What MISS Foundation does

MISS Foundation is an international 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1996 by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore to serve families experiencing the death of a child. Headquartered in Austin, Texas with operational infrastructure at the 10-acre Selah Carefarm in Northern Arizona, the organization delivers trauma-informed bereavement support through peer mentorship (HOPE Mentor Program), moderated online forums, in-person and virtual support groups, family support packets, multi-day contemplative retreats (ROOTS, ROOTS Family, BODHI, TASOOM, ANIMA, Yoga), and animal-assisted therapy with 50+ rescue animals. The clinical methodology is anchored by the proprietary ATTEND Model (attunement, trust, touch, egalitarianism, nuance, death education) and the Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC) certification program, a 4-day intensive training course for medical and mental health providers that has credentialed 600+ practitioners across 14 countries since 2014.

The core product portfolio is complemented by the Kindness Project (a global movement with nearly 2 million cards distributed since 1996), Kindness Walks, the Selah House guest house, CBC-Yoga and Advanced CBC instructor certifications, the Professional Carefarm training program, and the Kaleidoscope Children's Project. The organization's reach is amplified by earned media (NPR, CBS, Associated Press, People Magazine, Apple TV+'s The Me You Can't See) and legislative advocacy through the MISSing Angels Bill initiative, now enacted in 43 states.

Revenue mechanics rest on a hybrid nonprofit model: individual and foundation donations (major gifts from Andy Quattlebaum, Blackwell Family, Dorrance Family, Coleman Family, Ronan Thompson, Charlotte Helen Bacon, and Jessica Jennifer Cohen foundations), CBC certification training fees, retreat program fees at the Selah Carefarm, and merchandise sales (Kindness Project cards, Selah Carefarm calendars at $15). Distribution is primarily direct-to-family for support services (free) and through the certified provider network for paid professional services. Most beneficiary-facing services are free of charge, with monetization concentrated in certification programs, retreats, and donor-funded operations.

Name

MISS Foundation

Legal name

MISS Foundation

Website

https://missfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

MISS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1996, providing trauma-informed grief support to families experiencing the death of a child through peer mentorship, contemplative retreats at its 10-acre Selah Carefarm, a proprietary provider certification program, and global advocacy including the MISSing Angels legislation enacted in 43 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI)

Keywords

• Traumatic grief support
• Bereavement care services
• Animal-assisted therapy
• Carefarm retreats
• Peer support mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Austin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: MISS Foundation relies on donations from individuals, families, and organizations to fund operations. The organization maintains donor lists and accepts contributions in memory of loved ones.
2. Provider Certification Training Fees: Revenue from the Compassionate Bereavement Care certification program, a 4-day intensive training course for medical and mental health providers.
3. Kindness Project Merchandise: Sale of Kindness Project cards and related merchandise to support the organization's programs.
4. Carefarm Calendars: Annual Selah Carefarm calendars sold as fundraiser, priced at $15 plus shipping and handling.
5. Retreat Program Fees: Fees for retreat programs at Selah Carefarm including ROOTS, BODHI, TASOOM, ANIMA, and Yoga Retreat programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

MISS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free grief support services to families who have experienced the death of a child, including HOPE mentor peer matching, online moderated forums, in-person support groups, family support packets, and retreats at its 10-acre Selah Carefarm in Northern Arizona. It also trains and certifies medical and mental health providers worldwide in its proprietary Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC) methodology built on the ATTEND Model, and advocates for legislative recognition such as the MISSing Angels Bill.

Product overview

The MISS Foundation is a nonprofit grief support organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs and services for families experiencing traumatic child death. The core offerings include the Selah Carefarm Program (a 10-acre therapeutic carefarm in Northern Arizona), Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC) Certification training for providers, peer support through the HOPE Mentor Program and online forums, in-person and virtual support groups, Family Support Packets, and the Human-Animal Support/Animal Grief Therapy program. Additional programs include The Kindness Project and Kindness Walks for memorial activities, retreat programs (ROOTS 1, ROOTS Family, BODHI, TASOOM Respite, ANIMA, and Yoga Retreats), and provider certifications (CBC-Yoga and Advanced CBC). The organization also engages in legislative advocacy through the MISSing Angels Bill initiative. The Selah House Guest House serves as a respite center for traumatically bereaved families. With over 500 providers and volunteers in 14 countries, the organization provides C.A.R.E.S. services (Counseling, Advocacy, Research, Education, and Support) to hundreds of thousands of bereaved families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Selah Carefarm: A therapeutic carefarm program offering grief support through animal-assisted therapy, eco-therapy, and contemplative practices for traumatically bereaved families. Located on 10 acres in Northern Arizona near Sedona.
• Selah House
• Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC)
• Kindness Project
• HOPE Mentor Program

