Sad Girls Club

What Sad Girls Club does

Sad Girls Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in February 2017 by Elyse Fox, headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, that provides mental health support, therapy access, and community spaces for millennial and Gen Z women, girls, and femmes of color. The organization operates an integrated platform of services: Chat Room (free virtual group counseling via Zoom, 45-60 minute sessions for up to 10 attendees led by mental health facilitators familiar with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ spaces), Remedy (a 1:1 therapy scholarship program launched Fall 2022 providing 12 grantees annually with two monthly sessions at $120/session, exceeding 5,000 hours of therapy delivered), in-person events under The After Effect umbrella (wellness summits, dance cardio, meditation, panels in cities including NYC, DC, Atlanta, Chicago, London, and Barcelona), a curated Resources library (crisis hotlines, therapist directories, educational content), a podcast, and a merchandise store. The platform is built on standard, non-proprietary infrastructure (Zoom, Squarespace, Give Lively), with the intellectual differentiation residing in the curated referral ecosystem (Therapy for Black Girls, Inclusive Therapists, NQTTCN) and the cultural positioning of the community.

The business model relies almost entirely on donations and grants from individuals and organizations, supplemented by merchandise sales and brand partnership sponsorships. A stated $250 donation funds therapy for 10 community members (~$25 per session subsidized), and $500 provides a member with one full year of therapy. The organization operates with 1-10 employees, has reached 200,000+ lives across 40+ countries and 5 continents, maintains 265,000+ Instagram followers, and has generated 70M media impressions through coverage in Forbes, Teen Vogue, TODAY, Vogue, and other premier outlets. Brand partnerships span Nike (Flagship), Sol Health (Core strategic), PINK/JED Foundation (Core), Instagram, Harvard University, the U.S. Intelligence Community, and recurring consumer brand sponsors (Maybelline, LOLA, EOS, Awe Inspired, Rest Stop).

Name

Sad Girls Club

Legal name

Sad Girls Club

Website

https://sadgirlsclub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sad Girls Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2017 that delivers free mental health support, therapy scholarships, and community spaces for young women of color, primarily funded by donations and brand partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

Keywords

• Mental health support
• Community wellness services
• Therapy access programs
• Nonprofit mental health
• Support groups

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

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 Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Sad Girls Club relies primarily on donations from individuals and organizations. The organization states that every $250 donated provides therapy for 10 community members. Donations are accepted through the website via Give Lively platform.
2. Merchandise Sales: Online store selling Sad Girls Club branded merchandise including apparel, stationery, and accessories. Products include clothing items and event tickets like 'Chatroom IRL x Rest Stop' at $10.
3. Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships: Partnerships with brands like Nike, Sol Health, LOLA, EOS, Maybelline, and others for event sponsorships, co-branded initiatives, and marketing collaborations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Sad Girls Club is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers mental health support through free virtual group counseling (Chat Room), personalized therapy scholarships (Remedy), in-person wellness events (IRL Stuff), curated resource directories, and a merchandise store, all aimed at young women of color.

