Cardz For Kidz

What Cardz For Kidz does

Cardz For Kidz is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2010 by Ike Nwankwo, headquartered at a UPS mailbox address (516 N. Ogden Ave. #177, Chicago) but operationally run from the founder's residence. The organization's core function is to collect handmade greeting cards from volunteer groups and individuals worldwide and deliver them to patients and residents at 400+ partner locations across 50+ countries. Recipients include pediatric and general hospital patients, families at Ronald McDonald House Charities, foster children, seniors in assisted living, students in schools, and veterans at VA hospitals, with each partner committing to hand-deliver cards room-by-room.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; operations are run on a Wix-hosted website, standard email, and social media channels, with a Salesforce CRM integration underway via Northwestern University. It is entirely volunteer-staffed with no paid employees. Card production is community-led: 550+ card-making groups — including Diamond-level corporate participants such as Google, UBS, Schneider, and PLS — produce cards that are mailed to Chicago, counted at events in the Chicagoland area, and shipped worldwide. Cumulative output has reached 750,000+ cards delivered since founding, with 130,000 delivered in 2024 and a 2025 target of 180,000.

Revenue is sourced from individual and corporate donations, branded merchandise sales (t-shirts at $25.50-$28.50 via the organization's storefront and a ClözTalk reseller partnership), and event-based fundraisers (e.g., Hearts & Crafts Mixer with Kendra Scott and Logan 11). In 2024, 34% of total funds came from the founder and his parents. The organization has begun mission diversification via a $15,000 scholarship program for hospitalized students and donation of portable entertainment systems to healthcare facilities.

Name

Cardz For Kidz

Legal name

Cardz for Kidz, NFP

Website

https://cardzforkidz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cardz For Kidz is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that collects handmade greeting cards from 550+ groups worldwide and delivers them to 400+ hospitals, foster homes, senior living facilities, schools, and VA hospitals across 50+ countries, with cumulative output exceeding 750,000 cards.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises funds through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, birthday fundraisers, Giving Tuesday campaigns, and special event fundraisers. The founder and his parents personally contributed 34% of total funds in 2024.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling branded merchandise including t-shirts ($25.50-$28.50), with a portion of purchase price benefiting the organization. Partnership with ClōzTalk for additional merchandise.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Cardz For Kidz coordinates the creation of handmade greeting cards by volunteer groups and individuals, then ships those cards to 400+ partner locations across 50+ countries where staff hand-deliver them room-by-room to hospitalized children, foster children, seniors in care facilities, veterans, and students. The organization supplements its mission with a scholarship program for students who have overcome hospitalization, branded merchandise sales, and donations of portable entertainment systems to healthcare partners.

