What Stiftung Die Gute Hand does

Stiftung Die Gute Hand is a non-profit Catholic foundation (operative Stiftung kirchlichen Rechts) founded in 1961 by Prälat Jakob Holl and headquartered in Kürten-Biesfeld, Germany. It supports children, youth, and adults with emotional, psychological, and social support needs across the life span in the Greater Cologne/Bergisches Land region, operating from 8+ facilities in Kürten, Leverkusen, Köln, Wipperfürth, Much, and Bergisch Gladbach with a workforce of more than 650 employees. Its service portfolio spans residential heilpädagogik (Heilpädagogisches Kinderdorf Biesfeld, Haus Hermann-Josef Köln), specialized youth welfare with family-preservation and crisis-intervention (Haus Nazareth Leverkusen, Ambulante Dienste), an autism-specific residential and day-structuring cluster (Wohnverbund Haus Agathaberg, QUANTUM), a state-recognized special-needs school (Förderschule Die Gute Hand), a therapeutic riding center (Reittherapeutisches Zentrum Meierhof), a statewide distance-learning school (Flex-Fernschule NRW), and an early-childhood family center (Familienzentrum NRW Die Gute Hand).

Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The business model is government-funded managed-services delivery: youth and social welfare offices (Jugend- und Sozialämter) plus the Landschaftsverband act as cost carriers under applicable social legislation, with services individually priced through facility-by-facility admission coordinators rather than published rate cards. Supplementary funding is generated through donations, an online donation platform (RaiseNow / donate.raisenow.io), and recurring Freundeskreis memberships (annual SEPA direct debit). Distribution is referral-driven via Jugendämter; go-to-market is effectively a relationship-led sales motion with the regional NRW public sector as anchor buyer. Operational and commercial governance is run through a dual leadership (Doppelspitze) comprising CEO/Chairman Christoph Ahlborn and Commercial Vorstand Christoph Pelzer (effective July 2026), under recognition by Erzbistum Köln and Caritas membership.

Technology footprint is intentionally modest and service-delivery oriented. Internal capabilities include a proprietary digital media-pedagogy competency framework aligned to the NRW Medienkompetenzrahmen (established 2021), a digital kindergarten-registration integration with the LITTLE BIRD portal, and embedded third-party components (Google Maps, YouTube, RaiseNow donation rails). No proprietary digital platform, app, or AI product is offered externally; AI is referenced as a 2025 development area without disclosed capabilities.

Name

Stiftung Die Gute Hand

Legal name

Stiftung Die Gute Hand

Website

https://die-gute-hand.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Stiftung Die Gute Hand is a non-profit Catholic foundation, founded 1961 and based in Kürten, Germany, that provides youth welfare, integration assistance, special education, and family support services to children, youth, and adults with emotional, psychological, and social support needs across the Greater Cologne/Bergisches Land region via 8+ facilities and 650+ employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Welfare and Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Child Care Services (6244), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (62321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK), Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ), Transition & School-Readiness Support for Special Needs Children (HSAAAIAO)

Keywords

• Youth welfare services
• Residential care
• Special education
• Outpatient family support
• Therapeutic intervention

Headquarters

HQ city

Kürten

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government-funded social services: Youth and social welfare offices (Jugend- und Sozialämter) fundamentally finance the care services for residents in accordance with applicable social legislation. Additionally, the Landschaftsverband and social welfare offices may serve as cost carriers for certain services.
2. Donations and fundraising: Donations support additional provisions beyond government funding, such as computer purchases, club memberships, and driver's license assistance for professional training - items with lasting positive impact on personal development.
3. Friends' Circle membership: Regular membership contributions with annual SEPA direct debit collection on April 15, providing donors with quarterly supporter letters and annual reports.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stiftung Die Gute Hand operates a comprehensive network of youth welfare, integration assistance, special-needs education, and therapeutic services for children, youth, and adults with emotional and psychological support needs across the Greater Cologne/Bergisches Land region. Services include residential care (heilpädagogische and therapeutic intensive groups), outpatient family support, foster-family placements, state-recognized special-needs schooling, distance learning, early-childhood family-center care, horse-assisted therapy, and day-structuring programs for adults with autism spectrum disorders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heilpädagogisches Kinderdorf Biesfeld

Quantifiable outcome

• Successful reintegration: Bewohner can either return to families (Rückführung) or independently manage their lives as adults (Verselbstständigung)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Erzbistum KölncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation is a Catholic foundation recognized by the Archdiocese of Cologne (Erzbistum Köln). The Archbishop serves as patron. The foundation operates under the prevention regulations of the Archdiocese and maintains institutional protection concepts based on these standards.
• Deutscher Caritas-VerbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStiftung Die Gute Hand is a member of the German Caritas Association (Deutscher Caritas-Verband), one of the largest welfare organizations in Germany, providing access to network resources and advocacy.
• Kreissparkasse KölnminorOthersProvides donation account services (Spendenkonto) for the foundation. IBAN: DE80 3705 0299 0338 0008 08, SWIFT-BIC: COKSDE33
• Landesverband der LebenshilfeminorOthersChristoph Pelzer, incoming Commercial Director (July 2026), previously served as Commercial Director at Lebenshilfe, contributing to his social sector expertise before joining Die Gute Hand.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Diakonie Deutschland: Largest Protestant welfare confederation in Germany operating residential youth care, ambulatory services, and special education facilities; comparable to Die Gute Hand's integrated ambulatory-residential-school model, with parallel confessional welfare structure.
• Caritas Deutschland (Deutscher Caritas-Verband): National Caritas umbrella organization of which Stiftung Die Gute Hand is a member; comparable as a Catholic-affiliated youth welfare and integration assistance provider, though operating at far greater scale as a federated network.
• AWO Bundesverband e.V. AWO is a major German welfare association providing youth welfare, family support, and care services through regional chapters; comparable as a publicly recognized Träger der Jugendhilfe with similar ambulatory/integrated-hilfe offerings.
• Malteser Deutschland gGmbH: Malteser is a Catholic-affiliated welfare organization running youth services, family support, and care facilities; comparable institutional affiliation and service categories to Stiftung Die Gute Hand.

Direct peers

• Outlaw gGmbH: Outlaw operates Kinder-, Jugend- und Familienhilfe facilities across multiple German states including residential groups, school accompaniment, and Familienzentren; directly comparable service breadth to Stiftung Die Gute Hand.
• St. Augustinus Kinderdorf / Bethesda Kinderdorf: Bethesda Kinderdorf operates residential heilpädagogische care villages and ambulatory youth services in NRW; closely comparable operating model to Heilpädagogisches Kinderdorf Biesfeld as a Catholic-affiliated specialized residential provider.
• Bundesvereinigung Lebenshilfe: Lebenshilfe provides residential and ambulatory services for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities, including autism, closely mirroring Die Gute Hand's Wohnverbund Haus Agathaberg and ambulatory diagnostic services.
• SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. SOS-Kinderdorf operates residential Kinderdorf villages and youth welfare facilities across Germany; directly comparable to Stiftung Die Gute Hand's Heilpädagogisches Kinderdorf Biesfeld model of residential therapeutic care for vulnerable children and youth.
• Stiftung ICP München: ICP Munich is a recognized Catholic foundation providing special education, early intervention, and integration assistance for children/youth with disabilities; comparable structure as a Stiftung delivering integrated therapeutic-pedagogical services.

Emerging players

• Phönix Schulbegleitung NRW: Phönix provides school accompaniment and Integrationshilfe in NRW; comparable as a niche ambulatory provider of integration assistance for children with special needs, particularly in NRW schools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance7 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 Stiftung Die Gute Hand