Friendship Village

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.

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

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

• Senior living community
• Continuing care retirement
• Independent living residences
• Memory care services
• Skilled nursing care

Headquarters

HQ city

Kalamazoo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Healthcare Services Revenue: Revenue from assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing, and rehabilitation services provided on campus to residents as their care needs evolve.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western Michigan UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWMU partnership provides Lifelong Learning opportunities for residents, allowing participation in university educational programs and cultural activities. Located minutes from the WMU campus.
• Kalamazoo Public SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership allowing intergenerational programs and volunteer opportunities between the school district and senior living community.
• Kalamazoo Community CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing educational and internship opportunities for students in healthcare and related fields.
• Kalamazoo Institute of ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural partnership providing residents access to art programs, exhibitions, and educational activities.
• Alzheimer's AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership 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 LibraryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLibrary partnership providing residents with access to reading materials, digital resources, and literacy programs.
• Parkinson's MichiganminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing specialized programs and support for residents with Parkinson's disease.
• Portage Senior CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership connecting community resources and programs for seniors in the greater Kalamazoo area.
• MRC IndustriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal partnership supporting employment and vocational programs that may benefit residents and community engagement.
• National Institute for Fitness and Sports (NIFS)coreTechnology or IntegrationNIFS assisted in developing the Fitness and Aquatic Centers specifically for senior fitness needs, providing evidence-based programming for older adults.
• Life Care Services (LCS)coreOthersLCS 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

Broad 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/162817197079693

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Friendship Village