Suncoast Kids Place

What Suncoast Kids Place does

Suncoast Kids Place (SKP) is a nonprofit community ministry founded in 2008 and operated under Bay Hope Church, providing grief support services to children, teens, and families in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. The organization serves individuals aged 3 through adult who have experienced the death of a significant person, structured around age-segregated peer support groups that meet twice monthly for 90-minute sessions using talking circles and play-based activities. Its service methodology is licensed from The Dougy Center of Portland, Oregon, an internationally recognized model for pediatric grief support, and SKP participates in both the National Children's Grief Network and the National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG). All services are delivered free of charge to families.

The organization runs five distinct program lines: in-person peer support groups at two Bay Hope Church campuses (Lutz and Westchase), virtual peer support via Zoom for Florida residents (SKP Online), the SKP HALOS adult suicide-loss survivor group, Camp Erin Tampa Bay (a free weekend grief camp for ages 6–17 delivered under the Eluna network and sponsored by New York Life), and the School Initiative—an approved in-school grief support program operating in Hillsborough County Public Schools. The School Initiative delivered 26 ten-week groups across 19 schools in the 2023–2024 school year, including 16 Title I schools. Operational infrastructure relies on a small professional staff supplemented by trained volunteers, university interns from seven partner institutions, and therapy dogs certified through Canines for Christ.

Suncoast Kids Place is funded entirely through donations processed via Bay Hope Church's Pushpay integration, a memorial brick program, and merchandise sales on Bonfire. There is no fee charged to families for any service. The organization has supported over 6,000 children and caregivers since inception, with stated donor costs of $15 per month to fund a single student's 8-week group or $1,400 to fund a group of eight students. Marketing reach is built on community ministry channels, school referrals, and educational presentations to community organizations.

Name

Suncoast Kids Place

Legal name

Suncoast Kids Place

Website

https://suncoastkidsplace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Suncoast Kids Place is a nonprofit community ministry under Bay Hope Church providing free peer support groups for grieving children, teens, and families in Tampa Bay using the Dougy Center model, including school-based and camp programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Grief Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDACALAH

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services

Education/Early Childhood Education/Parent Education & Family Engagement Programs

Keywords

• Children grief support
• Peer support groups
• Bereavement counseling
• School grief services
• Community mental health

Headquarters

HQ city

Lutz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations: Organization operates entirely on donations. There is no fee charged to families for attending peer support groups. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made online through Bay Hope Church, by mail, or via memorial brick program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Suncoast Kids Place is a nonprofit community ministry that provides free, donation-funded peer support groups and grief education for children (ages 3-18), teens, and their families who have experienced the death of a significant person. Services are delivered in person at two Bay Hope Church campuses (Lutz and Westchase), virtually via Zoom, and inside Hillsborough County Public Schools through an approved School Initiative, with complementary programs including Camp Erin Tampa Bay and the SKP HALOS suicide-loss survivor group.

Product overview

Suncoast Kids Place operates as a community ministry providing grief support services to children, teens, and families through a portfolio of coordinated programs. The core offering consists of peer support groups (Littles ages 3–5, K–2nd grade, 3rd–5th grade, middle school, and high school), facilitated at two physical locations (Lutz and Westchase) and virtually via Zoom. This is complemented by SKP HALOS, a suicide-loss survivor support group for adults meeting virtually and in-person. The School Initiative extends grief support directly into Hillsborough County Public Schools through three tiers of service, including 8-week on-site support groups. Camp Erin Tampa Bay provides a free weekend grief camp for youth ages 6–17 in partnership with the Eluna network. Community Education and Training delivers presentations and in-service training to schools and organizations. All programs are offered at no cost to families and are funded entirely through donations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HALOS: Healing After a Loved One's Suicide - a support group for adults who have experienced the death of a significant person to suicide.
• Camp Erin Tampa Bay
• School Initiative

