Karen Wellington Foundation

What Karen Wellington Foundation does

Karen Wellington Foundation (KWF) is a Cincinnati-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2007 that provides experiential gifts, branded as "Gifts of Fun," to women in the United States currently in active treatment for breast cancer or within six months of completing treatment. The foundation's core offering is the matching of nominated recipients with donated experiences including beach vacations, spa days, concerts, sporting events, skydiving, hot air balloon rides, and weekend getaways, supplemented by a nationwide "Lemons to Lemonade Box" program for recipients outside its chapter footprint. Mission output has scaled to over 5,000 lifetime gifts delivered across 12+ active chapters and 5 ambassador cities, with a stated annual target of 1,000+ gifts.

The foundation operates without proprietary technology, relying instead on manual nomination intake, a 19-member Medical Advisory Board for clinical referrals, and volunteer-led local chapters for gift delivery. Recipients are engaged across the journey: past recipients serve on a Recipient Ambassador Board, create LIVING or Memorial FUNds (peer-to-peer fundraising pages, 30+ active), and frequently become future nominators, creating a self-reinforcing community flywheel.

Revenue is generated through a diversified donor base rather than a transactional pricing model, including individual cash donations, recurring monthly giving, 100+ vacation home donations, in-kind tickets and services, corporate sponsorships (anchored by a flagship Arlinghaus partnership), 30+ named FUNds, foundation grants, and merchandise sales via an online shop. The annual Pink October campaign with 20+ partner activations and signature events (Karen's Gift Gala, Birdies Beer & a Band, FUN Run 5K) drive concentrated fundraising cadence. The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Karen Wellington's family and led operationally by Executive Director Katie Elbisser with a core staff of approximately 14.

Name

Karen Wellington Foundation

Legal name

Karen Wellington Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://karenwellingtonfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Karen Wellington Foundation is a Cincinnati-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 that provides experiential "Gifts of Fun," including vacations, spa days, and events, to women in active breast cancer treatment across 12+ U.S. chapters, supported by donations, corporate partnerships, and a network of 100+ vacation home donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cancer Wellness Support Services

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAJALAF

Community Health & Prevention Program Funding

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Public Health Funding, Grants & Program Administration

SECONDARYMPAGAEAK

Community Fundraisers & Charity Events (Gala/Walks excluded)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Cultural Festivals & Community Events

Keywords

• Breast cancer support services
• Experiential gifts program
• Cancer wellness nonprofit
• Community fundraising events
• Charitable wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: One-time and recurring monthly cash donations from individual donors, corporate partners, and foundations. Donations can be made via the website, Venmo, or check.
2. Vacation Home Donations: Weeks of vacation home or timeshare use donated by property owners. These in-kind donations are matched with deserving recipient families for getaways.
3. Ticket Donations: Donated tickets to sporting events, concerts, theater, and other entertainment experiences that become Gifts of Fun for recipients.
4. In-Kind Donations: Products and services for Gifts of Fun including spa services, art classes, horseback riding, jewelry, pampering items, sports swag, gift cards, and airline miles.
5. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including apparel (crewnecks, tanks, tees, hoodies), accessories (hats, beanies), and other items with proceeds supporting the mission.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Sponsorship dollars from corporations for events, activations, social media takeovers, and blog features. Sponsorship directly funds Gifts of Fun.
7. FUNdraising: Community members create custom fundraising pages (LIVING FUNds or Memorial FUNds) to raise money for the mission with KWF handling legal, accounting, and marketing support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Karen Wellington Foundation delivers free experiential gifts — referred to as "Gifts of Fun" — such as vacations, spa days, concert tickets, and sporting-event outings to women living with breast cancer. Programming is funded through individual donations, branded merchandise sales, Living FUNds and Memorial FUNds fundraising accounts, and corporate sponsorships, and is administered through a network of local chapters.

Product overview

Karen Wellington Foundation (KWF) is an anti-cancer nonprofit organization that provides 'Gifts of Fun' - experiential gifts including vacations, spa days, concerts, sporting events, and adventure activities - to women and families living with breast cancer. The core offerings include Gifts of Fun experiences, the Lemons to Lemonade Box program for those in active treatment, and FUNds (customizable fundraising pages). KWF also operates a merchandise shop, manages local chapters across the US, and hosts annual events. The organization is structured around volunteer engagement, corporate partnerships, and individual donations rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lemons to Lemonade Box: A gift box inspired by Karen's 'Lemons to Lemonade' mantra, meant to bring joy to those currently going through breast cancer treatment. Boxes can be delivered all across the USA.
• FUNds
• Gift of Fun

