CARY4kids

What CARY4kids does

CARY4kids, formally the Council on At-Risk Youth, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 in Austin, Texas, in the immediate aftermath of the Columbine tragedy to address the school-to-prison pipeline. The organization delivers an evidence-based Youth Violence Prevention Curriculum through four integrated program components: PeaceRox (weekly group sessions for social skills training), monthly Individual Counseling, Parent Empowerment activities, and Service Learning projects. Its stated target population is middle and high school students in Central Texas who carry the highest likelihood of entering the school-to-prison pipeline, including youth with histories of trauma, abuse, gang involvement, and serious disciplinary referrals.

CARY operates a school-embedded service model rather than a technology platform, placing trained Youth Advisors directly inside 19 campuses spanning three Central Texas school districts: Austin Independent School District (14 schools), Del Valle Independent School District (4 schools), and Manor Independent School District (2 schools). Its reported outcomes include a 75% juvenile justice diversion rate among graduates, an 80% reduction in behavioral referrals, a 60% increase in school attendance, and a 50% increase in academic improvements, framed against a $750-per-child-per-year cost versus an estimated $120,000 in criminal justice system costs per diverted youth. There is no proprietary software, app, API, or AI component; the underlying "technology" is the validated curriculum and the field-operations playbook refined across 27,000+ students served.

CARY's business model is a donation- and grant-funded nonprofit operating budget, with revenue streams sourced from individual donations, monthly recurring giving, tiered corporate sponsorships (Community Champion $1,000-$4,999; Purpose Pioneer $5,000-$24,999; Legacy Leader $25,000+), and government grants from the City of Austin, Travis County, Austin ISD, the Governor's Criminal Justice Division, and the U.S. Department of Justice (including the Reimagining Justice Project). Go-to-market is community-led through school-based referrals, district partnerships, an annual gala, and digital channels (cary4kids.org website, newsletter, and social media). Leadership is provided by Executive Director Shana Fox (since January 2016), Program Director Nicole Gerard, Development Director Ashley Ibsen, and a board chaired by Esther Ladipo Hill.

Name

CARY4kids

Legal name

Council on At Risk Youth

Website

https://cary4kids.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CARY4kids (Council on At-Risk Youth) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers an evidence-based Youth Violence Prevention Curriculum to the highest-risk middle and high school students in Central Texas, serving 1,900 students across 19 campuses in Austin, Del Valle, and Manor ISDs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Violence Prevention and At-Risk Youth Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Services (611)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ), Threat Assessment, Violence Prevention & Behavioral Intervention Support (EDAEACAH), Court/Community School Programs (Diversion, Probation-Linked, Community Day Schools) (EDAJAEAI), Suicide Prevention, Self-Harm Prevention & Threat Assessment Programs (EDAKAMAI)

Keywords

• Youth violence prevention
• At-risk youth services
• School-based counseling
• Juvenile justice diversion
• Youth mentoring programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: CARY generates revenue through individual donations, monthly giving programs, and corporate sponsorships at various levels (Community Champion $1,000-$4,999, Purpose Pioneer $5,000-$24,999, Legacy Leader $25,000+).
2. Government Grants and Funding: CARY receives funding from government sources including City of Austin, Travis County, Austin Independent School District, Governor's Criminal Justice Division, and U.S. Department of Justice.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CARY4kids delivers an evidence-based Youth Violence Prevention Curriculum embedded directly in Central Texas schools. Its integrated service components include PeaceRox weekly group sessions for social skills training, monthly individual counseling, Parent Empowerment family programming, Service Learning linked to academics, and confidence-building field trips. Services target at-risk middle and high school students with serious disciplinary referrals including drug use, gang involvement, and violence, delivered by Youth Advisors placed in 19 campuses across three school districts.

Product overview

CARY (Council on At-Risk Youth) operates as a unified nonprofit youth violence prevention program rather than a software platform. The core CARY Program delivers an evidence-based Youth Violence Prevention Curriculum through multiple integrated service components: the PeaceRox Program (weekly group sessions for social skills training), Individual Counseling (monthly one-on-one sessions), Parent Empowerment (family activities component), and Service Learning (community service integrated with academics). These components work together to target at-risk students with the highest likelihood of entering the school-to-prison pipeline, providing life skills training, anger management, and confidence-building experiences across 19 schools in three Central Texas school districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CARY Program (Youth Violence Prevention Curriculum) Evidence-based youth violence prevention program providing life skills training, anger management, one-on-one counseling, group counseling, and confidence-building field trips for at-risk middle and high school students in Central Texas schools.
• PeaceRox Program Weekly voluntary group sessions for CARY students focused on social skills training and individual coaching to teach alternative behaviors to aggression and campus violence.
• Individual Counseling Monthly one-on-one counseling sessions provided to each CARY student in combination with group programming.
• Parent Empowerment Family-focused component bringing families together for activities designed to improve family functioning and decrease student problem behaviors impacting school performance.
• Service Learning Teaching method combining academic classroom curriculum with meaningful community service, allowing students to reflect on their learning and community contribution.

Quantifiable outcome

• 75% of CARY Graduates are Diverted from Juvenile Justice
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Austin Independent School District (AISD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary school district partner hosting CARY programs in 14 schools including high schools and middle schools. AISD collaborates with CARY to serve at-risk students.
• Del Valle Independent School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school district with 4 CARY program locations: Dailey Middle School, Del Valle High School, Del Valle Middle School, and Ojeda Middle School.
• Manor Independent School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school district with 2 CARY program locations: Decker Middle School and Manor High School, serving at-risk youth in the Manor area.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Communities In Schools: National nonprofit that places site coordinators inside K-12 schools to deliver wraparound supports for at-risk students, mirroring CARY's model of embedding Youth Advisors on campuses to address behavioral and social risks.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National youth mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk youth with one-on-one and group mentoring in school and community settings, with documented delinquency-reduction outcomes comparable to CARY's.
• Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at NYC Health + Hospitals: Hospital-linked violence intervention program serving youth at risk of violence and recidivism with counseling and case management — comparable evidence-based violence prevention model targeting high-risk youth.
• National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): National nonprofit providing community-based behavioral health, juvenile justice, and wraparound services for at-risk youth and families — directly comparable to CARY's wraparound, counseling, and violence prevention work in schools.
• Youth Advocate Programs, Inc. (YAP): National nonprofit providing community-based alternatives to incarceration and wraparound services for at-risk and justice-involved youth, including school-based programming — closely aligned with CARY's diversion and wraparound model.

Broad incumbents

• National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD): National nonprofit focused on juvenile justice reform and at-risk youth diversion, with policy research, program evaluation, and direct service — closely aligned with CARY's juvenile diversion mission.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: Large national youth development nonprofit providing school-linked programs targeting at-risk youth, including violence prevention, mentoring, and life skills — overlapping CARY's curriculum and at-risk student focus.

Regional players

• Children at Risk: Texas-based nonprofit focused on child welfare research, advocacy, and direct services for at-risk youth, including school-based programs — sharing geography, mission, and at-risk youth focus with CARY.
• Mentoring Alliance: Texas-based nonprofit providing school-linked mentoring, after-school, and youth development programming for at-risk youth — sharing Texas geography, school-based delivery, and at-risk youth focus with CARY.

Emerging players

• Safe & Sound (formerly San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center): Nonprofit providing school-based violence prevention, counseling, and family support services for at-risk youth in San Francisco — overlapping CARY's school-based violence prevention and wraparound model in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cary4kids
• Facebookfacebook.com/CARY4kids
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cary4kids

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 CARY4kids