Komak

What Komak does

Komak Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in December 2006 by Merle and Nasi Greenstein in the Portland, Oregon area, inspired by Hamid Maarefi who was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer at age 39. The organization provides immediate and interim financial assistance to working-age individuals undergoing cancer treatment who are unable to work, with less than $20,000 in savings and a definable return-to-work timeline, within a 50-mile radius of Portland, OR and a 25-mile radius of Vancouver, WA. Funds are not disbursed as cash to clients; instead, payments are made directly to bill originators (landlords, PGE and other utilities) or delivered as grocery cards and bus tickets, with a formal process including application, phone interview, home visit by board members, and board review.

Komak is not a technology company and operates with no paid staff; its leadership team is entirely volunteer, which allows 89% of funding to flow directly to beneficiaries. Revenue is generated exclusively through charitable donations (individual, corporate, and community) and fundraising events, anchored by the annual Persian Dinner Fundraiser (21st edition scheduled for May 9, 2026 at Al Kader Shrine Center in Wilsonville, OR). Distribution relies on a referral network anchored by OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, OnPoint Community Credit Union (Gold Sponsor), Camas Washougal Community Chest, and Al Kader Shriners, complemented by a Client Resource List that connects patients to a broader network of cancer support programs. Mailing address is 8630 SW Scholls Ferry Road, PMB OR #107, Beaverton, Oregon 97008.

Name

Komak

Legal name

Komak Inc.

Website

https://komakcares.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Komak is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing direct financial assistance (bill payments, groceries, utilities) to working-age cancer patients in the Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA metro areas.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Beaverton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and community organizations. The Persian Dinner annual fundraiser is a signature event that generates funds for operations and patient assistance.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute to support cancer patient assistance programs. The organization provides donation options including online donations and recurring donations.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Komak is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that provides direct financial assistance to working-age cancer patients in the Portland/Vancouver metro area. The organization pays essential living-expense bills (such as rent, mortgage, and utilities) directly to bill originators on behalf of eligible applicants, while also maintaining a Client Resource List to connect patients with additional community services. It sustains its operations through community fundraising, with an annual Persian Dinner as its signature event.

Product overview

Komak operates as a single-service nonprofit organization offering financial assistance to cancer patients. The core offering is the Cancer Patient Financial Assistance Program, which provides direct bill payments and essential support to working-age individuals undergoing treatment who live within a 50-mile radius of Portland, OR and a 25-mile radius of Vancouver, WA. The organization complements its assistance program with an annual Persian Dinner Fundraiser (21st year) and a Client Resource List that connects patients to additional cancer support organizations. All funding is delivered directly to bill originators rather than as cash to clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cancer Patient Financial Assistance Program Direct financial assistance program that pays essential living-expense bills (rent, mortgage, utilities) directly to bill originators on behalf of eligible working-age cancer patients residing in the Portland/Vancouver metro area, at no cost to applicants.
• Client Resource List Curated list of community resources and support services made available to cancer patients to help them access additional aid beyond Komak's direct financial assistance.
• Annual Persian Dinner Fundraiser Signature annual fundraising dinner event hosted by Komak to raise community donations supporting its cancer patient financial assistance mission; the 21st annual edition is planned for May 9, 2026 at the Multnomah Athletic Club.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of funding goes directly to people in need due to volunteer leadership model

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OnPoint Community Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025OnPoint Community Credit Union has partnered with Komak as a Gold Sponsor for the 2025 Persian Dinner fundraiser for a second consecutive year.
• OHSU Knight Cancer InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025OHSU Knight Cancer Institute joined as a 2025 Persian Dinner Sponsor, providing support for Komak's mission to help cancer patients.
• Al Kader ShrinerscoreOthersAl Kader Shriners serves as the location sponsor for Komak's Persian Dinner events, hosting at the Al Kader Shrine Center in Wilsonville, OR.
• Stellify - Consulting & CoachingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStellify provides consulting and coaching services to support Komak's organizational development.
• Camas Washougal Community ChestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKomak partners with Camas Washougal Community Chest to further their mission of helping local cancer patients during treatment. This partnership extends Komak's reach into the Vancouver/Washington community.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• HealthWell Foundation: Independent nonprofit that assists with out-of-pocket costs for medical care, including cancer treatment. Comparable in providing financial assistance to underinsured patients, though at a much larger national scale.
• Patient Advocate Foundation: Provides case management and financial assistance to patients with chronic, life-threatening, or debilitating illnesses including cancer. Comparable in its broad support services and direct financial assistance to patients in need.
• Family Reach: National nonprofit that provides direct financial assistance to families facing cancer, including help with rent, utilities, and food. Directly comparable to Komak's cancer patient financial assistance model, though operating at a larger national scale.
• Pink Fund: Provides financial assistance to breast cancer patients in active treatment who have lost income. Directly comparable in its focus on working-age cancer patients unable to work during treatment, with a similar direct bill payment model.
• CancerCare: National nonprofit providing financial assistance, counseling, and support services to cancer patients. Offers limited grants for non-medical expenses (rent, utilities, transportation) very similar to Komak's offerings.
• The Samfund: Provides financial support to young adult cancer survivors after treatment. Directly comparable to Komak in its focus on the financial burden of cancer on younger working-age patients, with a similarly narrow target demographic.
• Joe Andruzzi Foundation: Provides financial assistance to cancer patients and their families for everyday expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities, and food. Directly comparable to Komak's mission, bill-payment model, and target beneficiary profile.
• Lazarex Cancer Foundation: Provides financial assistance to cancer patients for clinical trial participation and related costs. Comparable in its mission-driven direct financial support to cancer patients, though focused on different expense categories.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Nationwide voluntary health organization providing cancer research, patient support, and financial assistance programs. Operates in the same cancer patient support space but at a vastly larger scale with a broader mission.
• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: Large national nonprofit providing financial assistance, research funding, and patient support for blood cancer patients. Comparable in offering financial assistance programs for cancer patients, but operates much more broadly and at a significantly larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KomakCares
• Xx.com/komakpdx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/komakcares

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Komak