Friends of Jaclyn Foundation

What Friends of Jaclyn Foundation does

Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2005 by the Murphy family after then nine-year-old Jaclyn Murphy was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. The foundation's core mission is to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers by pairing them with high school and college sports teams, clubs, and community groups as honorary team members. Since inception, FOJ has facilitated over 1,300 adoptions and supported more than 950 families, with participating programs including Penn State, Alabama, Ohio State, Shelton State, Vassar, and Notre Dame, among others. The foundation operates four core programs: Adopt-A-Child (the flagship pairing program), Safe on the Sidelines (sibling support), Guardian Angel (volunteer message-based encouragement), and NEDvocate (an inclusive broader cancer awareness initiative).

The organization's operational backbone is a community-based service model rather than a technology platform. Program intake runs through online forms (Family Sign Up, Team Sign Up, Sibling Sign Up) on the FOJ website, and the foundation recruits team participation through Campus Representatives, Sport Ambassadors, and direct outreach to athletic departments. The foundation has been featured twice on HBO's Real Sports with Bryan Gumbel, providing earned media credibility. Technology infrastructure is limited to a WordPress-based website, a Lightspeed-powered e-commerce store selling branded apparel at $24.95–$34.95, and donation processing through Classy.org and ChangeGiving.

FOJ is funded through three revenue streams: charitable donations from individuals and corporations (including corporate matching gift programs), merchandise sales, and a referral-based partnership with AARE Real Estate Services that generates $2,500–$20,000 per closed transaction from donated commissions. The foundation is governed by a family-led board of directors including founder Denis Murphy, President Patrick Murphy, Treasurer Lynda Murphy, and additional board members, with a total staff of 13 employees. The organization operates exclusively in the United States with no geographic expansion claims and no external equity or debt funding.

Name

Friends of Jaclyn Foundation

Legal name

Friends of Jaclyn Foundation

Website

https://friendsofjaclyn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that pairs children with pediatric brain tumors and childhood cancers with college and high school sports teams as honorary members. Founded in 2005, it has facilitated over 1,300 adoptions across the United States through donations, merchandise sales, and corporate partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Support Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations (BPAGACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Rare Disease & Special Needs Support Organizations (BPAGACAM), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer support
• Nonprofit charitable services
• Team adoption program
• Cancer awareness apparel
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Yorktown Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Friends of Jaclyn is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and matching gift programs. Donations support the Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines, and Guardian Angels Programs.
2. Merchandise and T-Shirt Sales: The foundation operates an e-commerce store selling branded merchandise including t-shirts ($24.95-$34.95), NEDvocate fabrics, and other items. Revenue from merchandise sales supports the foundation's programs.
3. Generous Giving Program (AARE Real Estate): Partnership with AARE Real Estate Services where a portion of property transaction commissions are donated to FOJ, typically ranging from $2,500 to $20,000 per closed transaction.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that pairs children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers with local sports teams, campus clubs, and community groups as honorary teammates. It operates four core programs (Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines, Guardian Angel, and NEDvocate) that deliver emotional support, friendship, and family community, and it funds these programs through charitable donations and branded merchandise sales.

Product overview

Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that operates four core programs: Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines, Guardian Angel, and NEDvocate. The Adopt-A-Child program pairs children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers with sports teams as honorary members. The Safe on the Sidelines program supports siblings of affected children. The Guardian Angel program provides emotional support through volunteer messages. The NEDvocate program creates a unified community for all disease and cancer patients. The organization also operates a merchandise store selling branded apparel including t-shirts (Friends of Jaclyn T-Shirt, Sport-Tek Dri-Fit, Ladies V-Neck, Keep FOJ On The Car) and NEDvocate awareness fabrics in various cancer colors. Registration services allow families to sign up children for adoption and teams to register for adoption.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Adopt-A-Child Program: Program that pairs children battling pediatric brain tumors or childhood cancer with high school or college sports teams as honorary team members.
• Safe on the Sidelines Program
• Guardian Angel Program
• NED (No Evidence of Disease) Program
• NEDvocate Program
• FOJ Sport Ambassador Program
• FOJ Campus Representative Program

