The Cherab Foundation

What The Cherab Foundation does

The Cherab Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Jensen Beach, Florida (Federal tax ID 22-3685234), founded in 1999 by Lisa Geng following her son Tanner's diagnosis of apraxia. Originally established as the Children's Apraxia Network, the organization was renamed CHERAB (Communication Help Education Research Apraxia-Base) in 2001 to broaden its scope. It operates on a 100% volunteer basis with no paid staff, working to improve communication skills, education, and advocacy for children on the neurological spectrum with a primary emphasis on autism and verbal apraxia, including at-risk children in the US and low/middle-income countries.

The foundation delivers a portfolio of programs rather than a single technology product: the crowdFunnit anti-bullying birthday initiative, the 'Late Talkers, Silent Voices' documentary (2017), the co-authored book 'The Late Talker' (St Martin's Press, 2003), the Pursuit of Research nutrition blog, Cherab Moves relocation assistance, fee-donated one-on-one consultations, a free Nutrition Guide, multiple Facebook-based support groups (originally a ~10,000-member Yahoo group), and Apraxia Awareness Apparel via Bonfire.com. The underlying proprietary asset is a nutritional composition for which Lisa Geng holds four patents (and patents pending), with a co-authored peer-reviewed study published in an NIH-indexed medical journal.

The foundation is funded primarily through tax-deductible individual donations (Stripe and PayPal, with suggested tiers of $10-$250), proceeds from the documentary on Vimeo OnDemand, book retail royalties, paid consultations, and merchandise sales. It claims worldwide geographic reach but is US-domiciled. Notable governance includes a board led by Geng as Founder/President, Jolie Abreu as Vice President, Nina Wolgelenter as Secretary, and an advisory ecosystem spanning special education law (Sussan and Greenwald), Apraxia Network, and LPGA athlete Laurie Rinker Graham.

Name

The Cherab Foundation

Legal name

The Cherab Foundation

Website

https://cherabfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Cherab Foundation is a 501(c)(3) volunteer-run nonprofit that supports children with communication impairments, particularly autism and verbal apraxia, through education, advocacy, support groups, anti-bullying events, a documentary, and nutritional research resources.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Communication Disorder Support Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAH

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits

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

SECONDARYBPAGAFAF

Disability Rights & Accessibility Advocacy

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

SECONDARYEDAKAKAG

Autism Communication Support (AAC, Pragmatics & Language)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Autism Support Services (Educational)

SECONDARYEDAGAMAK

Autism Support Instructional Materials (Structured Teaching, Visual Supports)

Education/Educational Publishing & Learning Content/Instructional Materials for Special Education

Keywords

• Speech disorder support
• Communication impairment advocacy
• Autism apraxia awareness
• Nonprofit family services
• Communication disorder resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Port St. Lucie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the foundation's initiatives for children with communication impairments. All money raised goes directly to support initiatives.
2. Late Talkers Documentary Sales: Proceeds from purchasing and watching the Late Talkers documentary on Vimeo OnDemand benefit the 501(c)3 Cherab Foundation. 100 percent of money raised goes directly to support the foundation's initiatives.
3. The Late Talker Book Sales: Co-author Lisa Geng earns revenue from sales of the book 'The Late Talker: What to Do If Your Child Isn't Talking Yet' published by St Martin's Press, available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
4. Consultation Fees: One-hour video chat consultations with Lisa Geng are offered, with fees donated directly to the Cherab Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Cherab Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports children with communication impairments (primarily autism and verbal apraxia) and their families through free support groups, education, advocacy, and nutrition-based research. It delivers programs including the crowdFunnit anti-bullying initiative, the Late Talkers Silent Voices documentary, The Late Talker book, Pursuit of Research platform, Cherab Moves relocation assistance, founder consultations, and Apraxia Awareness Apparel.

Product overview

The Cherab Foundation offers a portfolio of advocacy, education, and support programs rather than a traditional technology product. The core offerings include: crowdFunnit (anti-bullying birthday party initiative), the Late Talkers Silent Voices documentary multimedia project, Pursuit of Research (nutrition education blog), and The Late Talker co-authored book. Additional support services include consultations with founder Lisa Geng, free nutrition guides, online support groups on Facebook, and the Cherab Moves relocation assistance program. The organization also sells Apraxia Awareness Apparel through Bonfire.com. All programs focus on helping children with autism and verbal apraxia improve communication skills, education, and advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• crowdFunnit: An anti-bullying initiative that brings people together by helping friendless children celebrate birthdays, raising awareness about differences while fostering acceptance and compassion.
• Late Talkers
• Pursuit of Research
• Cherab Moves

