For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation

What For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation does

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation (FPS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1999 and headquartered in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. The organization delivers respite experiences for adult cancer patients ages 21-55 and their families through three core programs: Travel Respite (destination-based getaways), Staycation Respite (local breaks), and Respite Reinforced (ongoing support). Patient intake is driven primarily by a nominator model in which oncology professionals at over 100 partner hospitals and cancer centers identify and refer eligible families, supplemented by direct website inquiries and alumni referrals.

FPS is currently building Pete's Dream, a $25M dedicated cancer respite center in the Pocono Mountains that broke ground in May 2026 and is expected to serve over 4,000 individuals annually—more than a 400% increase in program capacity. The organization does not operate any proprietary technology platform; its infrastructure is service-delivery focused, with donor transactions processed through the Classy giving platform.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions across four streams: individual donations (one-time, monthly, and memorial giving), planned giving (bequests, DAF, IRA, stock), corporate partnerships via the Corporate Pete's Partners program, and event fundraising anchored by signature events (golf tournament, gala, NYC happy hour, walk, Phillies tailgate, and Cornhole for Cancer). Services are provided at no cost to participants. The foundation has earned Platinum Transparency from Candid/GuideStar and a Charity Navigator 4-Star rating. As of May 2026, 88% of the $25M Pete's Dream capital campaign had been secured, with a $3M gap targeted by June 2027 and a parallel $7M endowment campaign underway to grow the permanently restricted endowment to $10M.

Name

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation

Legal name

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation

Website

https://takeabreakfromcancer.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides travel, staycation, and reinforced respite experiences to cancer patients ages 21-55 and their families, funded through donations and a 100+ hospital referral network, and currently building Pete's Dream, a $25M first-of-its-kind cancer respite center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Respite Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospice & Palliative Respite Care (HSABAGAG)

Keywords

• Cancer respite services
• Nonprofit healthcare support
• Patient family programs
• Oncology social services
• Charitable respite care

Headquarters

HQ city

Plymouth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individual supporters, including memorial donations in honor of loved ones.
2. Planned Giving: Legacy gifts including charitable bequests, donor-advised fund (DAF) contributions, IRA distributions, and stock donations.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorships and partnerships with corporations through the Corporate Pete's Partners program, including event sponsorships and matching gift programs.
4. Event Fundraising: Revenue from signature events including golf tournaments, galas, happy hours, walks, and community events. Tickets, sponsorships, and donations collected at events.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation delivers free Travel Respite, Staycation Respite, and Respite Reinforced programs for cancer patients ages 21-55 and their families, with patients nominated by oncology professionals at 100+ partner hospitals and cancer centers. The foundation is currently building Pete's Dream, the nation's first dedicated cancer respite center, to scale its impact by over 400%.

Product overview

For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation operates a suite of cancer respite programs designed to strengthen family relationships during cancer treatment. The core offerings include the Travel Respite Program (providing getaway experiences for patients ages 21-55, their caregivers, and children), the Staycation Respite Program (offering local respite without travel), and Respite Reinforced (additional reinforced support). The organization is also building Pete's Dream, the nation's first-of-its-kind dedicated cancer respite center, with an 88-bed campus scheduled to serve over 4,000 individuals annually upon completion. Working with oncology professionals at over 100 hospitals and cancer centers, FPS provides transformative experiences that help families recognize it is love, not cancer, that defines them.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pete's Dream: The nation's first-of-its-kind cancer respite center being built by For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation. A $25M campus that will serve over 4,000 individuals annually.
• Travel Respite Program
• Staycation Respite Program
• Respite Reinforced

Products and services

• Travel Respite Program Provides transformative getaway-based respite experiences for cancer patients ages 21-55, their caregivers, and their children, designed to strengthen family relationships and restore coping ability during treatment.
• Staycation Respite Program Offers local respite experiences without travel for cancer patients, their caregivers, and children, enabling families to take breaks closer to home during treatment.
• Respite Reinforced Provides ongoing reinforced respite support and follow-through experiences for families affected by cancer, complementing the foundation's Travel and Staycation Respite offerings.
• Pete's Dream Cancer Respite Center The nation's first-of-its-kind dedicated cancer respite center, currently under construction in the Pocono Mountains. A $25M campus designed to serve over 4,000 individuals annually, expanding current program impact by over 400%.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of nominators report improvement in patients' and families' ability to cope with cancer
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pocono Mountains Visitors BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2026Partner in hosting the livestream of the Pete's Dream groundbreaking ceremony on May 7, 2026. The respite center is being built in the Pocono Mountains region with support from the local visitors bureau for destination marketing and community engagement.
• 100+ Hospitals and Cancer CenterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOncology professionals at over 100 partner hospitals and cancer centers serve as nominators, identifying eligible cancer patients and their families for FPS respite programs. This network is fundamental to program delivery.
• Stout NYC-Bryant ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue host for the 12th Annual NYC Happy Hour event in April 2026.
• Citizens Bank ParkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVenue for FPS Community Tailgate and Phillies Game events, providing community engagement and fundraising opportunities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: The largest US cancer nonprofit, providing patient support, lodging (Hope Lodge), and transportation programs that overlap with FPS's respite and caregiver support mission, though at far greater scale and broader scope.
• Livestrong Foundation: National nonprofit supporting cancer patients and survivors through navigation, fertility preservation, and emotional support programs with overlapping patient-family support objectives.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Grants wishes to children with critical illnesses including cancer — comparable experience-based mission and donor-driven funding model for cancer-impacted families.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Operates a global network of lodging facilities for families of seriously ill children, including cancer patients — adjacent respite/lodging model with facility-based delivery.

Others

• National Cancer Institute (NCI): Federal agency providing comprehensive cancer information, clinical trial navigation, and supportive care resources — adjacent as a primary referral source for oncology professionals connecting patients to support services like FPS.
• National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN): Alliance of leading academic cancer centers whose member institutions overlap with FPS's nominator hospital network — adjacent referral infrastructure for cancer respite programs.

Direct peers

• Camp Kesem: National nonprofit supporting children and families affected by a parent's cancer through free summer camps and year-round programming — comparable family-focused respite model for the cancer community.
• Cancer Support Community: Operates a network of community-based centers delivering psychosocial support, counseling, and educational programs to cancer patients and families — directly comparable mission and beneficiary population.
• The Ulman Foundation: Supports young adults (ages 15–39) affected by cancer through community, navigation, and scholarships — comparable age-band focus and patient-family support programming.
• Hole in the Wall Gang Camp: Founded by Paul Newman, provides free residential camp experiences to children with serious illnesses including cancer — directly comparable model of dedicated respite facilities for cancer-impacted families.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watchfps
• Facebookfacebook.com/Takeabreakfromcancer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/take-a-break-from-cancer
• Instagraminstagram.com/fpsrespite
• TikToktiktok.com/@fpsrespite

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about For Pete's Sake Cancer Respite Foundation