Fostering Hearts FL

What Fostering Hearts FL does

Fostering Hearts FL (legally the Katy Rey Foundation) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2022 by Katy Rey and headquartered at 303 Main St., Suite Q, Dunedin, Florida. The organization delivers educational support, mentorship, and life-skills programming to foster youth and young adults aged 6-26 across Pinellas, Hillsborough, and Pasco Counties in the Tampa Bay region, targeting a population where fewer than 25% of foster youth in Florida graduate high school. Service recipients include children currently in group homes and foster placements as well as young adults who have aged out of the system and are balancing education with work or parenting. As of the available data, the organization has served more than 95 foster youth since August 2024, produced nine GED graduates, and has 42 additional students on track for completion.

The organization's program portfolio centers on the Safe Classroom Program (launched August 2024) for younger foster children, the GED Program (launched April 2025) for older youth and aged-out young adults, and adjunct services including after-school tutoring, reading intervention, mentorship, and life-skills training. The PEG's Kids sub-program operates within Joshua House. Service delivery is performed by a small team of eight educators embedded directly within partner foster-care facilities rather than through any proprietary technology platform; standard educational software, online learning platforms, and virtual meeting tools are used to support remote tutoring sessions, including a virtual channel for aged-out youth via a partnership with Madi's Movement.

Fostering Hearts FL operates a donation-based revenue model in which all programs are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Revenue is generated from individual donations, corporate and foundation grants (notably the Hancock Whitney Opportunity Grant and a Suncoast Credit Union Foundation grant tied to the GED Program), and in-kind donations of technology such as laptops, tablets, and software licenses. Distribution occurs through strategic partnerships with foster-care organizations including Friends of Joshua House (Lutz), Ready For Life (Largo), Madi's Movement (virtual), and Carlton Manor, complemented by a community-led go-to-market approach that combines social media presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn with earned media coverage and referrals from the child welfare system.

Name

Fostering Hearts FL

Legal name

Katy Rey Foundation

Website

https://fosteringheartsfl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fostering Hearts FL is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers educational support, GED preparation, mentorship, and life-skills training to foster youth ages 6-26 across three Tampa Bay counties using educators embedded at partner facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Education Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Foster youth education
• GED preparation
• Mentorship services
• After-school tutoring
• Life skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunedin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals supporting foster youth education. Donations fund educational resources, tutoring programs, mentorship, and operational costs.
2. Corporate/Foundation Grants: Grants from financial institutions and foundations supporting youth development and education programs. Includes Hancock Whitney Opportunity Grant and Suncoast Credit Union Foundation grants.
3. In-Kind Donations: Technology donations (laptops, tablets, iPads) and software licenses from individuals and corporations to support educational access for foster youth.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fostering Hearts FL provides free educational support, GED preparation, tutoring, reading programs, mentorship, and life skills training to foster youth ages 6-26 across Tampa Bay. The organization embeds qualified educators and mentors directly within partner foster care facilities including Joshua House, Carlton Manor, Ready For Life, and Madi's Movement to deliver personalized academic and emotional support in safe, supportive environments.

Product overview

Fostering Hearts Florida operates as a nonprofit organization offering a unified suite of educational support services for foster youth. The core offerings include the Safe Classroom Program (providing dedicated classrooms within group homes), the GED Program (for older youth preparing for high school equivalency), After-School Tutoring, Reading Programs, Mentorship Services, and Life Skills Training. These programs work together synergistically: younger children receive academic support through safe classrooms and reading programs, while older youth access GED preparation and life skills training to prepare for independence. The PEG's Kids program specifically honors a legacy of supporting teens through GED completion. Services are delivered through partnerships with organizations including Friends of Joshua House, Ready For Life, Carlton Manor, and Madi's Movement across Tampa Bay area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Safe Classroom Program: Personalized education in safe, supportive environments within group homes and partner facilities for foster youth ages 6-17.
• GED Program
• PEG's Kids

