Friends of Kids with Cancer

What Friends of Kids with Cancer does

Friends of Kids with Cancer is a St. Louis, Missouri-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1992 that supports children diagnosed with cancer and blood diseases and their families in the St. Louis region. The organization operates four core program pillars framed as Think (educational support), Feel (emotional support), Smile (recreational experiences), and an in-house art therapy program delivered by credentialed art therapists. Programs are delivered in coordination with regional pediatric oncology treatment centers, providing direct access to beneficiary families at the point of care.

The business model is contribution-based rather than revenue-generating in the commercial sense. Funding is sourced from a mix of recurring fundraising events (most notably an annual golf tournament that produced $485,796 in gross proceeds in its most recent year), a newer Casino Night event, individual donations, corporate sponsorships, planned giving, and merchandise sales. The organization maintains 21 staff and operates within a single metropolitan region (Missouri/St. Louis), with no evidence of multi-state or national programmatic reach. Third-party validations include a Charity Navigator 4-star rating and the Candid (formerly GuideStar) Gold Seal of Transparency.

Strategically, the organization has pursued incremental diversification of its fundraising event portfolio and has expanded its Young Professionals Board to develop next-generation donor leadership. There is no evidence of AI/technology investment, M&A activity, or external funding rounds; operations are stable and event-cycle dependent.

Name

Friends of Kids with Cancer

Legal name

Friends of Kids with Cancer

Website

https://friendsofkids.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friends of Kids with Cancer is a St. Louis-based nonprofit founded in 1992 that delivers educational, emotional, recreational, and art therapy programs to children with cancer and blood diseases in the St. Louis region, funded primarily through donations and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Pediatric Cancer Support Services (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAF

Maternal, Child & Family Health Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

SECONDARYHLAFACAL

Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Behavioral Health & Substance Use Treatment

SECONDARYBPAGADAK

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAKAMAK

Family Engagement & Caregiver Support Programs (SEL/Mental Health)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

Keywords

• Pediatric cancer support
• Childhood cancer nonprofit
• Art therapy programs
• Charitable fundraising events
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Louis

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donations through the website, including general donations, memorial and honor gifts, and workplace giving programs. Donors can contribute through various giving options to support programs for children with cancer.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Friends of Kids with Cancer is a nonprofit charitable organization that delivers Educational (Think), Emotional (Feel), and Recreational (Smile) programs to children undergoing treatment for, and survivors of, cancer and blood-related diseases in the St. Louis area. Its core programs include a long-running art therapy program (25+ years) and the Smile Maker experience program, supplemented by giving clubs, fundraising events, and donation programs that sustain service delivery.

