Baby Steps

What Baby Steps does

Baby Steps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Auburn, Alabama, that supports pregnant and parenting college students, internally referred to as Student-Moms. Its mission is to empower Student-Moms facing unplanned pregnancies to complete their education by providing housing, community, and support services at no cost. The organization delivers its programming through "Hubs" — local sites of empowerment located near college campuses — with current operations in Auburn, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL. Services offered through the Hubs include housing support, professional childcare, counseling, academic support, and community connection. Baby Steps is explicitly non-faith-based and non-politically affiliated, serving Student-Moms regardless of background, political, or spiritual beliefs.

Baby Steps is not a technology company; it does not sell a product, software platform, or API, and its core offering is service-based. To date, the organization reports having served 287 Student-Moms and counts 108 alumni who have graduated. The organization is led by President & CEO Cary Chandler and governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Michelle Schultz, with a total headcount of approximately 45 employees.

The organization's business model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Baby Steps is funded primarily through individual, one-time, and monthly tax-deductible donations, and all services are provided at no cost to Student-Moms. Donor engagement is supported by a multi-channel outreach approach including the corporate website (babysteps.org), email newsletters, social media, the "Unplanned and Untold" podcast, and annual fundraising events such as the Baby Steps Golf Classic and Birdies & Brunch. The organization publishes annual reports and IRS Form 990 filings to maintain donor transparency, and has earned the Candid Platinum Seal 2026. Geographic operations are currently confined to Alabama, with an active Hub Expansion Initiative aimed at adding new Hubs at additional college campuses.

Name

Baby Steps

Legal name

Baby Steps

Website

https://babysteps.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Baby Steps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides housing, community, and support services at no cost to pregnant and parenting college students (Student-Moms) through physical Hubs located near campuses in Auburn and Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Parent Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pregnant & Parenting Teen Education Programs (EDAJAEAH), Infant-Focused Childcare Centers (EDACAAAF)

Keywords

• Student parent support
• Pregnant student housing
• College childcare services
• Nonprofit community programs
• Parenting student resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Baby Steps is funded mostly by individual, one-time, and monthly tax-deductible donations from donors. All services are provided at no cost to Student-Moms.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Baby Steps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates local "Hubs" near college campuses to deliver housing, community, and support services to pregnant and parenting college students ("Student-Moms") aged 18–25. The organization provides professional childcare, counseling, academic support, and other essential resources at no cost to recipients, with current operations in Auburn and Tuscaloosa, Alabama. All services are funded through individual tax-deductible donations.

Product overview

Baby Steps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a service-based support program, not a technology product. It provides Baby Steps Hubs — local sites of empowerment located near college campuses — that connect Student-Moms to housing, community, and support services. The organization serves pregnant and parenting college students aged 18-25 who are full-time undergraduates, offering resources at no cost. Key services include housing support, professional childcare, counseling, academic support, and community connection. Baby Steps does not offer a technology product platform or software modules; its offerings are entirely service-oriented programs focused on empowering Student-Moms to complete their education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Baby Steps Hubs Program Integrated support program delivered through local "Hubs" located near college campuses, providing Student-Moms with housing, community, and support services to help them complete their college education while parenting. Current Hubs are in Auburn, AL and Tuscaloosa, AL.
• Housing Support Services Housing support provided to Student-Moms through the Baby Steps Hubs, addressing housing insecurity as a core barrier to completing college while parenting.
• Professional Childcare Services Professional childcare services provided to Student-Moms to address childcare limitations as a key barrier to remaining enrolled in college.
• Counseling Services Counseling services provided to Student-Moms to address the emotional, social, and stigma-related challenges of navigating college and parenthood.
• Academic Support Services Academic support services provided to Student-Moms to help them stay enrolled and succeed in their college coursework while parenting.

Quantifiable outcome

• 287 Student-Moms served
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Healthy Families America: Home-visiting program for expectant and new parents offering counseling, education, and community resources. Comparable as a maternal/child early-support nonprofit delivering individualized services to vulnerable families.
• Nurse-Family Partnership: Evidence-based nonprofit program pairing first-time mothers with nurse home visitors from pregnancy through age two. Comparable in serving young, often at-risk mothers with structured in-person support services funded by donations and public dollars.
• Postpartum Support International: Nonprofit providing maternal mental health support, counseling resources, and peer community for new and expectant mothers. Comparable in offering counseling and community connection as a core service to Student-Moms.
• Crittenton Services: Nonprofit serving at-risk youth and young families including teen parents with housing, counseling, and education support. Comparable in offering housing plus counseling plus academic support to pregnant and parenting young women.
• Generation Hope: Nonprofit supporting pregnant and parenting college students to finish their degrees through scholarships, mentoring, and wraparound support. Closest direct analog to Baby Steps' mission of enabling Student-Moms to earn a degree while parenting.

Emerging players

• National Diaper Bank Network: National nonprofit network addressing diaper need for low-income families with infants and toddlers. Comparable as a wraparound material-support nonprofit serving low-income mothers with young children, often through hub-style affiliate distribution.

Broad incumbents

• March of Dimes: Large nonprofit focused on maternal and infant health, funding research, advocacy, and direct support programs. Comparable as a maternal/child health organization with diversified fundraising and broader scope than Baby Steps.
• Parents as Teachers: Established national nonprofit providing parent education and family support from prenatal through kindergarten. Comparable in delivering structured support to young families with children, with broader geographic reach and institutional partnerships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/baby-steps-org

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 Baby Steps