Products and services

• Safe Classroom Program A dedicated classroom and full-time educator program operating within group homes and partner facilities, providing daily support in reading, math, and small-group learning to help foster children ages 6-17 close academic gaps in safe, supportive environments.
• GED Program GED preparation and support program for older foster youth ages 16-27 and young adults who have aged out of the foster care system, offering individualized one-on-one academic support to help students complete their GED and prepare for future opportunities.
• PEG's Kids Program GED program named in memory of Peg, a social worker who devoted her life to older foster youth. The program helps teens at Joshua House earn their GED through consistent guidance and mentorship.
• After-School Tutoring One-on-one and small-group tutoring sessions focused on improving reading and math skills for foster children ages 6-26, helping bridge learning gaps and build confidence through personalized instruction.
• Reading Programs Reading support and literacy development programs for foster children, including specialized reading instruction and progress monitoring to help students build foundational reading skills and improve reading levels.
• Mentorship Services Emotional guidance and mentorship programs that connect foster youth with caring adult advocates who provide consistent support, build trust, and help young people develop confidence and belief in themselves.
• Life Skills Training Practical life skills development programs that prepare foster youth for independence, including budgeting, cooking, communication, time management, and everyday skills needed for successful adult living.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95+ foster youth supported since August 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 secondary.

• Friends of Joshua HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary strategic partnership providing safe classroom and GED program for foster children ages 6-17 at Joshua House in Lutz, Florida. Fostering Hearts FL provides dedicated classroom space and full-time educator support, addressing critical educational challenges where less than 25% of Florida foster kids graduate high school.
• Ready For LifecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership in Largo, Florida providing GED educator and early learning support specialist three times weekly for aged-out foster youth ages 18-27. Supports young adults balancing education with work or parenting responsibilities, helping them gain confidence and prepare for independence.
• Madi's MovementcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVirtual and one-on-one academic support program for foster youth who have aged out of the system. Provides college readiness, GED preparation, and specialized tutoring through virtual sessions and one-on-one educator support.
• Carlton ManorsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfter-school tutoring program for children ages 9-14. Reading specialist provides 1:1 and small-group sessions to improve reading and math skills, bridge learning gaps, and build confidence through personalized instruction.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• iFoster: National nonprofit providing resources, education support, and transition services to current and aged-out foster youth. Comparable mission around educational access and life-skills, though it operates a more technology-enabled distribution model.
• FosterClub: National nonprofit focused on foster youth leadership, peer support, and transition-to-independence resources. Overlaps with Fostering Hearts FL's mentorship and life-skills work, particularly for older youth aging out of care.
• First Place for Youth: California-based nonprofit serving current and aged-out foster youth with education, employment, and housing supports. Highly comparable model focused on transition-age foster youth (16-26), overlapping with Fostering Hearts FL's GED and life-skills programs.
• Treehouse: Seattle-based nonprofit that delivers educational support, tutoring, and graduation coaching to children and teens in foster care. Closely mirrors Fostering Hearts FL's Safe Classroom and tutoring model, with similar age range and academic-outcome focus.
• Orangewood Foundation: California-based nonprofit supporting current and former foster youth with education, career readiness, and life-skills programs. Strong comparability on educational outcomes, age-spanning services, and community-embedded delivery.

Broad incumbents

• CASA (National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association): Large national nonprofit providing volunteer advocacy for foster children in court and educational settings. Broader, more established player in the foster-youth services space with overlapping educational-advocacy mission.
• Boys Town: Established national youth and family services organization offering residential care, education, and family support. Broad incumbent with overlapping youth-education and wraparound-service offerings, though at significantly larger scale.

Emerging players

• SchoolHouse Connection: National nonprofit addressing education needs of youth experiencing homelessness and foster care. Overlaps in educational-advocacy and best-practice dissemination but operates more as a policy/advocacy organization than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/fosteringheartsfl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fostering-hearts-fl
• Instagraminstagram.com/fosteringheartsfl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Fostering Hearts FL