in Kalamazoo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Friendship Village make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. LifeCare Contract - Entrance Fees are the primary driver. The others are monthly Service Fees, healthcare Services Revenue and donations and Charitable Giving.
Who are Friendship Village's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sunrise Senior Living, Brookdale Senior Living and Atria Senior Living. Direct peers are Life Care Services (LCS), The Arbor Company, National Church Residences, Lifespace Communities, Five Star Senior Living and Erickson Senior Living. Brio Living Services (formerly Holland Home) is listed as a regional player.
Does Friendship Village have an API?
No public API is recorded for Friendship Village.
What industry is Friendship Village in?
Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLADAEAE, Single-Site CCRCs, with a secondary code of HLADAAAF, Independent Living within CCRC Campuses (IL Component). Its NAICS code is 623311 and its SIC code is 8051.