Products and services

• crowdFunnit Anti-bullying initiative that organizes birthday parties for children with communication impairments who lack friends, bringing families, first responders, media, and community together to foster acceptance and compassion.
• Late Talkers Silent Voices Documentary Multimedia documentary project exploring the lives of individuals ages 3-19 impacted by autism, apraxia, or stuttering, designed to foster acceptance and combat societal stigmas around communication disorders. Available for purchase and streaming on Vimeo OnDemand with proceeds benefiting the Cherab Foundation.
• The Late Talker Book Co-authored book by Lisa Geng, Marilyn Agin MD, and Malcolm J. Nicholl published by St Martin's Press. The first book to show parents how to distinguish between speech delay and serious speech disorders. Available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
• Pursuit of Research Educational blog and research platform focused on the therapeutic effects of nutrition for communication impairments. Serves as a fundraising entity for the Cherab Foundation and provides information on therapy, advocacy, and nutrition.
• Cherab Moves Free relocation support service for families with special needs children moving within the United States, providing referrals to knowledgeable Realtors and helping navigate school systems, therapists, IEPs, and Medicaid regulations.
• Consultations One-hour video chat consultations with founder Lisa Geng offering guidance on IEPs, therapy approaches, and strategies for parents of children with communication impairments. Consultation fees are donated to the Cherab Foundation.
• Free Nutrition Guide Free downloadable PDF guide covering fish oils, nutrient gaps, restrictive diets, clean food, and practical tips for picky eaters, based on 26 years of research in nutrition for children with speech and developmental challenges.
• Apraxia Awareness Apparel Apparel merchandise sold through Bonfire.com to raise awareness and funds for apraxia and the Cherab Foundation mission.
• Online Support Groups Multiple Facebook-based support communities including the main support group (apraxia.org), teen/young adult group (YADA), grandparent support group, and private discussion group for families affected by communication disorders.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 Million Americans have a communication disorder, 1 in 12 are school-age children
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ecto Force GhostbusterscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 December 2022Port St Lucie based full 501c3 charity organization with over 30 members across Florida. They are officially recognized by SONY Ghost Corp and support causes including Autism Awareness and Anti-Bullying. Partnered for Charlie Chuong's birthday party event.
• Sussan and Greenwald (Special Education Law)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSpecial education law firm partnering with Late Talkers documentary and providing legal resources for families through crowdFunnit events. Firm dedicates services exclusively to advocating for children with special needs.
• SuperPlayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPort St. Lucie bowling venue that hosted Charlie's 13th birthday party, providing facility and party passes at $20 each with proceeds going to Superplay.
• Seriangely's Sweet InspirationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCake creator Maria Lopez Ruiz donated custom birthday cake for Charlie's party event.
• Macrobano PhotographyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhotographer Michael Rubano provided photography services for Charlie's birthday party event.
• Pursuit of ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeparate blog/entity started by Lisa Geng that promotes and seeks clinical validation for using healthy nutrition as therapeutic intervention for communication impairments. Serves as fundraising entity for CHERAB Foundation.
• Late Talkers Documentary PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAward-winning producer Lise Zumwalt serves as director/producer; executive producers include Lisa Geng, Jeanne Buesser, Nina Wolgelenter, and Jolie Abreu. Documentary explores realities of living with communication impairment.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): The national professional association for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and speech/language/hearing scientists. The dominant incumbent in the speech and communication disorder space, serving as a key professional resource for the same families and clinicians Cherab reaches.
• Autism Society of America: A leading grassroots autism advocacy organization with nationwide affiliates and a long-standing focus on improving lives of those affected by autism. Comparable as a peer advocacy organization operating in the same donor and family-support space.
• Autism Speaks: One of the largest autism advocacy nonprofits in the US, conducting awareness, research, and advocacy work. Highly comparable given that 64% of those with autism also have apraxia, putting both organizations in overlapping donor and beneficiary pools.
• National Autism Association: Advocacy nonprofit focused on individuals with autism and their families, particularly addressing safety, wandering, and access to services. Operates in the same family-support and advocacy domain as Cherab for the autism overlap segment.

Emerging players

• Small Steps in Speech: Nonprofit providing grants to children for speech therapy and language services. Comparable as a smaller, mission-focused nonprofit addressing the same pediatric speech disorder population with a differentiated funding model.
• National Center for Learning Disabilities: Nonprofit advocating for children and adults with learning disabilities, including those with attention, reading, and math challenges. Comparable through overlapping parent-support resources, advocacy positioning, and educational content offerings.
• The Stuttering Foundation: Nonprofit providing free resources, services, and support to people who stutter and their families. Comparable as a communication-disorder-focused nonprofit leveraging content, books, and parent education, though targeting stuttering rather than apraxia.
• Once Upon a Time Foundation: Foundation focused on childhood apraxia of speech, providing therapy funding and awareness. Direct niche peer in the same orphan-diagnosis space, competing for similar donor dollars and family referrals.

Direct peers

• Apraxia Network: Nonprofit founded by Jeanne Buesser (a Cherab board member) to support parents of children with speech impairments. Operates overlapping programs including parent support and authored books on special needs, making it a close operational and mission-based peer.
• Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (Apraxia Kids): The leading North American nonprofit dedicated specifically to apraxia of speech in children, providing awareness, education, support, and research. Most directly comparable to Cherab given the overlapping apraxia mission, parent-support resources, and community conference programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/TheLateTalker
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChEUOIzhOWnTu8WxTZQRXCQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/cherab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-cherab-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 The Cherab Foundation