Product overview

Sad Girls Club is a nonprofit mental health organization and online platform offering a suite of interconnected services for young women of color. The core offerings include the Chat Room (free virtual group counseling via Zoom), Remedy (personalized therapy scholarship program), IRL Stuff (in-person wellness events), Resources (mental health content and referrals), Podcast (audio content), and Store (merchandise). The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Elyse Fox in February 2017.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chat Room Free virtual group counseling sessions held via Zoom for up to 10 attendees, lasting 45 minutes to 1 hour, led by mental health facilitators familiar with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities. Available to young women of color seeking safe peer support.
• Remedy Program Personalized 1:1 therapy scholarship program connecting approved grantees from communities of color with culturally competent therapists. Provides free therapy sessions funded by donations, with over 5,000 hours granted since launch.
• IRL Stuff In-person wellness events and community gatherings including wellness summits, yoga sessions, dance cardio, meditation, poetry slams, workshops, and community meetups hosted across US cities such as NYC, LA, SF, Miami, DC, and internationally.
• Sad Girls Club Store Official Sad Girls Club merchandise shop featuring branded apparel, stationery, accessories, and event tickets such as 'Chatroom IRL x Rest Stop' at $10, including pay-what-you-can options.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 hours of 1:1 therapy provided to Remedy program grantees since Fall 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• NikeflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerNike x SGC Run Club partnership encouraging Sad Girls to choose their distance, pace, and bring friends. NikeWomen hosted post-workout rotating sessions with wellness influencers to help members reach their fitness goals.
• Sol HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSol Health is a mental health platform matching clients with pre-licensed therapists. Remedy program grantees who choose Sol Health and complete their first year are eligible for program extensions including group therapy, psychoeducation workshops, and dedicated care coordination.
• LOLAminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLOLA sponsored The After Effect: The Grand Finale – Yap & Paint event in May 2025, a Mental Health Awareness Month event featuring sexual wellness and intimacy conversations.
• EOS (evolutionofsmooth)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEOS partnered with Sad Girls Club for The After Effect: Body Party event in 2026, supporting community and movement programming.
• MaybellineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMaybelline's Brave Together initiative partners with mental health communities and experts to offer support tools for anxiety and depression, featuring founder Elyse Fox.
• PINK and The JED FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPINK and The JED Foundation partnership to help strengthen and foster positive mental health for communities and campuses through shared commitment to mental wellness.
• Rest StopminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRest Stop partnered with Sad Girls Club for Chatroom IRL x Rest Stop event featuring a Sunday reset celebrating the 7 types of rest with an immersive sound bath and community conversation.
• Awe InspiredminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAwe Inspired x Sad Girls Club panel on Moms, Mental Health, & Manifesting Awe in May 2023. 100% of Awe Inspired sales during the event benefited Sad Girls Club.
• Harvard UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Elyse Fox has partnered with Harvard University as part of her mission to connect communities and spread awareness through vulnerability, gathering, and storytelling.
• The U.S. Intelligence CommunityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounder Elyse Fox has partnered with The U.S. Intelligence Community as part of her advocacy work to spread mental health awareness and access to resources.
• InstagramflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerInstagram partnership helping spread Sad Girls Club's mental health message and resources to a broader audience through the platform.
• 305 FitnessminorGTM or Marketing Partner305 Fitness provided dance cardio class for The After Effect: Dance Cardio & Meditation Kickoff event, a high-energy workout followed by meditation.
• Full Circle BrooklynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFull Circle Brooklyn hosted The After Effect: Body Party event in partnership with Sad Girls Club and EOS.
• Ace Hotel BrooklynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAce Hotel Brooklyn hosted Chatroom IRL x Rest Stop event with Sad Girls Club in June 2026.
• Therapy for Black GirlscoreTechnology or IntegrationTherapy for Black Girls is a recommended therapist directory in the Remedy Program resources, helping connect members with Black women-centered mental health providers.
• Inclusive TherapistscoreTechnology or IntegrationInclusive Therapists directory is recommended in Remedy Program resources, focusing on justice-oriented, culturally responsive therapists for marginalized populations.
• NQTTCN (National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNQTTCN is a healing justice organization recommended in Remedy Program resources, committed to supporting QTBIPOC mental health practitioners and seekers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights12 records

Emerging players

• Solace: Solace (formerly Sol Health) is a mental health platform matching clients with pre-licensed therapists and is already an active partner of Sad Girls Club for the Remedy program. Comparable in audience and therapy-matching product, but with venture-backed scaling capacity.
• Ayana Therapy: Ayana Therapy is a mental health matching platform connecting users with therapists of color and LGBTQ+ affirming providers. Comparable in audience and therapist-matching function, operating as a venture-backed startup rather than nonprofit.
• Liberate: Liberate is a meditation and mental wellness app specifically designed for the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ community. Comparable in audience targeting and culturally-tailored content, though delivered via a for-profit subscription app model rather than nonprofit programs.

Direct peers

• Inclusive Therapists: Inclusive Therapists is a directory of justice-oriented, culturally responsive therapists for marginalized populations. Also a recommended resource in SGC's Remedy program, it competes in the therapist-matching niche while complementing SGC's scholarship funnel.
• The Loveland Foundation: The Loveland Foundation provides free therapy sessions to Black women and girls, directly paralleling SGC's Remedy scholarship model. Founded by Rachel Cargle, it operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with similar donation-funded therapy access as a core offering.
• National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network (NQTTCN): NQTTCN is a healing justice organization supporting QTBIPOC mental health practitioners and seekers. Already a recommended resource in SGC's Remedy program, it represents an overlapping mission around culturally-affirming mental health access.
• Therapy for Black Girls: Founded by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, Therapy for Black Girls is a directory and podcast-based mental health platform dedicated to the wellness of Black women and girls. It is the most direct comparator to Sad Girls Club, addressing the same audience with therapist referrals, podcast content, and community support.
• Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective (BEAM): BEAM is a nonprofit focused on emotional and mental health support for Black communities through training, advocacy, and resource directories. Highly comparable mission and nonprofit structure, serving a similar BIPOC mental health audience.
• Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation: Founded by actress Taraji P. Henson, the BLHF addresses mental health stigma in the Black community through scholarships, workshops, and the BLHF app. Comparable nonprofit model targeting Black mental health with therapy access and community programming.
• The Confess Project: The Confess Project trains barbers to be mental health advocates for Black men and boys, addressing a related but adjacent demographic in BIPOC mental health. Operates as a 501(c)(3) with similar community-led, culturally-competent program design.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/sadgirlsclub
• Xx.com/sadgirlsclubirl
• Facebookfacebook.com/sadgirlsclubNY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sad-girls-cluborg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sad Girls Club