Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania

What Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania does

Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania (PFWPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that serves as the primary regional clearinghouse for Parkinson's disease information, programs, and community connection across 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania (Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Armstrong, Westmoreland, Clarion, Venango, Lawrence, Mercer, Crawford, and Erie). The organization supports an estimated 18,000 individuals with Parkinson's disease plus their caregivers and families, delivering all services free of charge. Its core programs fall into three categories: educational (Talk with the Doc monthly webinar, PD Parlor monthly webinar, The Parkinson Primer four-session overview for newly diagnosed), exercise-based (Delay the Disease, Tai Chi/Qigong, Dance for PD with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, PWR! Plus with Encompass Health, boxing, yoga, balance, and stretching, delivered both in-person at senior and community centers and virtually via Zoom), and community support (in-person and virtual support groups, a lending library, and referrals to movement disorder specialists). It also operates allied-health training programs such as the Parkinson Proficient designation.

PFWPA's delivery infrastructure rests on standard web-based tooling (pfwpa.org website, email newsletter, Zoom, social channels on Facebook/YouTube/Instagram/X/Flickr) with no proprietary technology platform disclosed. Its business model is donation-driven: the organization states it is 100% self-funded, receiving no government or insurance money. Revenue streams include individual, corporate, and foundation donations supplemented by special-event fundraising, principally the annual Step Forward walk (featuring $35 adult tickets, peer-to-peer fundraising, 50/50 raffles, and corporate sponsorship) plus corporate partnerships such as Acadia Pharmaceuticals' 'More to Parkinson's' campaign. Day-to-day operations are led by CEO Christine Haythorn (appointed October 2019) and four VPs covering Programs, Marketing, Operations, and Fund Resources, with governance provided by a board that includes movement disorder specialists and executives from Medtronic, Allegheny Health Network, AskBio, and other regional institutions.

Name

Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania

Legal name

Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania

Website

https://pfwpa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1995 that delivers free educational, exercise, and support programs to an estimated 18,000 individuals with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers across 11 Western Pennsylvania counties, funded entirely through donations and special-event fundraising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parkinson's Disease Support Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGACAG

Disability Services & Independent Living Support

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

SECONDARYBPAGAKAA

Private Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Parkinson's disease support
• Exercise programs
• Community support groups
• Educational webinars
• Caregiver resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Cranberry Township

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 and Charitable Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, PFWPA relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization states it receives no monies from government agencies or insurance providers and is 100% self-funded.
2. Special Event Fundraising: Annual Step Forward fundraising event includes registration fees ($35 adult tickets), peer-to-peer fundraising, 50/50 raffle tickets, and raffle basket sales. This is the organization's largest annual fundraiser.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania (PFWPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free educational programs, evidence-based exercise classes (in-person and virtual), support groups, and a comprehensive resource clearinghouse for individuals with Parkinson's disease and their families across 11 Western Pennsylvania counties. The foundation also delivers the annual Step Forward fundraising walk and operates a lending library of Parkinson's-related books, videotapes, and DVDs.

