Roots of Empathy

What Roots of Empathy does

Roots of Empathy is a Canadian-registered charitable non-profit founded in 1996 by Mary Gordon and headquartered in Toronto. It delivers evidence-based classroom programs, Roots of Empathy (elementary, K-Grade 8) and Seeds of Empathy (childcare centres, ages 3-5), that use a neighborhood infant and parent visiting the classroom nine times a school year as a 'Tiny Teacher' through which a trained volunteer instructor coaches children to observe and label feelings on a green blanket. The organization directly handles program integrity, curriculum, volunteer training (4-day intensive), and provincial/state coordination, while delivery in schools is executed through trained volunteer instructors and partner organizations (e.g., Barnardos Ireland, Educate Together, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board). Programs are provided free of charge to schools and families; the operating budget is funded through donations, grants, and charitable contributions accepted via a CanadaHelps integration, with an Empathy Enterprise sub-brand positioned for organizational/paid extensions.

The organization has reached more than 1.2 million children across 11 countries on three continents (Canada, US, UK, Ireland, Norway, New Zealand among others) and is supported by over two decades of independent randomized controlled trial research cited in more than 1,000 academic papers. Operating structure consists of an international HQ in Toronto (250 Dundas St. W, Suite 802) with a US 501(c)(3) entity, a UK registered charity office in London, and a New Zealand registered charity, plus provincial coordinators across all 10 Canadian provinces. Recent strategic activity centers on the 2025 HundrED Spotlight on Wellbeing in Schools in partnership with International Baccalaureate, Oxford University, Harvard's Research Schools International, and the Jacobs Foundation, building on a 2023 HundrED Hall of Fame induction. Headcount remains in the 11-50 range, with founder/CEO Mary Gordon (an Ashoka Fellow) anchoring leadership; revenue figures are not publicly disclosed.

Name

Roots of Empathy

Legal name

Roots of Empathy

Website

https://rootsofempathy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Roots of Empathy is a Canadian non-profit charity that delivers evidence-based classroom programs using a baby 'Tiny Teacher' to develop empathy and emotional literacy in children, operating across 11 countries with programs provided free to schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Emotional Learning Programs

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry, Arboriculture & Silviculture (EDAOAOAJ)

Keywords

• Social emotional learning
• Empathy education programs
• Early childhood development
• School-based interventions
• Anti-bullying programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a registered Canadian charity (Charitable No. 89643 4818 RR0001), Roots of Empathy operates primarily through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization also accepts donations through CanadaHelps platform.
2. Volunteer-Driven Delivery: Programs are delivered by volunteer instructors who donate their time, reducing operational costs. The organization provides training and support to volunteers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Roots of Empathy is a registered Canadian children's charity that delivers an evidence-based classroom program in which a parent and their baby (the 'Tiny Teacher') visit elementary school classrooms nine times per school year. A trained instructor coaches children to observe and label the baby's feelings, building emotional literacy, empathy, and prosocial behaviour. The organization also offers Seeds of Empathy for children aged 3-5 in licensed childcare centres, plus an Empathy Enterprise™ offering for organizations. Programs are delivered free of charge via trained volunteers across 11 countries.

Product overview

Roots of Empathy is a children's charity offering empathy-based educational programs. The core offerings consist of two main programs: Roots of Empathy, an evidence-based classroom program for elementary school children that uses a baby (the 'Tiny Teacher') as a vehicle for developing empathy and emotional literacy, and Seeds of Empathy, a sister program for childcare centres targeting children aged 3-5. The organization also operates Empathy Enterprise™ for organizational applications and an Empathy Movement to promote empathy beyond traditional educational settings. Programs are delivered across 11 countries on 3 continents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Roots of Empathy Program
• Seeds of Empathy Program
• Empathy Enterprise™
• Empathy Movement

