Project Fire Buddies
Project Fire Buddies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects volunteer firefighters with critically ill children through a 165+ chapter network across 14 U.S. states, providing companionship, gifts, and experiences funded by donations, monthly giving, merchandise, and fundraising events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersTinley Park, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Project Fire Buddies does
Project Fire Buddies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (Project Fire Buddies, Inc., EIN 84-3955561) founded in 2016 by Kurt DeGroot and headquartered in Tinley Park, Illinois. Its mission is to connect firefighters with critically ill children to provide companionship, gifts, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, with 750+ children impacted to date. The organization does not develop proprietary technology; rather, it operates a service-delivery model built on existing fire department infrastructure and volunteer labor.
The core offering is the Fire Buddy Visit — home and event visits by volunteer firefighters that include birthday and holiday celebrations, parade arrivals with fire vehicles, tickets to concerts and sporting events, and dream experiences — supported by a HIPAA-protected Child Nomination Program for parent/guardian referrals. Service delivery is organized through a Chapter Network of 165+ local fire department chapters across 14 U.S. states (Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Florida, Colorado, Arkansas, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and New Mexico), with 1,200+ volunteers and a structured three-step Start a Chapter onboarding program for new departments. Celebrity supporters include Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Jack Black, Dave Bautista, and Luke Bryan.
Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels: one-time donations via a Qgiv-powered portal, the Good Day Makers monthly recurring giving program (launched 2025) with tiered donor benefits, branded merchandise sales through pfbswag.com, and event-based fundraising (most prominently the Ignite the Light Gala plus local galas, bean bag tournaments, food truck festivals, and casino nights). The organization is donor-funded and reports $4M+ in cumulative funds raised, with no paid customer transactions, no pricing for services, and no software/API product surface. Leadership is founder-led with a small paid staff (1–10 employees) augmented by a board of directors and a broader 20+ person operational team including directors for Chapter Development, Mission Operations, Medical Team Operations, and Creative/E-Commerce.
Project Fire Buddies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Project Fire Buddies
- Legal name
- Project Fire Buddies, Inc.
- Website
- https://www.projectfirebuddies.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Project Fire Buddies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects volunteer firefighters with critically ill children through a 165+ chapter network across 14 U.S. states, providing companionship, gifts, and experiences funded by donations, monthly giving, merchandise, and fundraising events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Project Fire Buddies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Children's Charitable Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded) (MPAGAEAK)
Keywords
Where Project Fire Buddies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tinley Park
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Project Fire Buddies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- One-time Donations: Individual donors make one-time contributions through the organization's Qgiv donation portal. Donations are tax-deductible (EIN 84-3955561) and support the mission of bringing joy to critically ill children.
- Monthly Giving (Good Day Makers Program): Monthly recurring donor program called 'Good Day Makers' where supporters commit to monthly contributions that provide steady year-round support for Fire Buddies and their families. Includes donor benefits/perks at different giving levels.
- Merchandise Sales: The organization operates an e-commerce swag store (pfbswag.com) selling branded merchandise. Proceeds support the mission.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Good Day Maker monthly giving program with multiple contribution levels |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-time donation options |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Project Fire Buddies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Project Fire Buddies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects firefighter volunteers with critically ill children to deliver companionship, gifts, and memorable experiences. Under its "Fire Buddy Visits" program, local fire department chapters conduct home visits, birthday and holiday deliveries, parade arrivals, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences for 750+ children across 14 states. The program is supported by the Good Day Makers monthly giving subscription, merchandise sales, and community fundraising events.
Product overview
Project Fire Buddies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization operating as a single, unified charitable mission rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering centers on the Fire Buddy Visits program, where firefighter volunteers provide joy, gifts, and companionship to children with critical illnesses. This is supported by the Good Day Makers monthly giving program for sustained funding, a growing Chapter Network of 165+ local fire department chapters, a Chapter Start-up Program for expanding reach, a Child Nomination Program with HIPAA-protected applications, and a Swag Store for merchandise fundraising. The organization connects these components through volunteer firefighters, donations, and fire department partnerships.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Good Day Makers: Monthly giving program where donors commit to monthly contributions to bring steady hope to Fire Buddies and their families year-round.
Products and services
- Fire Buddy Visits Program Core service program where firefighter volunteers from 165+ local chapters conduct home visits, deliver birthday and holiday gifts, perform parade arrivals with fire vehicles, and provide ongoing companionship to children battling critical illnesses. Includes ticketing to concerts, sporting events, and special experiences, plus assistance obtaining medical equipment and supplies. All services are provided free of charge to children and families.
- Good Day Makers Monthly Giving Program Recurring monthly donor subscription program under the Good Day Makers sub-brand that provides steady year-round funding for Fire Buddies and their families. Donors commit to monthly contributions via the Qgiv platform and receive tiered perks and recognition at higher giving levels.
- PFB Swag Store (Branded Merchandise) Online merchandise store at pfbswag.com selling branded Project Fire Buddies apparel and items. Proceeds from sales support the organization's mission of supporting critically ill children.