Products and services

• Selah Carefarm Program A 10-acre therapeutic carefarm in Northern Arizona (first green vegan carefarm in the United States) providing trauma-informed grief support through animal-assisted therapy, eco-therapy, gardening, and contemplative practices for traumatically bereaved families worldwide.
• Compassionate Bereavement Care (CBC) Certification A 4-day intensive training program taught by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore that certifies medical and mental health professionals in trauma-informed grief care using the proprietary ATTEND Model.
• HOPE Mentor Program Free one-on-one peer support matching bereaved parents, grandparents, or siblings with trained volunteer mentors who have experienced similar loss, available locally in-person or via email, phone, and Skype.
• Family Support Packets Email-delivered support packets containing books, brochures, and resources for bereaved parents, grandparents, and siblings experiencing traumatic grief, provided free of charge upon request.
• Online Support Group Forums Free, 24/7, fully-moderated online support group forums staffed by trained volunteer moderators who are also bereaved parents, grandparents, or siblings, with applications clearing in 24-78 hours.
• In-Person and Virtual Support Groups Monthly free support groups facilitated by trained bereaved-parent facilitators and co-facilitators, available in various locations worldwide.
• The Kindness Project A worldwide movement for families to honor deceased loved ones through random acts of kindness, with nearly 2 million kindness cards distributed globally to perform anonymous acts of kindness in memory of the deceased.
• Kindness Walks An international memorial walk program to remember beloved children who died too soon, with volunteers organizing walks in communities including Richmond VA, NW Illinois, Phoenix AZ, Tucson AZ, Iowa, and Los Angeles.
• ROOTS 1 Program A small, structured Wednesday-through-Saturday group retreat exclusively for bereaved parents, led by specially trained CBC Carefarm grief counselors at the Selah Carefarm.
• ROOTS Family Program A structured Wednesday-through-Saturday group retreat for up to 8 traumatically bereaved extended family members, guided by specially trained CBC grief counselors at the Selah Carefarm.
• BODHI Program A private program offering flexible durations, guided by a trained counselor, for those grieving a primary family member's traumatic loss, held Wednesday through Saturday at the Selah Carefarm.
• TASOOM Respite Program A retreat primarily for returning visitors featuring animal time, yoga, sound therapy, and optional grief counseling at added cost, held at the Selah Carefarm.
• ANIMA Program A private 3-hour visit to the Selah Carefarm with a staff member, featuring a remembrance ritual and time with the rescue animals, with no counseling included.
• Yoga Retreat for Grievers A Wednesday-to-Sunday program blending yoga, meditation, and nature to support those grieving traumatic loss in a nurturing Carefarm setting at the Selah Carefarm.
• CBC-Yoga Certification Advanced certification for yoga instructors to lead trauma-informed grief support sessions using somatic movement and sound therapy.
• Advanced CBC Certification Advanced training for CBC-certified providers, including access to the CBC Council for ongoing professional development in traumatic grief support.
• Selah House Guest House A guest house and respite center for traumatically bereaved families located on 10 acres of farmland in Northern Arizona, serving as the capstone project of the Selah Carefarm.
• Compassionate Bereavement Care Provider Directory A searchable directory of over 500 Compassionate Bereavement Care certified providers located in cities throughout the world who have received specialized training in traumatic grief.
• Human-Animal Support / Animal Grief Therapy Animal-assisted grief therapy program where 50+ rescued animals from abuse, homelessness, and trauma provide therapeutic support to bereaved families at the Selah Carefarm.
• MISSing Angels Bill Advocacy Legislative advocacy initiative that has led to birth certificates for stillborn babies in 43 states, allowing parents to receive acknowledgment of their child's birth not just death.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ providers trained in Compassionate Bereavement Care globally since 2014
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Elisabeth Kubler-Ross FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundation partners with the MISS Foundation through the Center for Loss and Trauma to offer the Compassionate Bereavement Care certification program. Dr. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross serves on the MISS Foundation Advisory Board. This collaboration combines two leading organizations in bereavement support and education.
• Center for Loss and TraumacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between the MISS Foundation and Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Foundations offering comprehensive training and certification to providers working with the traumatically bereaved.
• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Joanne Cacciatore is a tenured professor and researcher at ASU. The university features her research on animals and grief, and she has received the Hon Kachina Award from ASU. Collaborative research relationship.
• Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerGFAS verified the Selah Carefarm in 2025, ensuring highest standards of animal care and ethical sanctuary operations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/user93542824
• Xx.com/miss_foundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/missfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/miss-foundation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 MISS Foundation