Pinky Swear Foundation

What Pinky Swear Foundation does

Pinky Swear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Edina, Minnesota, founded in 2003 by Steve and Becky Chepokas in memory of their nine-year-old son Mitch, who before dying of osteosarcoma gave his $6,000 in savings to other families on the pediatric oncology floor and extracted a pinky swear promise to continue the work. The foundation provides direct financial assistance to U.S. families of children with cancer through three core programs: the Orange Envelope (a $200 gift card plus encouragement letters within six months of diagnosis), the All-Star Fund (ongoing payments for rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, gas, and car payments throughout treatment), and the Pinky Swear Pantry (on-site hospital food pantries). Supporting infrastructure includes the Pinky Swear Pack student volunteer program, Letters of Encouragement, the Super Cal Endowment Fund (over $10 million in corpus, distributing approximately $500,000 annually), and signature fundraising events such as the Pinky Swear Kids Triathlon series.

The foundation has raised more than $20 million cumulatively since 2003 and distributes over $1 million per year to families, the majority of whom live below the Federal Poverty Level, have at least one parent on leave from work, and travel two or more hours for treatment. Funding is sourced from individual donations, recurring monthly giving, corporate partnerships (Hy-Vee register round-ups, Arby's Foundation, Dean Snyder Construction, Minnesota Wild Foundation, KLN Family Brands), broadcast and event fundraisers (WHO Radio radiothon, Kids Triathlons, galas, clay shoots), and the endowment payout. Operations are supported by 11–50 employees, a Board of Directors, and an embedded referral network of hospital social workers who route qualifying families through a WebPortalApp-based application process.

The foundation holds the Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid (four consecutive years through 2026) and a four-star Charity Navigator rating. There is no proprietary technology platform, no mobile application, and no AI or machine-learning capabilities — the technology footprint is limited to a third-party intake portal, HubSpot marketing forms, and a DonorSupport fundraising login. Geographic reach was 12 states as of 2014 with an explicit expansion goal of 48 states, and revenue concentration sits across multiple corporate and individual donor streams rather than a single anchor funder.

Name

Pinky Swear Foundation

Legal name

Pinky Swear Foundation

Website

https://pinkyswear.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pinky Swear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 2003 and based in Edina, Minnesota, that provides direct financial assistance — covering housing, food, transportation, and utilities — to U.S. families of children with cancer, funded by individual donations, corporate partnerships, signature fundraising events, and a $10M+ endowment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Childhood Cancer Family Assistance Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH), Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

Keywords

• Childhood cancer support
• Family financial assistance
• Pediatric cancer aid
• Nonprofit charitable services
• Community fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

Edina

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Direct donations from individuals supporting childhood cancer families. Monthly giving program available. One-time and recurring donation options.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate sponsors like Hy-Vee conduct register round-up campaigns, Arby's Foundation sponsors awareness campaigns, and companies like Dean Snyder Construction sponsor events. Major partnerships generating significant revenue (Hy-Vee raised $224,251 in 2022).
3. Fundraising Events: Events include Pinky Swear Kids Triathlons (world's largest kids fundraising triathlon series), annual radiothon with WHO Radio, gala events, clay-shooting events, and various community fundraisers. These generate substantial funding for family assistance.
4. Endowment Fund: The Super Cal Endowment Fund exceeds $10 million and generates approximately $500,000 annually for families. Gifts are invested to provide long-term, dependable funding for families facing childhood cancer.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pinky Swear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides direct financial and emotional assistance to families with children battling cancer. Its programs include the Orange Envelope (immediate $200 crisis relief), the All-Star Fund (ongoing bill payments), the Pinky Swear Pantry (on-site hospital food pantries), and Letters of Encouragement. Services are delivered nationwide across the United States with emphasis on immediate, tangible support during cancer treatment.

