ABEFI

What ABEFI does

ABEFI - Associação Beneficente Evangélica da Floresta Imperial is a Brazilian non-profit charitable association (Associação Beneficente) founded in 1967 and headquartered in Novo Hamburgo, Rio Grande do Sul, with confessional ties to the IECLB (Igreja Evangélica de Confissão Luterana no Brasil). The organization operates 17-20 institutional units across the Vale do Sinos region and surrounding municipalities (including Novo Hamburgo, São Leopoldo, Canoas, Esteio, Nova Santa Rita, Taquara, Montenegro, Portão, and São Sebastião do Caí), delivering three interconnected service lines: institutional shelter for children, adolescents, women, and people with disabilities (including Lar Padilha, multiple Casas Lar/Abrigos, and Casa de Acolhimento para Mulheres); educational services spanning early childhood education through High School (Colégio Sinodal da Paz, EMEI Leonel de Moura Brizola, EMEI Vila das Flores, Escola de Educação Infantil da Paz); and community/social programs including SCFV (Serviço de Convivência e Fortalecimento de Vínculos), the Ação Encontro community center, and projects such as Protagonizar para Transformar (Petrobras-funded vocational training), EducArte, Meu País Plural, Rede em Ação (Itaú Social), and the Projeto República transition-housing program.

The organization holds the Selo Doar certification (2025), validating governance, transparency, accounting, HR, fundraising, communication, and accountability practices against UN SDG-aligned PGTD standards, and operates with a 111-employee staff under a reconducted 2026-2028 board led by President Adelmo Sipp and Director General Altemir Labes. ABEFI does not sell services to end beneficiaries — all shelter, education, and social services are provided free of charge. Instead, the revenue model is built on four streams: institutional partnerships and government contracts with municipal and state authorities; corporate CSR funding (Petrobras, Itaú Social, Sicredi, CIGAM, Edenred, Repom, TLog, among others); international diaconal donations (Johannesstift Diakonie, Comunidade de Bensheim, Fundação Luterana de Diaconia); and individual donations via tax-deductible channels (Fundo da Criança e do Adolescente, Fundo da Pessoa Idosa) and the GiftAid matching platform. Major capital campaigns have been funded by large family donors, notably the Demuth family's R$ 1.38 million donation for the new 620 m² administrative headquarters inaugurated in March 2026.

Name

ABEFI

Legal name

Associação Beneficente Evangélica da Floresta Imperial

Website

https://abefi.org.br

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

ABEFI is a Lutheran-affiliated Brazilian non-profit operating 18-20 institutional units across Rio Grande do Sul, providing free shelter services for vulnerable children, adolescents, and women, early childhood through high school education, and community social programs funded via government contracts, corporate CSR, and international diaconal donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services & Child Welfare

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYHLAJAKAG

Maternal, Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (MNCAH) NGOs

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health & Development Agencies (NGOs/Multilaterals)

SECONDARYEDALAFAN

Accessibility, Accommodations & Assistive Services

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Student Health, Counseling & Wellness Services

Keywords

• Institutional shelter services
• Child welfare services
• Social assistance programs
• Charitable education services
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Novo Hamburgo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Institutional Partnerships and Government Contracts: ABEFI operates as a social assistance organization maintaining 17-20 institutional units including shelters, schools, and social service centers. Revenue comes from partnerships with municipal and state governments, international organizations, and corporate social responsibility programs.
2. Tax Deductible Donations (Imposto de Renda): Individuals and companies can direct a portion of their income tax due to ABEFI through Fundo da Criança e Adolescente and Fundo da Pessoa Idosa channels, supporting social projects.
3. GiftAid Platform Partnerships: ABEFI participates in the GiftAid platform where donations are matched, doubling the impact of contributions from donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ABEFI is a non-profit charitable association that operates institutional shelter services for vulnerable children, adolescents, women, and people with disabilities across 17-20 units in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It also runs educational institutions including early childhood schools and Colégio Sinodal da Paz (K-12), and delivers social/community programs such as SCFV (family bonding services), Ação Encontro community center, professional training projects, and cultural initiatives. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through institutional partnerships, donations, and government contracts.