Products and services

• Adopt-A-Child Program Pairs children battling pediatric brain tumors or other childhood cancers with high school or college sports teams as honorary team members, providing love, support, and friendship throughout the child's cancer journey.
• Safe on the Sidelines Program Provides siblings of children with pediatric brain tumors or other childhood cancers with their own team, giving them a sense of being special and supported since an entire family is affected when a child is diagnosed.
• Guardian Angel Program Recruits volunteers to send messages of compassion, support, and encouragement to children and families battling cancer at various stages of their journey.
• NEDvocate Program Inclusive awareness initiative supporting all families affected by disease and cancer, unifying them into one community dedicated to inspiring and supporting one another regardless of age, race, demographic, or diagnosis.
• Friends of Jaclyn T-Shirt Branded apparel item sold through the FOJ online store to raise funds for the foundation's programs; available in youth and adult sizes across multiple colors.
• Friends of Jaclyn T-Shirt - Sport-Tek Dri-Fit Moisture-wicking athletic t-shirt sold through the FOJ online store to support the foundation's mission.
• Friends of Jaclyn Ladies V-Neck T-Shirt Women's v-neck cotton t-shirt sold through the FOJ online store to raise funds for the foundation's programs.
• Keep FOJ On The Car T-Shirt Unisex cotton/poly blend t-shirt sold through the FOJ online store to support the foundation's mission.
• NEDvocate 100% Cotton Fabric T-Shirt 100% cotton NEDvocate t-shirt sold through the FOJ online store in over 25 cancer awareness colors, letting supporters represent a specific cancer cause.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,300 children adopted by sports teams
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AARE Real Estate ServicescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGenerous Giving Program partnership where AARE donates a portion of real estate transaction commissions to FOJ. Donation amounts typically range from $2,500 to $20,000 per closed transaction depending on property purchase price. Available for residential and commercial transactions including leases throughout the United States. At no cost to buyer or seller—the donation comes from AARE's commission.
• Penn State AthleticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPenn State is one of the university programs that has embraced FOJ's mission, welcoming children battling cancer as honorary teammates. Part of the over 1,300 adoptions facilitated by FOJ.
• Alabama AthleticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Alabama athletics program participating in FOJ adoption program, providing support and team membership to children battling cancer.
• Ohio State AthleticscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio State University athletics program participating in FOJ adoption program, creating bonds between young warriors and team members.
• Shelton State Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelton State Community College program making a difference through FOJ adoption, among the universities embracing the mission nationwide.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Camp Sunshine: Camp Sunshine provides retreats and support programs for children with life-threatening illnesses including cancer. Its psychosocial-support mission closely mirrors FOJ's quality-of-life focus, serving the same population with complementary programming.
• Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: PBTF is dedicated to pediatric brain tumor research, family support, and advocacy. Given FOJ's specific focus on pediatric brain tumors and medulloblastoma, PBTF is a direct peer for both donor dollars and beneficiary families.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Alex's Lemonade Stand funds pediatric cancer research and supports families of children with cancer. It overlaps directly with FOJ's beneficiary population and competes for the same pool of childhood-cancer donors and corporate partners.
• Team IMPACT: Team IMPACT pairs children with serious and chronic illnesses (including cancer) with college sports teams as honorary teammates for multi-year relationships. This is the closest direct competitor to FOJ's Adopt-A-Child model and offers nearly identical functionality with a larger footprint and broader illness coverage.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: St. Baldrick's is one of the largest funders of childhood cancer research and supports pediatric cancer families. It shares the same donor base, cause-marketing partners, and beneficiary children as FOJ.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: CureSearch accelerates pediatric cancer research and provides family resources. It is a direct peer in the pediatric cancer nonprofit space, competing for the same walk/run fundraising events and cause-marketing sponsorships.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: NPCF focuses on pediatric cancer research funding and family support, directly overlapping with FOJ's mission around children with cancer. They compete for the same sponsorship and grant dollars in the pediatric cancer nonprofit space.

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Ronald McDonald House provides housing and family support services to families of seriously ill children, including pediatric cancer patients. While its service model differs, it serves the same beneficiary families and draws from a similar corporate donor ecosystem.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Make-A-Wish grants wishes to children with critical illnesses including cancer. While its core offering (wishes rather than team adoption) differs, it is the largest and most-recognized pediatric illness-grantmaking nonprofit in the US, competing heavily for the same donor dollar and beneficiary families.

Emerging players

• Special Olympics: Special Olympics uses sports to support individuals with intellectual disabilities rather than cancer, but the sports-as-emotional-support thesis overlaps with FOJ's model. It is comparable in operational scale and brand recognition but serves a different beneficiary population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FOJFoundation
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thefriendsofjaclynfoundati4103
• Facebookfacebook.com/friendsofjaclyn
• Instagraminstagram.com/fojfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-jaclyn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation