Fern Lodge

What Fern Lodge does

Fern Lodge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Christian Science nursing facility based in Castro Valley, California, one of approximately 50 such organizations worldwide. The organization provides inpatient Christian Science nursing care to patients from across the United States and, increasingly, internationally, with a maximum capacity of 21 patients. Roughly 65–90% of patients require financial assistance, and the facility subsidizes care through a benevolence model that is sustained by donations and a collaboration with the National Benevolence Fund, with monthly benevolence needs of approximately $30,000.

The organization's core operations are twofold: (1) hands-on Christian Science nursing care delivered by a multilingual staff capable of serving patients in 10+ languages, and (2) a Christian Science nursing education program offering CSN 1, CSN 2, supervision, maternity, and in-home care courses, including a bilingual English/Spanish track. The facility is accredited by The Commission for Accreditation of Christian Science Nursing Organizations/Facilities and operates under California Health and Safety Code §1270(a) and §1505(f) license exemptions. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery, recordkeeping, and outreach rely on conventional staff-driven workflows supported by a newsletter, YouTube channel, and word-of-mouth referrals within the Christian Science community.

Fern Lodge's business model combines a fee-for-service revenue stream (patient care fees) with a donation-funded benevolence stream that underwrites care for the majority of patients. Its sole disclosed financial period (2007) shows approximately $1.65M in operating expenses, $800K in patient-care income, and $850K in donated benevolence. The current leadership comprises Brad Stock as Administrator (since 2023), Sharon Strong as Director of Christian Science Nursing, and Robin Barben as Activities Director. Capital reinvestment in 2025 (room renovations, HVAC) and ongoing international outreach to South America indicate continued organizational renewal within a stable operating footprint.

Name

Fern Lodge

Legal name

Fern Lodge

Website

https://fernlodge.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fern Lodge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Christian Science nursing facility in Castro Valley, California, serving up to 21 inpatients nationally while subsidizing 65–90% of care through donations and running a bilingual Christian Science nursing education program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Castro Valley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Patient Care Fees: Patients pay for Christian Science nursing care directly. Some patients receive partial coverage through Medicare or Medi-Cal government programs when eligibility requirements are met. Many patients contribute only partially to the cost of their care, with the remainder covered by benevolence.
2. Donations and Benevolence: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Fern Lodge relies heavily on tax-deductible donations from individuals, Christian Science churches, and associations. Donors support three main areas: Patient Benevolence, Christian Science Nursing Education, and Renewal Projects. Gifts come in the form of cash, stocks, bonds, and real estate bequests. No endowment fund is currently in place.
3. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers donate time to support patient care — reading, writing letters, holding conversations, leading midday Wednesday services, hymn sings, and educational presentations. Volunteers are not compensated; their contributions reduce operational costs and enrich patient experience.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fern Lodge is a Christian Science nursing facility in Castro Valley, California that provides 24/7 residential spiritual nursing care grounded in the practice of Christian Science, with a current full capacity of 21 patients. The facility operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and supplements its nursing services with a Christian Science Nursing Education Program, a Patient Benevolence program offering subsidized care, and a Renewal Program supporting facility upkeep.

Product overview

Fern Lodge operates as a single, unified Christian Science nursing facility that provides residential nursing care grounded in spiritual healing. The core offering is the nursing facility itself, supported by an education program that trains Christian Science nurses, a patient benevolence program that provides financial assistance, and a renewal program for facility improvements. Services are provided regardless of patients' ability to pay, funded through donations from Christian Scientists and organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Christian Science Nursing Care 24/7 residential spiritual nursing care grounded in Christian Science practice, delivered to a full capacity of 21 patients by multilingual staff (English, French, Tagalog, Spanish). The service is designed for Christian Scientists requiring nursing support consistent with their religious practice and is offered under California Health and Safety Code Section 1252(a)(6) religious exemption.
• Christian Science Nursing Education Program A formal training and renewal program for prospective and current Christian Science nurses, providing structured instruction and a residential learning environment at the Fern Lodge facility. The program supports the Christian Science nursing workforce pipeline.
• Patient Benevolence Program A donor-supported financial assistance program that subsidizes Christian Science nursing care for patients who cannot afford the full cost, removing financial barriers to faith-aligned nursing services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2007 operating expenses of $1,650,000 with $850,000 in patient benevolence provided that year, funded primarily through donations.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Arden Wood: A Christian Science nursing facility in San Francisco explicitly named as a collaborator on nursing education and the emerging national Benevolence Fund — directly comparable to Fern Lodge in mission, accreditation, and care model.
• Beacon Haven: Christian Science nursing facility on the East Coast that mirrors Fern Lodge's residential nursing, benevolence, and education offerings within the shared nationwide network.
• High Ridge House: Christian Science nursing facility in Riverdale, NY, operating under the same Commission accreditation and faith-based nursing model as Fern Lodge.
• Chestnut Hill Benevolent Association: Christian Science nursing facility in Massachusetts named as an education collaborator with Fern Lodge; serves the same faith-based patient population under the same Commission accreditation framework.
• Glenview: Christian Science nursing facility in Illinois that is part of the same ~50-facility nationwide network and provides comparable residential Christian Science nursing care and education.
• White Flower: Christian Science nursing facility offering similar prayer-based residential care and accredited by the same Commission — comparable to Fern Lodge in service model and donor-dependent funding structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=SlgcUUo2BPI
• Xx.com/fern_lodge

Compliance1 record

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 Fern Lodge