Product overview

ABEFI (Associação Beneficente Evangélica da Floresta Imperial) is a non-profit charitable social organization affiliated with the Lutheran Church in Brazil (IECLB), operating primarily in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Its portfolio consists of three interconnected pillars: (1) Institutional Shelter Services — maintaining 18 shelter units (Abrigos/Casas Lares) for children, adolescents, women, and people with disabilities in vulnerable situations, plus long-term elderly care; (2) Educational Institutions — operating Early Childhood Education schools (EMEI Leonel de Moura Brizola, EMEI Vila das Flores, Escola de Educação Infantil da Paz) and the Colégio Sinodal da Paz (from berçário through High School), soon to be unified; and (3) Social Programs and Projects — including SCFV community services, the Ação Encontro community center with bakery and workshops, the Projeto Protagonizar para Transformar (Petrobras partnership for vocational training), Projeto EducArte (theater with accessibility), Projeto Meu País Plural (cultural dance/culinary arts), youth apprenticeship programs, charitable scholarships, and a virtual library. The organization is funded through donations, government partnerships, and corporate social responsibility programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Colégio Sinodal da Paz

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ lives transformed over 45 years at Lar Padilha
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Johannesstift Diakonie (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of Germany's largest Lutheran diaconal health and social welfare organizations. They visited ABEFI units in June 2026 as part of a Brazilian tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Diaconal Communion (COD) of IECLB. The partnership strengthens ties between institutions sharing diaconal principles.
• Comunidade de Bensheim (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner40-year partnership supporting primarily Lar Padilha in Taquara. The community is mobilizing resources for acquiring a bus for the shelter in 2026.
• IECLB (Igreja Evangélica de Confissão Luterana no Brasil)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABEFI is confessionally linked to IECLB. The church organization provides theological guidance and access to the diaconal network, with pastor Altemir Labes participating in denomination assemblies.
• FEEVALE (Universidade)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for student exchanges, with FEEVALE interchange students visiting ABEFI's Vila das Flores school.
• Instituto IvotiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to strengthen the Jovem Aprendiz (Young Apprentice) program at ABEFI, helping youth enter the workforce.
• Faculdades ESTminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheran theological institution that provides certification for ABEFI's training programs including Capacitação para Jovens Aprendizes and mental health formation programs.
• Prefeitura de Novo HamburgocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership for operating public education units (EMEI Leonel de Moura Brizola, EMEI Vila das Flores) and social services.
• Prefeitura de EsteiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for operating Abrigo Municipal Construindo Novos Sonhos and the new Family Acolhedora service opening in 2026 as ABEFI's 20th unit.
• Prefeitura de Nova Santa RitacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Casa de Acolhimento para Mulheres shelter and participation in municipal councils like COMDICA.
• Movimento Acolha PenélopeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCivil society movement co-developing awareness campaigns on child and adolescent protection, notably for the Maio Laranja campaign against sexual abuse.
• GiftAid PlatformminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital donation platform that matches donations real-to-real up to December 3rd, doubling donor contributions to ABEFI.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Regional players

• Caritas Brasileira: Brazilian Catholic social-action confederation running humanitarian assistance, refugee support, and community development programs nationally. Comparable service footprint and vulnerable-population focus, though confessional basis and national scope differ from ABEFI's Lutheran/regional model.

Direct peers

• Instituto Jô Clemente: Brazilian nonprofit supporting people with intellectual disabilities through diagnosis, health, education, and social inclusion programs. Closely aligned with ABEFI's inclusive shelter (Casa Lar Inclusiva) and accessibility-oriented service lines.
• APAE Brasil: Brazilian federation of associations serving people with intellectual disabilities through specialized education, health, and social assistance — directly comparable to ABEFI's Casa Lar Inclusiva de Esteio and accessibility-focused programs.
• Fundação Casa: São Paulo state government's shelter system serving adolescents in conflict with the law and those requiring protective measures. Largest institutional youth shelter operator in Brazil and a direct comparator for ABEFI's Abrigo and Casa Lar shelter operations, though state-run.
• ChildFund Brasil: International NGO operating in Brazil with sponsorship, child protection, education, and youth leadership programs for children in vulnerable situations. Operates with similar shelter and youth-development model to ABEFI.
• Save the Children Brasil: International child-rights NGO operating in Brazil with programs in education, child protection, emergency response, and youth livelihoods. Comparable donor base (corporate + international) and beneficiary segments to ABEFI.
• Aldeias Infantis SOS Brasil: Brazilian arm of SOS Children's Villages International, providing family-based care villages, foster family programs, youth empowerment, and emergency responses for children without parental care. Closest direct peer to ABEFI's shelter + education + youth transition model.
• Lar Fabiano: Christian-inspired Brazilian NGO running institutional shelters, community programs, and education services for children and adolescents in vulnerable situations — closely comparable service mix to ABEFI including residential care and educational programs.
• Fundação Abrinq: One of Brazil's largest child-rights foundations, focused on defending and promoting the rights of children and adolescents across health, education, and protection — including shelter and protective services for at-risk youth, mirroring ABEFI's mission and beneficiary segments.

Others

• Fundação Luterana de Diaconia (FLD): Brazilian Lutheran diaconal foundation that has directly funded ABEFI programs (Casa de Acolhimento para Mulheres, Rede em Ação) via the Programa de Pequenos Projetos. Sister organization within the same confessional network — a partner/funder and natural strategic ally rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abefi

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 ABEFI