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of host teachers agreed or strongly agreed that the program supported students' mental health and wellbeing
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• HundrEDflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025HundrED partnered with Roots of Empathy for the Spotlight on Wellbeing in Schools initiative. HundrED is a Finnish nonprofit that annually evaluates education programs for their impact on transforming school systems. ROE was selected as one of world's leading education innovations.
• International BaccalaureatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025Partner organization in the HundrED Spotlight on Wellbeing in Schools initiative. Recognized the critical need for improving student wellbeing and programs grounded in scientific evidence.
• Oxford UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025Partner organization in the HundrED Spotlight on Wellbeing in Schools initiative. Academic partner evaluating education innovations for student wellbeing.
• Research Schools International (Harvard University)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025Partner organization in the HundrED Spotlight on Wellbeing in Schools initiative. Harvard-affiliated research organization focused on education evidence.
• Jacobs FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2025Partner organization in the HundrED Spotlight on Wellbeing in Schools initiative. Foundation focused on children's development and wellbeing.
• AshokaflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Mary Gordon is one of the first Ashoka Canadian fellows and a Director on Ashoka's Global Board. Ashoka is the global association of leading social entrepreneurs. Roots of Empathy participated in the BBK New Longevity Summit organized by Ashoka.
• BBK (Balboa, Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2022Co-organized the BBK New Longevity Summit in Balboa, Spain where Mary Gordon spoke about Roots of Empathy's work in supporting children's mental health.
• Barnardos IrelandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 September 2022Irish child welfare organization partnering with Roots of Empathy for program delivery in Republic of Ireland schools.
• Educate TogethercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 September 2022Irish education organization that supports Roots of Empathy training and program delivery in Ireland.
• Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (Wales)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 September 2022Welsh health board that funds Seeds of Empathy programs in Wales, supporting early childhood social and emotional development.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Ashoka: Global association of leading social entrepreneurs whose fellows include Mary Gordon. Adjacent ecosystem peer rather than a direct SEL competitor; comparable as a fellow-impact nonprofit working in education innovation and frequently co-cited (Ashoka Summit, BBK Longevity Summit).

Direct peers

• PATHS Curriculum (Channing-Bete): Promoting Alternative Thinking Strategies (PATHS) is a research-backed K-6 SEL curriculum. Direct peer to ROE because it is an evidence-based classroom program focused on emotional literacy and aggression reduction with similar target customers (school districts).
• Committee for Children: Non-profit developer of Second Step, the most widely adopted K-8 SEL curriculum in North America. Direct peer because both organizations deliver evidence-based school SEL programs targeting empathy, emotion regulation, and prosocial behavior in elementary classrooms.
• Tools of the Mind: Evidence-based Vygotsky-inspired early childhood curriculum emphasizing self-regulation and executive function. Direct peer to ROE in the early-childhood self-regulation and emotional-literacy space with similar non-profit delivery to schools and centers.
• Circle of Security International: Circle of Security is an evidence-based parenting-attachment program delivered in early childhood and clinical settings. Direct peer to ROE because both programs use parent-child relational observation (including a focus on babies) to drive emotional/social outcomes.
• Center for Responsive Schools (Responsive Classroom): Publisher of the Responsive Classroom approach, an evidence-based K-8 SEL and classroom-management program. Direct peer to ROE for school-based social-emotional programming with comparable age range and educator buyer.
• Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence (RULER): RULER is an evidence-based emotional intelligence approach for K-12 developed at Yale. Direct peer to ROE because it is a school-anchored SEL program targeting the same educator and student buyer with similar emotional-literacy outcomes.
• MindUP (Goldie Hawn Foundation): MindUP is a foundation-delivered K-12 mindfulness and SEL program developed by the Goldie Hawn Foundation. Direct peer to ROE in mission (emotion regulation, kindness, wellbeing in children), delivery vehicle (school-based curricula), and evidence-based posture.
• Pyramid Model Consortium: Pyramid Model is a widely adopted early-childhood SEL framework used in US preschools and Head Start. Direct peer to Seeds of Empathy because both target the 3-5 age group in early childhood settings to build social-emotional competence.

Broad incumbents

• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): CASEL is the dominant SEL ecosystem convener that defines the SEL framework used by most US districts and policies. Comparable to ROE as an ecosystem shaper and research translator, though CASEL is not a single classroom program but a coordinating umbrella organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rootsofempathy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/rootsofempathy
• Facebookfacebook.com/rootsofempathy
• Instagraminstagram.com/rootsofempathy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/roots-of-empathy

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Roots of Empathy