Product overview

Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania provides a comprehensive suite of programs and services for individuals with Parkinson's disease and their families in Western Pennsylvania. The organization operates as a clearinghouse offering educational programs (Talk with the Doc, PD Parlor, and The Parkinson Primer), evidence-based exercise programs (both virtual and in-person including Delay the Disease, Tai Chi/Qigong, Dance for PD, and boxing classes), support groups, a lending library, and resource information. The foundation's offerings are delivered through a network of healthcare professionals, certified exercise instructors, and community partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Educational Programs Educational programs including the Talk with the Doc webinar series (monthly Q&A with Dr. Timothy Leichliter), PD Parlor webinar (monthly sessions with Dr. Priya Cardone), and The Parkinson Primer (four-session overview for newly diagnosed individuals covering Parkinson's overview, medications, non-motor symptoms, and self-care). For individuals with Parkinson's disease and their families in Western Pennsylvania.
• Exercise Programs Virtual and in-person evidence-based exercise classes including Delay the Disease, Stretching for Parkinson's, Tai Chi/Qigong, Dance for PD (in partnership with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre), Ageless Agility yoga, Functional Movement & Balance, PWR! Plus (in partnership with Encompass Health Harmarville), and Parkinson's boxing. Designed to manage PD symptoms and slow disease progression. Provided free to individuals with Parkinson's disease.
• Support Groups In-person and virtual support groups connecting individuals with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers across Western Pennsylvania to share experiences, insights, and mutual support.
• Resources and Information Clearinghouse Comprehensive resource clearinghouse including medical safety forms, information on symptoms, medications, treatments, and referrals to healthcare professionals specializing in Parkinson's disease. Functions as a vetted information hub for the Parkinson's community.
• Lending Library Extensive collection of hundreds of books, videotapes, and DVDs on Parkinson's disease topics available for loan to community members.
• Step Forward Annual Event Annual family-friendly fundraising walk featuring walk, live music, exercise demonstrations, vendor village, and educational presentations. Includes $35 adult tickets, peer-to-peer fundraising, 50/50 raffle tickets, and raffle basket sales.
• Talk with the Doc Monthly Webinar Monthly live Q&A webinar on the first Thursday of each month (4:45-5:45pm) via Zoom led by Dr. Timothy Leichliter, covering topics from medications to lifestyle, nutrition, and treatments. Free for the Parkinson's community.
• PD Parlor Monthly Webinar Monthly virtual webinar on the third Thursday of each month (1:00-2:00pm) via Zoom led by Dr. Priya Cardone, spotlighting different topics in Parkinson's disease care and treatment. Free for the Parkinson's community.
• Parkinson Proficient Training Program Community awareness trainings, healthcare provider in-services, and the Parkinson Proficient designation program designed for home care providers, allied health professionals, and assisted/skilled living facility staff.
• Participate in Research Program Program connecting the Western Pennsylvania Parkinson's community with Parkinson's disease research studies and clinical trials.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• Independent Parkinson's Network (IPN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022PFWPA is a member of IPN, a consortium of independent regional nonprofit Parkinson's organizations working toward shared goals of finding a cure and supporting those affected by the disease. IPN encourages collaboration, leverages organizational strengths, and maximizes efficiency among member organizations including Parkinson Association of the Rockies, Parkinson Foundation of Oklahoma, Houston Area Parkinson Society, Michigan Parkinson Foundation, and others.
• Michael J. Fox Foundation (Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFWPA is a member of MJFF's Unified Parkinson’s Advocacy Council (UPAC), which comprises representatives from local, state, regional, and national Parkinson's organizations. UPAC gathers information on priorities of people with Parkinson's and their families to ensure the needs of the broader community are represented in collective public policy efforts.
• Pittsburgh Ballet TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPittsburgh Ballet Theatre partners with PFWPA to deliver the Dance for PD virtual class every Friday. The program is built on the premise that professionally trained dancers are movement experts with knowledge that can benefit people with Parkinson's disease.
• Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of HarmarvillesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerEncompass Health Harmarville partners with PFWPA for the PWR! Plus Virtual Exercise Class, combining Parkinson's Wellness Recovery exercises with voice exercises from the Parkinson Voice Project. Speech Therapy Manager Valerie Bucek leads the voice portion of the class.
• Acadia PharmaceuticalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAcadia Pharmaceuticals partners with PFWPA as a Sponsor of the Year for the More to Parkinson's disease awareness campaign, which aims to break the stigma surrounding PD-related hallucinations and delusions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Parkinson's Foundation: National 501(c)(3) providing Parkinson's education, research funding, and community programs across the U.S. Directly overlaps with PFWPA's mission of education, exercise, and support for PD patients, but operates at national scale and funds research rather than acting as a regional clearinghouse.
• Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research: Largest Parkinson's research-focused funder globally and parent of the UPAC advocacy council that PFWPA participates in. Competes for PD-family donor dollars at the national level while also serving as an upstream partner for PFWPA.

Direct peers

• Houston Area Parkinson Society: Regional Parkinson's nonprofit serving the Greater Houston area with education, exercise, support groups, and resource referrals — co-member of IPN with PFWPA and a structurally identical regional PD service provider in a different U.S. metro.
• Parkinson Foundation of Oklahoma: Oklahoma regional Parkinson's foundation providing support groups, exercise programs, and education — IPN co-member with PFWPA serving a similar regional clearinghouse function in a different U.S. state.
• Parkinson Association of the Rockies: Colorado-based regional Parkinson's nonprofit providing support groups, education, exercise programs, and resources — IPN co-member with PFWPA and a comparable regional PD community organization.
• American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA): National nonprofit with regional Information & Referral (I&R) centers that provide education, support groups, exercise programs, and resources for PD patients — a near-identical service model to PFWPA, including direct regional competition for Pennsylvania-area donors and beneficiaries.
• Michigan Parkinson Foundation: Regional Parkinson's foundation serving Michigan with exercise classes, support groups, and educational programming — IPN co-member and operational analog to PFWPA in a different U.S. region.

Emerging players

• Davis Phinney Foundation: Parkinson's nonprofit focused on helping people with PD 'live well today' through education, exercise, and community programs — closely aligned with PFWPA's exercise and education pillars, though operating nationally via digital content rather than in-person classes.
• PMD Alliance: National nonprofit providing education and support programs for people living with Parkinson's and movement disorders — closely aligned with PFWPA's educational webinar and support group offerings, but operating at national scale without a regional exercise class network.
• Brian Grant Foundation: Parkinson's nonprofit focused on exercise, nutrition, and wellness programs for people with PD — comparable to PFWPA's evidence-based exercise pillar but operating at the national level with a more limited in-person footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PFWPA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgExT3DlPnmT6JL78tS3dYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/Parkinson.W.PA
• Instagraminstagram.com/pfwpa/?hl=en
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/parkinson-foundation-of-western-pennsylvania

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Parkinson Foundation Western Pennsylvania