Product overview

Pinky Swear Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of financial assistance programs for families facing childhood cancer. The core offerings consist of three interconnected programs: the Orange Envelope (immediate crisis support within six months of diagnosis providing a $200 gift card and encouragement letters), the All-Star Fund (ongoing financial assistance for rent, mortgage, utilities, gas, groceries, and car payments during treatment), and the Pinky Swear Pantry (on-site food pantries at partner hospitals). Supporting these core programs are the Pinky Swear Pack student volunteer program, Letters of Encouragement, the Super Cal Endowment Fund for long-term sustainable funding, the annual Pinky Swear Kids Triathlon fundraising event series, and National Pinky Swear Day awareness campaigns. Together, these programs address the non-medical financial burdens of childhood cancer so families can focus on their child's health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Orange Envelope Program: Provides immediate assistance within six months of a child's diagnosis, including a $200 gift card and letters of encouragement for families facing childhood cancer.
• All-Star Fund
• Pinky Swear Pantry
• Pinky Swear Pack
• Super Cal Endowment Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• 69% of served families live below Federal Poverty Level, indicating assistance reaches those with greatest need
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• Hy-VeeflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2023Ongoing partnership with Hy-Vee for register round-up campaigns. Customers round up purchases to nearest dollar October 16-31 to support families facing childhood cancer with expenses like gas and groceries.
• Hy-VeeflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2022Midwest retail chain with 285+ stores across 8 states conducted register round-up campaigns. Raised $224,251 in 2022 alone. Partnership includes point-of-sale donations, customer rounding up purchases to support families. Extended partnership through 2021 and beyond with campaigns across all stores.
• Mall of AmericaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2018Partnership for annual All-Star Letter Writing Lounge at the Mall of America location in Bloomington, MN. Engages shoppers in writing encouragement letters to families.
• Love Your MeloncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Partnership announced April 7, 2015 with $50,000 contribution. Love Your Melon committed 50% of net proceeds to provide immediate support for children battling cancer through Pinky Swear Foundation. Partnership included hat donations to children with cancer.
• CureSearch for Children's CancercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2015Partnership announced April 7, 2015 with $50,000 contribution. CureSearch receives funds for pediatric cancer research initiatives while Pinky Swear provides immediate family support.
• News Radio 1040 WHOcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual radiothon partnership where WHO Radio devotes entire broadcast day to on-air fundraising. 2020 radiothon raised over $225,000. Seven-year partnership generating over $1 million total for families.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Children's Oncology Group: Research cooperative serving the same pediatric cancer population — not a fundraising peer but an institutional ecosystem player whose hospital network overlaps with Pinky Swear's referral channel.

Direct peers

• Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation: Disease-specific pediatric cancer nonprofit providing family support and research funding — narrower disease focus than Pinky Swear but highly comparable program structure.
• Family Reach Foundation: Cancer-specific nonprofit delivering direct financial assistance (housing, food, transportation) to families facing cancer — directly comparable service model, narrower pediatric focus differentiates Pinky Swear.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation: Childhood cancer nonprofit combining research funding with family support — comparable pediatric cancer focus and community fundraising model (lemonade stands parallel Pinky Swear triathlons).
• CureSearch for Children's Cancer: Existing Pinky Swear partner (2015) and peer in pediatric cancer funding — comparable mission but heavier emphasis on research, providing a useful benchmark for program mix tradeoffs.
• National Children's Cancer Society: Provides financial and emotional support directly to children with cancer and their families — the closest mission and program overlap with Pinky Swear's Orange Envelope and All-Star Fund models.
• National Pediatric Cancer Foundation: Focused specifically on pediatric cancer research and family support — closely comparable mission and similar mid-sized nonprofit scale to Pinky Swear.
• St. Baldrick's Foundation: Major childhood cancer nonprofit combining research grants with family support programs; uses signature head-shaving fundraising events analogous to Pinky Swear's triathlon series.

Broad incumbents

• Ronald McDonald House Charities: Larger, established nonprofit supporting families with sick children through lodging near hospitals and direct family services — adjacent mission, broader pediatric scope, and deeper corporate funding model.
• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Large, established nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses including cancer — broader mission category but overlapping donor base and signature event fundraising approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pinkyswearfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pinkyswearfoundation

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pinky Swear Foundation