Product overview

Cardz For Kidz is a nonprofit organization that operates a card donation program as its core mission, delivering handmade greeting cards to hospitals, foster homes, senior living homes, schools, and patients worldwide. The organization supplements its mission with a scholarship program for hospitalized students, branded merchandise through its own shop and a ClōzTalk partnership, volunteer programs including card counting and student initiatives, and portable entertainment system donations to healthcare facilities. The portfolio includes no technology product or software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Handmade Card Donation Program
• Cardz For Kidz Scholarship
• Branded Apparel (T-Shirts)
• ClozTalk Merchandise Partnership
• Volunteer Programs
• Portable Entertainment Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• 750,000+ cards delivered globally across 50+ countries and 400+ locations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• GooglecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo Google office buildings participate in card-making events. Partner since at least 2020 with Diamond-level participation status.
• UPScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPS provides mailbox services at 516 N. Ogden location. Local UPS team has been photographed with the organization, showing community support.
• Little Brothers Friends of the ElderlyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal contact retired but organization still accepts cards for seniors they serve.
• Illinois Medical District (UI Health, Cook County Health, Jesse Brown VA Hospital)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with three major Chicago medical facilities. PepsiCo sponsored portable entertainment system for Cook County Health. Jesse Brown VA Hospital connected through Chicago Blackhawks community outreach.
• Chicago BullsmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated luxury suite for fundraising raffle. Connected organization with PepsiCo. Partnership sparked initial meeting with alderman. Part of neighborhood development discussions near United Center.
• Chicago BlackhawksmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with local school to create military cards for veterans. Connected organization with community development discussions.
• PepsiComajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored portable entertainment system for Cook County Health System. Connected through Chicago Bulls joint event.
• Cradles to CrayonsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPlanned delivery of approximately 5,000 cards/bookmarks to Chicago location with help from Volunteering Untapped.
• Volunteering UntappedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based volunteer organization assisting with card-making events and Cradles to Crayons deliveries.
• LumaversemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMade significant financial donation (more than twice any previous one-time contribution). Provided branding support and social media encouragement. Company representatives visited Charlotte hospital partners and connected with UNC Charlotte student organizations.
• Dark Matter CoffeemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerProduced video content about founder's story. Raised over $3,000 during anniversary event. Artists created 200 cards and artwork donated to Ronald McDonald House Charity. Featured in organization's most viewed Instagram post.
• UBScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiamond-level participant with 102% of goals met. Conducted 'cord cutting' events at local hospitals. Most valuable group overall per internal scoring.
• SchneiderminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGold-level participant within 12% of meeting all expectations. Multiple locations hosting events.
• Atrium Health LevinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharlotte hospital receiving 200+ cards each quarter with 25% in Spanish. Part of expansion into Carolinas region.
• ClōzTalkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership for additional merchandise including hoodies and hats. Provides extended product offerings beyond Cardz For Kidz's own shop.
• Kendra ScottminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShop-for-good fundraiser with 20% of purchases donated. Fundraiser launched at Hearts & Crafts Mixer event.
• Logan 11minorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonates $5 to Cardz For Kidz for every drink sold at Hearts & Crafts Mixer event.
• PLS (Plano Safeguarding)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCard-making partner that donated 997 cards from offices across the country in Q1 2017. Diamond-level participant status achieved.
• Maryville AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit receiving portable entertainment systems. Supported since 2019. Children at facility sometimes cannot leave or receive visitors.
• Intercultural Montessori Language SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents make cards in multiple languages, aligning with organization's multilingual card initiative.
• Send A Smile TodayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization with similar mission. Founder Kim connected with Cardz For Kidz through Instagram hashtags; collaboration helps both organizations grow.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Love for the Elderly: Nonprofit sending handwritten letters and cards to seniors in care facilities. Direct overlap with Cardz For Kidz's senior living home recipient segment and comparable volunteer-driven card-distribution model.
• Cards for Hospitalized Kids: Nonprofit organization focused on distributing handmade cards to hospitalized children. Nearly identical name and mission, making it one of the most directly comparable peer organizations.
• Cradles to Crayons: Nonprofit serving children in need with essential items; active partner of Cardz For Kidz (planned 5,000 card/bookmark delivery). Similar nonprofit model serving overlapping populations of children in crisis.
• Send A Smile Today: Nonprofit with nearly identical mission of sending handmade cards to hospitalized children and others in need. Connected to Cardz For Kidz through founder collaboration, making it the most direct functional peer.
• Project Sunshine: Nonprofit providing programs and support to hospitalized children and their families. Similar mission of uplifting spirits of sick children; comparable volunteer-driven model with healthcare partnerships.

Regional players

• Maryvale Academy / Maryville Academy: Listed partner receiving portable entertainment systems and cards from Cardz For Kidz; serves children in residential care in Illinois. Comparable as a beneficiary partner with overlapping child-services mission.

Emerging players

• The Birthday Party Project: Nonprofit throwing birthday parties for homeless children and those in need. Comparable volunteer-driven nonprofit model bringing joy to children in crisis; adjacent mission of celebrating kids facing hardship.

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Major established nonprofit serving hospitalized children's families — Cardz For Kidz delivers cards to RMHC locations globally. RMHC is a larger incumbent in adjacent space (family housing vs. card uplifting) serving similar beneficiaries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cardzforkidz
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCL1nFN1UqKLmht7us--owSg
• Facebookfacebook.com/cardzforkidz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cardz-for-kidz
• Instagraminstagram.com/cardzforkidz

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Cardz For Kidz