Product overview

Friends of Kids with Cancer is a nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of Educational (Think), Emotional (Feel), and Recreational (Smile) programs to enrich the daily lives of children undergoing cancer treatment and their families in St. Louis. The core programs include Art Therapy, the Smile Maker experience program, and various support services. The organization also operates fundraising events (Trivia Night, Golf Tournament, Art from the Heart, Fashion Show, Casino Night, Walk with a Friend), membership groups (Friends Forever Club/Giving Club and Young Friends), retail (Gift Shop Store), and donation programs (Toy & Gift Wish List, Adopt A Family). These programs collectively provide educational, emotional, and recreational support to help children be kids during cancer treatment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Educational Programs (Think) Educational programs designed to support children undergoing cancer treatment and their families with learning and knowledge resources, delivered as part of the 'Think' pillar of the organization's three-pillar program framework. Intended for pediatric cancer patients and survivors in the St. Louis area.
• Emotional Programs (Feel) Emotional support programs that build self-esteem and provide psychological support to children and families during cancer treatment, delivered as the 'Feel' pillar of the organization's program framework. Includes art therapy and related therapeutic services for pediatric cancer patients and survivors in St. Louis.
• Recreational Programs (Smile) Recreational activities including the Smile Maker program that create joyful experiences and moments of laughter for children with cancer and their families, delivered as the 'Smile' pillar of the organization's program framework.
• Art Therapy Program A therapeutic creative-expression program provided for over 25 years to children diagnosed with cancer or blood-related diseases in St. Louis, offering emotional processing, self-esteem building, and a tangible artistic output showcased at the annual Art from the Heart event.
• Smile Maker Program Special experiences program that creates unique and memorable moments for children with cancer, such as meteorologist days and surprise experiences delivered in partnership with media and community partners (e.g., First Alert 4 collaboration).
• Friends Forever Club (Giving Club) A recurring giving club of supporters devoted to helping children and their families as they fight cancer, providing ongoing financial support and engagement with the organization.
• Young Friends of Kids with Cancer A group providing an enthusiastic and energetic base of young professional supporters and future leaders who host fundraising events (e.g., Casino Night) and engage the next generation of donors for the organization.
• Golf Tournament & Auction (Randi Perkins Memorial 18-Hole Scramble) Annual golf tournament and auction held at regional golf courses (e.g., Whitmoor, Forest Park), including breakfast, lunch, beverages, a whiskey raffle, silent auction, and cash games, raising funds to support programs helping children facing cancer in St. Louis.
• Art from the Heart Annual cocktail-style event featuring over 60 art pieces created by young patients and siblings in the art therapy program, with open bar, food from St. Louis vendors, photo booth, raffles, and gift card pull.
• Trivia Night Annual trivia night fundraising event bringing supporters together for a night of competition and giving to raise funds for the organization.
• Walk with a Friend Annual walk-a-thon fundraising event supporting children with cancer in the St. Louis community.
• Fashion Show & Boutique Annual fashion show and boutique event supporting the organization and its programs for children with cancer.
• Casino Night (Young Friends) Annual casino night event hosted by Young Friends featuring classic casino games for fundraising to support the organization's programs.
• Gift Shop Store Online gift shop offering merchandise to support the organization.
• Toy & Gift Wish List Wish list program allowing supporters to donate toys and gifts to children undergoing cancer treatment.
• Adopt A Family Program allowing supporters to provide financial assistance and support to families of children with cancer during treatment.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• First Alert 4minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 July 2026First Alert 4, a local news station, collaborated with Friends of Kids with Cancer to provide Caleb, a 6-year-old cancer patient, with a special meteorologist experience. The Surprise Squad delivered a surprise during the filming, creating a memorable Smile Maker experience for the child and his family during cancer treatment.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Grants life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses; the Smile Maker program at Friends of Kids with Cancer is structurally similar in delivering experience-based joy to pediatric patients.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Supports families of children with serious illnesses including cancer through lodging, meals, and family services; comparable nonprofit model serving the same beneficiary population.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Pediatric-cancer focused nonprofit funding research and family support programs; directly comparable mission and donor base to Friends of Kids with Cancer.
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Children's cancer nonprofit funding research and family programs; directly comparable mission, beneficiary base, and donor audience.
• Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research: Childhood cancer nonprofit combining research funding with family support; comparable donor activation through community events and young-professional engagement.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: Volunteer-driven childhood cancer nonprofit combining fundraising events with research grants; shares the event-based fundraising DNA of Friends of Kids with Cancer.
• National Children's Cancer Society: Provides financial and emotional support to children with cancer and their families; closely aligned service model and beneficiary population to Friends of Kids with Cancer.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: National nonprofit funding childhood cancer research and supporting affected families through programs similar in mission and beneficiary base to Friends of Kids with Cancer.

Broad incumbents

• American Cancer Society: Largest U.S. cancer nonprofit with broad programs including pediatric cancer support; competes for the same regional donors and corporate workplace-giving dollars.
• Livestrong Foundation: Larger, broadly recognized cancer support nonprofit operating across many cancer types and ages; overlaps with Friends of Kids with Cancer on cancer-family support but serves a wider beneficiary scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-kids-with-cancer

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Kids with Cancer