COA Youth & Family Centers

What COA Youth & Family Centers does

COA Youth & Family Centers is a 120-year-old private nonprofit (EIN 39-0806339) headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, delivering a continuum of youth and family services to low-income children and families in the city's Amani and Riverwest neighborhoods. The organization operates four facilities: an administrative office at 909 E North Ave, the Goldin Center (2320 W Burleigh St, Amani) housing the Teen Impact Program, Food Pantry, Diaper Bank, and Advocate Aurora Family Clinic, the Riverwest Center (909 E Garfield Ave) housing the NAEYC-accredited Early Education Center, Youth Development Program, and Samson Family Resource Center, and the 200+ acre Camp Helen Brachman in Almond, Wisconsin. Service portfolio spans the HIPPY bilingual home-based preschool readiness program (ages 2-4), Early Education Center (6 weeks to 5 years), Youth Development after-school program (ages 5-12), Teen Impact Program at NOVA High School, Food Pantry and Diaper Bank, Summer Meals Program, and overnight/day camp at Camp Helen Brachman.

The underlying delivery model is place-based and partnership-driven rather than technology-driven. Core service technologies are human-delivered: licensed teachers, home visitors (Parent Partners), community health workers, and program managers. Quality differentiation is anchored in NAEYC accreditation and a five-star YoungStar rating for the Early Education Center. Partnerships are deeply layered across Head Start/Early Head Start collaborator Next Door, Hunger Task Force, CFI, Feeding America, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, Milwaukee County Parks, Advocate Aurora Family Clinic, and HIPPY US.

Revenue mechanics blend four streams: donations and fundraising (including the Building Futures recurring donor initiative and the Night with the Stars annual gala), government grants and contracts (Head Start, Early Head Start, Wisconsin Shares subsidies, federal and state food program funding), modest program fees (e.g., $10/month for Youth Development Program, camp registration fees, private pay for early education), and facility rentals (Camp Helen Brachman and community center spaces). Most programs are free or low-cost to families with scholarships available. The reported 2025 throughput includes 42,150 diapers distributed to 1,686 children, 9,666 food pantry individuals served, and 1,833 youth plus 752 adults fed through Summer Meals.

Name

COA Youth & Family Centers

Legal name

COA Youth & Family Centers

Website

https://coa-yfc.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1906

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

COA Youth & Family Centers is a 120-year-old Milwaukee nonprofit delivering early childhood education, after-school, teen, camp, food security, and family resource services to low-income children and families in the Amani and Riverwest neighborhoods.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth and Family Social Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child and Youth Services (62411), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), School-Age Wraparound Childcare Centers (Holiday/Break Care) (EDACAAAL), Home Visiting & Parent Coaching Programs (EDACALAC), Family Engagement & Caregiver Support Programs (SEL/Mental Health) (EDAKAMAK)

Keywords

• Youth development services
• Early childhood education
• Family support services
• Community nonprofit programs
• Child and family services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, recurring donor initiative (Building Futures), event fundraising (gala), and capital campaigns provide flexible funding. Unrestricted donations allow agile response to community needs.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Head Start and Early Head Start programming in partnership with Next Door; Wisconsin Shares subsidies for early childhood education; federal and state funding for food programs.
3. Program Fees: Modest fees for Youth Development Program ($10 monthly); camp registration fees; private pay for early education services.
4. Facility Rentals: Camp Helen Brachman and community center spaces rented for corporate retreats, family gatherings, school groups, and nonprofit events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

COA Youth & Family Centers operates a portfolio of community-based social-service programs for low-income children and families in Milwaukee. Core offerings include NAEYC-accredited early childhood education for ages 6 weeks to 5 years, the HIPPY bilingual home-based school-readiness program, after-school Youth Development programming for ages 5-12, Teen Impact services for high-school students, the Samson Family Resource Center, a community Food Pantry & Diaper Bank, and year-round Camp Helen Brachman. Programs are delivered at three physical locations: Goldin Center (Amani neighborhood) and Riverwest Center (Riverwest neighborhood) in Milwaukee, plus Camp Helen Brachman in Almond, Wisconsin.

Product overview

COA Youth & Family Centers operates a comprehensive suite of youth and family services in Milwaukee's Amani and Riverwest neighborhoods. The organization offers a portfolio of interconnected programs including: Early Education Center (NAEYC-accredited early childhood education for ages 6 weeks to 5 years with Head Start partnership), HIPPY (bilingual home-based school readiness program), Youth Development Program (after-school care for ages 5-12), Teen Impact Program (high school student services), Camp Helen Brachman (overnight and family camp in Almond, WI), Samson Family Resource Center (drop-in programs for families with children 0-7), Food Pantry & Diaper Bank (food security and diaper distribution), and Advocate Aurora Family Clinic (health screening services). Two facility locations—Goldin Center and Riverwest Center—serve as hubs for programming, while Building Futures recurring donor initiative and Night with the Stars gala support fundraising. Facility rentals at camp and centers provide additional community access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Helen Brachman: Year-round rustic retreat camp on 200+ acres in Almond, Wisconsin offering summer camps, winter camps, and family camps.
• Goldin Center
• Samson Family Resource Center
• Early Education Center
• HIPPY
• Teen Impact Program

Products and services

• Early Education Center NAEYC-accredited five-star YoungStar early childhood education program for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years, offering play-based learning with Head Start and Early Head Start programming in collaboration with Next Door. Accepts Wisconsin Shares subsidies, private pay, and scholarships.
• HIPPY (Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters) Free bilingual home-based school-readiness program that empowers parents as their child's first teacher through interactive learning sessions and developmentally-focused curriculum for children ages 2-4. Parent Partners conduct home visits; 97% of parents/caregivers learn new parenting skills.
• Youth Development Program After-school program for children ages 5-12 at COA Riverwest Center providing homework help, healthy dinner, field trips, clubs, camps, and outdoor play for a modest $10 monthly fee. Includes Wisconsin Shares acceptance.
• Teen Impact Program After-school program at COA's Goldin Center serving up to 20 NOVA High School students, providing mental health support, life skills development, creative expression, career readiness, and field trips.
• Camp Helen Brachman Year-round rustic retreat camp on 200+ acres along Pickerel Lake in Almond, Wisconsin (approximately 150 miles from Milwaukee), offering summer camps (e.g., July 19-24, 2026 for ages 8-12), winter camps, and family camps with activities including nature exploration, swimming, boating, archery, and arts. Wisconsin's longest-standing camp organization.
• Samson Family Resource Center Free drop-in programs for parents and children ages birth to 7 at Riverwest Center, offering free play, story time, art projects, snacks, parenting workshops, and connections to other COA programs. No registration required.
• Food Pantry & Diaper Bank Community food pantry and diaper bank at Goldin Center serving Milwaukee's Amani neighborhood (53206 zip code), offering food assistance and diaper distribution (up to two times per month per family). Served approximately 200 people per month and 9,666 individuals in 2025.
• Summer Meals Program Weekday meal program provided in partnership with Hunger Task Force, the Center for Independence (CFI), and Milwaukee County Parks, distributing free meals at Moody Park Pavilion during summer months to address food insecurity when school meals are unavailable.
• Facility Rentals Rental program offering COA venues including Camp Helen Brachman (cabins, lodges, beach, sports fields on 200+ acres), Goldin Center (gym, conference rooms), and Riverwest Center (gym space) for corporate retreats, family gatherings, school groups, and nonprofit events.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42,150 diapers distributed to 1,686 children in 2025
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hunger Task ForcecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Partnership since 2018 to alleviate food insecurity in Milwaukee through community food pantry at Goldin Center and Summer Meals Program at Moody Park Pavilion. COA serves as distribution site for meals Monday-Friday during summer.
• CFI (Center for Independence)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer Meals Program partnership providing food and nutrition services to Milwaukee youth and adults during summer months.
• Next DoorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHead Start and Early Head Start collaboration providing comprehensive early childhood education services. Next Door provides continuing education, classroom support, and resources upholding Creative Curriculum's Gold Teaching Standards.
• United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDiaper Bank partnership enabling distribution of diapers to families in need. Community members may request diapers up to two times per month.
• Feeding AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood pantry support through grocery store partnerships and community food rescue programs helping keep COA's food pantry shelves stocked.
• Milwaukee County ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSummer Meals Program hosted at Moody Park Pavilion; provides outdoor space for community feeding program.
• Advocate Aurora Family CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Health Worker at Gill Family Resource Center screens for social determinants of health and connects individuals to essential services through the clinic and local partners.
• HIPPY UScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters national program affiliation providing curriculum, training, and program standards for home-based early childhood education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Next Door: Milwaukee-based Head Start and Early Head Start partner of COA. Directly comparable as an urban Milwaukee early-childhood education nonprofit serving low-income families, including Creative Curriculum-aligned classrooms and family engagement services.
• YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee: Direct peer operating comparable youth development, before/after-school care, and family programming across the Milwaukee metro. Similar mix of facility-based services, sliding-scale fees, and donor-funded scholarships makes the YMCA the closest comparable for scale and operating model.
• Goodwill Greater Milwaukee & Chicago: Regional nonprofit providing workforce, family, and youth services across metro Milwaukee. Overlaps with COA in wraparound family support, community-based program delivery, and corporate board representation from major Milwaukee employers.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee: Metro Milwaukee youth mentoring nonprofit. Comparable in target population (Milwaukee youth), donor-supported nonprofit model, and outcome-driven programming for at-risk adolescents served by COA's Teen Impact Program.
• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee: Direct peer delivering after-school and teen programming in Milwaukee neighborhoods. Overlaps directly with COA's Youth Development and Teen Impact Program on target population, mission, and corporate/foundation fundraising channels.
• United Community Center (UCC): Milwaukee-based community nonprofit offering early childhood education, youth programming, senior services, and a charter school. Comparable multi-generational wraparound model with place-based neighborhood focus similar to COA's Amani and Riverwest strategy.

Broad incumbents

• National Head Start Association: National membership association for Head Start and Early Head Start grantees. Comparable through COA's Head Start programming in partnership with Next Door, with shared federal funding exposure and quality accreditation standards.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National umbrella organization for Boys & Girls Club affiliates including the Greater Milwaukee chapter. Comparable at the portfolio level for youth development programming, federal grant capture, and corporate partnerships.

Emerging players

• Save the Children US: National nonprofit delivering early childhood, literacy, and after-school programs in underserved U.S. communities. Comparable in HIPPY-style home visiting and early literacy outcomes, though COA operates at a smaller geographic footprint.

Others

• Hunger Task Force: Long-standing COA partner operating the Summer Meals Program and Goldin Center food pantry distribution. Comparable as a Milwaukee-area food-security nonprofit, but mission-aligned ecosystem partner rather than head-to-head competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/COAYFC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/coa-youth-&-family-centers
• Instagraminstagram.com/coa_mke
• Xx.com/COAYFC

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 COA Youth & Family Centers