Products and services

• Peer Support Groups Age-grouped peer support groups for children ages 3-18 and their caregivers who have experienced the death of a significant person; sessions meet twice monthly for 90 minutes and include talking circle time and play-based activities. Delivered in-person at Lutz and Westchase and virtually via Zoom.
• SKP HALOS (Healing After a Loved One's Suicide) Support group for adults (18+) who have experienced the death of a significant person by suicide. Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays each month; virtual on the 1st Wednesday, in-person in Lutz on the 3rd Wednesday.
• Camp Erin Tampa Bay Free weekend grief camp for youth ages 6-17 combining grief education and emotional support with traditional camp activities. Operated under Eluna's Camp Erin network and sponsored by Bay Hope Church and New York Life Insurance; led by grief support professionals and trained volunteers.
• School Initiative Grief support program delivered inside Hillsborough County Public Schools with three levels: information sharing, psychoeducation for staff/students, and 8-week student support groups. Approved by the District Review Committee and delivered in Title I and other schools across the county.
• Community Education & Training Educational presentations and in-service training on children's grief for schools, organizations, and businesses. Topics include general grief introduction, age-specific needs, supporting grieving peers, and holiday grief management.
• Online Resource Library Curated library of grief support resources including guides for caregivers, educators, and youth; Spanish-language materials; and links to national organizations such as NACG, Eluna Resource Center, and The Dougy Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supported over 6,000 children and caregivers since founding in 2008
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bay Hope ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSuncoast Kids Place is a community ministry of Bay Hope Church. The church provides organizational infrastructure, funding support, and facilities for the program. Bay Hope Church also facilitates online donations through their platform.
• The Dougy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter extensive research, the internationally known Dougy Center of Portland, Oregon was selected as the model for Suncoast Kids Place. SKP is part of The Dougy Center's National Children's Grief Network.
• National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKP is a member of the National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG), providing access to resources, networking, and best practices in children's grief support.
• ElunacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamp Erin Tampa Bay is part of Eluna's national Camp Erin network. Eluna supports children, teens and families impacted by grief or addiction through community-building camps, interpersonal connections, and continuum of support. Eluna provides Camp Erin sponsorship through Bay Hope Church and New York Life Insurance Company.
• Hillsborough County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKP has been approved by Hillsborough County's District Review Committee to provide grief support groups in schools. The School Initiative has been approved to provide grief support to students and school staff across the county.
• Canines for ChristminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKP partners with Canines for Christ for therapy dog support in grief groups. Approved therapy dogs and their owners provide emotional support during peer support group sessions.
• University Partnerships for InternshipsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKP provides internship opportunities through partnerships with University of South Florida, Hillsborough Community College, Saint Leo University, Trinity College, Southeastern University, Concordia University, and University of Denver. Students gain hands-on experience working with grieving children, teens, and adults.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Emerging players

• Kids Above All: Illinois-based nonprofit serving youth and families through programs including counseling, mentoring, and family support services. Comparable wraparound support services model for vulnerable children and families, though with a broader mandate than grief-specific.

Direct peers

• The Dougy Center: Internationally recognized pioneer of the peer support model for grieving children and families in Portland, Oregon. SKP explicitly selected the Dougy Center model as its methodology and is part of the National Children's Grief Network founded by Dougy, making it the closest direct peer and intellectual parent organization.
• Camp Kesem: National nonprofit supporting children through and beyond a parent's cancer diagnosis with free summer camps and year-round programming. Comparable youth bereavement-support mission and donation-funded delivery model.
• Experience Camps: National nonprofit providing free, fun-filled summer camps for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Directly comparable to SKP's Camp Erin Tampa Bay weekend grief camp program.
• Judi's House: Denver-based nonprofit offering free, peer-support grief programs for children and families, and developer of the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM) cited by SKP. Directly comparable service model and a key research/data peer.
• Comfort Zone Camp: National nonprofit offering free bereavement camps and programs for children and teens grieving the loss of a parent or sibling. Operates a comparable free, donation-funded grief support model with school and community partnerships.
• Good Grief: Nonprofit providing free peer support programs for bereaved children, teens, and young adults in the Greater Boston area and virtually. Operates a near-identical service model to SKP (Dougy Center-based peer groups, school-based outreach, no-cost services funded by donations).

Broad incumbents

• National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG): National association supporting professionals and organizations that serve grieving children and families. SKP is a member; NACG is a peer in the broader children's grief support ecosystem and a convener of best practices.
• Eluna: National nonprofit operating the Camp Erin network, under which SKP's Camp Erin Tampa Bay is hosted. Eluna is a broader umbrella organization and major sponsor (alongside New York Life) for children's grief programming nationwide.

Others

• New York Life Foundation: Major national sponsor of childhood bereavement programs including Eluna's Camp Erin network (which underwrites SKP's Camp Erin Tampa Bay). Functions as a key strategic funder/ecosystem partner rather than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/suncoastkidspl
• Facebookfacebook.com/SuncoastKidsPlace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/suncoast-kids-place

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Suncoast Kids Place