Products and services

• Gifts of Fun Free, individually tailored experiential gifts — including vacations, spa days, concert tickets, and sporting-event outings — provided to women living with breast cancer and administered through KWF's local chapters.
• Lemons to Lemonade Box A branded gift package tied to the "Lemons to Lemonade" identity, shipped to women living with breast cancer as part of the Gifts of Fun delivery.
• Living FUNds and Memorial FUNds Personalized fundraising accounts that allow supporters to raise money in honor of a loved one currently living with breast cancer (Living FUNds) or in memory of someone lost to the disease (Memorial FUNds), with proceeds directed to KWF's mission.
• KWF Merchandise Shop Online store selling branded KWF merchandise, with proceeds supporting the foundation's Gifts of Fun programming and operations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 5,000 Gifts of FUN delivered since 2007
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Arlinghaus Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning, & ElectricflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Pink October 2025, FUN Run 5K, and multiple events. Heating Tune Ups For A Cure campaign donates portion of tune-ups to KWF. Pink branded bus promotion.
• 4EGcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCreated 'Strawberry Fields' pink cocktail with $1 per drink donated to KWF during October. $1 from ALL drinks on October 29th donated to KWF.
• Aveda InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTips from all October and November services donated to KWF. October 8th day of discounted services with 100% of sales going to KWF.
• Streetside BrewerycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual 'Scars are Beautiful' New England IPA with $1 per pint or 4-pack donated to KWF. Host venue for A Tale of Two Titties comedy event.
• Grace + Grit SpacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSpa partner providing complimentary services to KWF recipients. Operated by Crystal Grace, a breast cancer survivor who donates services to cancer patients.
• UC Health Barrett Cancer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical partnership with UC Health providing medical advisory board leadership and cancer care coordination for recipients.
• Mercy HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical advisory board participation and healthcare partnerships with multiple Mercy Health physicians serving on the Medical Advisory Board.
• The Christ HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical partnership with multiple physicians on Medical Advisory Board including Dr. Kelly McLean and Lisa Shelton RN.
• Pi Kappa Alpha, UC ChaptercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUniversity of Cincinnati fraternity that created Pi Kappa Alpha LIVING FUNd and raised over $10,000 during 'KWF Week' through fundraising events.
• Enterprise MobilityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVacation Club tier partner contributing to vacation experiences for recipients.
• Links UnlimitedminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGift of Fun tier partner providing in-kind support.
• Inner Light TherapyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFounded by Melissa Frye, MA, LPC, who serves on Medical Advisory Board. Provides therapy services to recipients.
• Cancer Family CarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJill Settlemyre, Executive Director, serves on Medical Advisory Board. Provides cancer family support services.
• OrangeTheory Fitness AndersonminorGTM or Marketing Partner'Burpees for Boobies' challenge fundraiser where $1 donated equals one burpee performed by coaches for KWF.
• Donovan's Auto & Tire CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAuto Partner in 'Give the girls a brake' campaign offering FREE brake pads with purchase and donating 10% of brake job proceeds to KWF.
• Cincinnati RedsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVacation Club tier partner providing tickets and experiences for recipients.
• Awakenings Coffee & WineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPink October partner selling pink lids with portion of proceeds donated to KWF.
• BenkenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlorist partner donating 20% of proceeds from Benken Gives collection to KWF during October.
• BonBonerieminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBakery partner donating $1 per Pink Ribbon cookie sold during October week to KWF.
• VV The Italian ExperienceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRestaurant partner with Pink October special featuring $2 (20%) from each purchase donated to KWF.
• Lulu's Sweets BoutiqueminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBakery partner donating 50% of every Pink Ribbon Cookie purchase to KWF during October.
• Hyde Forty-SevenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccessory retailer donating portion of October proceeds to KWF with free pink leather goods with purchase.
• Clothing by TAYminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCustom merch partner donating $5 per item from Breast Cancer Awareness Month collection to KWF.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Casting for Recovery: Provides free fly-fishing retreats for women with breast cancer. Directly comparable wellness-experience model targeting the same beneficiary population with experiential programming rather than financial aid.
• National Breast Cancer Foundation: National 501(c)(3) providing support, education, and hope to women affected by breast cancer. Directly comparable to KWF as a mission-aligned breast cancer nonprofit competing for donor dollars and corporate partnerships in the same beneficiary population.
• Young Survival Coalition: Focused on young adults affected by breast cancer with peer support and resources. Comparable mission overlap in supporting LIVING patients (vs. cure research) and in building recipient/peer communities similar to KWF's Recipient Ambassador Board.
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer: National nonprofit connecting people with trusted breast cancer information and a community of support. Comparable as a peer-serving organization that supports people LIVING with breast cancer (vs. cure-focused research), overlapping in target audience and donor base.
• Little Pink Houses of Hope: Provides free week-long beach vacations for breast cancer patients and families — the closest direct comparator to KWF's vacation-centric Gifts of FUN model, operating retreats versus KWF's broader experiential mix.
• Jack & Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation: Creates 'WOW' experiences for families with late-stage cancer parents. Comparable as an experiential-gifting nonprofit delivering memorable family experiences to cancer patients — closest strategic analog to KWF's mission.

Emerging players

• Camp Kesem: Free summer camps and year-round support for children affected by a parent's cancer. Comparable as an experiential/wellness nonprofit serving families impacted by cancer with chapter-based delivery and volunteer-driven operations similar to KWF's model.
• For 3 Sisters: Small nonprofit providing direct support and awareness to men and women with breast cancer. Comparable as a similarly sized grassroots breast cancer nonprofit operating with limited staff and a regional-to-national footprint, competing for the same donor and partner ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Susan G. Komen: Largest US breast cancer organization funding research, community health, and direct support. Broad incumbent in the same donor market; competes for Pink October corporate activation and individual giving, though focused on cure/research rather than KWF's experiential wellness niche.
• Breastcancer.org: Largest online resource for breast cancer information and peer support. Broad incumbent in the breast cancer support ecosystem; competes for donor mindshare and corporate partnerships, but serves via education/content rather than experiential gifts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrsni_fcaOIS09YWYdjAWEQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/karenwellingtonfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/karenwellingtonfoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/kwfliving
• Xx.com/kwfliving_

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Karen Wellington Foundation