Quantifiable outcome
- 750+ children impacted by the organization's programs
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Project Fire Buddies
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Project Fire Buddies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Project Fire Buddies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Rick Murphy Attorney at LawminorLegal services partner supporting the organization with attorney services.
- 1800 BoardUpminorCorporate sponsor providing support for the nonprofit's mission.
- FinFit LifeminorCorporate sponsor supporting Project Fire Buddies.
- Katzmann FamilyminorFamily foundation/philanthropic sponsor.
- Society MortgageminorCorporate sponsor supporting the organization.
- 100 Club of IllinoisminorOrganization supporting first responders and their charitable initiatives.
- Aurora Fire Department and Aurora Firefighters Local 99corePrimary service delivery partner - fire department chapter providing direct services to children in Aurora, IL area.
- Plymouth Fire DepartmentcorePrimary service delivery partner - fire department chapter serving Plymouth, Center Township and West Township in Indiana.
- Charlotte County Fire and EMScorePrimary service delivery partner covering Charlotte County, FL and communities including Babcock Ranch, Englewood, Port Charlotte, and Punta Gorda.
- Germantown Fire Department and Germantown Firefighters Local 4854corePrimary service delivery partner serving Germantown, Colgate, and Richfield, WI.
- Calumet City Fire Department and Calumet City Firefighters Local 621corePrimary service delivery partner serving Calumet City and Burnham, IL.
- Mishawaka Fire Department and Mishawaka Professional Firefighters Local 360corePrimary service delivery partner serving Mishawaka, Indiana.
- East Chicago Fire DepartmentcorePrimary service delivery partner serving East Chicago, Indiana.
- Evergreen Park Fire DepartmentcorePrimary service delivery partner serving Evergreen Park, IL.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Project Fire Buddies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Make-A-Wish Foundation: The largest U.S. wish-granting organization for children with critical illnesses. PFB competes for the same donor pool and beneficiary families, but differentiates by using firefighter volunteers for ongoing companionship rather than one-time wish fulfillment.
- Starlight Children's Foundation: Delivers programs, toys, and experiences to hospitalized and critically ill children. PFB shares the same beneficiary population and donor constituency, though Starlight operates more through hospital partnerships and PFB through fire department chapters.
- Marty Lyons Foundation: Grants wishes to children with terminal or life-threatening illnesses, with strong ties to sports and first-responder communities. Comparable in mission, beneficiary focus, and event-based fundraising model to PFB.
- Children's Wish Foundation International: International wish-granting organization serving critically ill children. Direct competitor in the same beneficiary and donor market, though smaller and less publicly visible than Make-A-Wish.
Emerging players
- Songs of Love Foundation: Creates personalized songs for children facing serious medical challenges. Smaller scale than PFB, with overlapping beneficiary families and donor-driven revenue model.
- Camp Sunshine: Provides year-round retreats and programs for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Overlapping beneficiary base but uses a retreat model instead of in-community firefighter visits.
- The Patches of Light Foundation: First-responder-affiliated nonprofit that grants wishes and provides experiences to critically ill children. Closely aligned with PFB's firefighter-led delivery model and beneficiary focus.
- Beads of Courage: Provides arts-in-medicine programs to children coping with serious illness. Smaller beneficiary-focused nonprofit with overlapping donor base and hospital-community delivery model.
Broad incumbents
- National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: Major firefighter-affiliated nonprofit focused on fallen firefighter families. Comparable in leveraging the firefighter community for fundraising, though mission serves firefighter families rather than critically ill children.
- Smile Train: Large global nonprofit providing cleft palate surgeries to children in need. Comparable scale and donor-funded pediatric charity model, though unrelated clinical mission.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Project Fire Buddies social profiles
Digital presenceProject Fire Buddies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Project Fire Buddies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Project Fire Buddies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Project Fire Buddies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Project Fire Buddies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Project Fire Buddies
What does Project Fire Buddies do?
Project Fire Buddies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that connects firefighter volunteers with critically ill children to deliver companionship, gifts, and memorable experiences. Under its "Fire Buddy Visits" program, local fire department chapters conduct home visits, birthday and holiday deliveries, parade arrivals, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences for 750+ children across 14 states. The program is supported by the Good Day Makers monthly giving subscription, merchandise sales, and community fundraising events.
Is Project Fire Buddies a public or private company?
Project Fire Buddies is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Project Fire Buddies founded?
Project Fire Buddies was founded in 2016. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Project Fire Buddies based?
Project Fire Buddies is headquartered in Tinley Park, United States, in the North America region.
How does Project Fire Buddies make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. One-time Donations are the primary driver. The others are monthly Giving (Good Day Makers Program) and merchandise Sales.
Who are Project Fire Buddies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Make-A-Wish Foundation, Starlight Children's Foundation, Marty Lyons Foundation and Children's Wish Foundation International. Emerging players are Songs of Love Foundation, Camp Sunshine, The Patches of Light Foundation and Beads of Courage. Broad incumbents are National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and Smile Train.
Does Project Fire Buddies have an API?
No public API is recorded for Project Fire Buddies.
What industry is Project Fire Buddies in?
Project Fire Buddies's product category is Children's Charitable Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAE, Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries, with a secondary code of MPAGAEAK, Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded). Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.