The Erika Lynn Foundation

What The Erika Lynn Foundation does

The Erik Hite Foundation, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit incorporated in Arizona in 2009 and headquartered in Tucson, AZ. It was founded by Nohemy Hite following the June 2, 2008 line-of-duty death of her husband, Tucson Police Department Officer Erik D. Hite, a 21-year U.S. Air Force veteran. The foundation serves public safety employees, active military personnel, and their immediate families across Southern Arizona through childcare, education, wellness, and outreach programs. The organization operates with a small staff (1-10 employees) supported by an 8-member Board of Directors, a Board of Advisors, and a network of licensed counselors, totaling approximately 20-25 individuals.

The service portfolio is organized across three pillars. The Education pillar centers on the Erik Hite Child Development Center, opened June 24, 2011, providing childcare for children 6 weeks to 5 years at fees 30-35% below standard market rates with full-time, part-time, drop-in, and shift-flexible scheduling. The Center currently serves up to 82 children from more than 36 public safety and military agencies (Tucson PD, Pima County Sheriff, Tucson Fire, DPS, US Border Patrol, ICE, Davis-Monthan AFB, FBI, UA PD, Marana PD) and maintains a waiting list. Wellness programs include adult workshops, spouse and significant-other support groups (Law Enforcement and Fire Family), a Youth Wellness Retreat, and an Emergency Relief Fund. Outreach includes Summer Camp Scholarships (17 families and 25 children funded in 2025 with $12,500), the TPD 360 Meals Program, and the Champions Club volunteer network. The foundation also hosts two signature annual fundraising events: the Circle of Care Gala and the Community Festival of Service 5K.

Revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations, Arizona Qualified Charitable Organization (QCO) tax-credit contributions, corporate sponsorships, planned giving and Donor Advised Funds (Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable), employer matching programs (Benevity, Raytheon), community partner programs (Fry's Community Rewards, Jim Click Millions for Tucson Raffle, PTSDad), and subsidized childcare fees. Annual fundraising event performance includes the 2025 Circle of Care Gala raising over $200,000 with 334 attendees, the 2022 Gala raising close to $200,000 with 477 attendees, and the 2023 Fallen Officer Memorial 5K raising in excess of $35,000. The foundation reports that 90% of every dollar raised is directed to programs. The foundation has no proprietary technology product and operates a direct service-delivery model with no resellers or distribution intermediaries.

Name

The Erika Lynn Foundation

Legal name

Erik Hite Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://erikhitefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Erik Hite Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Tucson, Arizona, serving public safety employees, active military members, and their families in Southern Arizona through subsidized childcare, wellness programs, support groups, and emergency financial relief.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Family Support and Childcare Services

NAICS

Child Care Services (62441), Child Care Services (6244), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351)

akta.pro primary industry

24-Hour / Extended-Hours Childcare Centers (EDACAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Employer-Sponsored / On-Site Infant & Toddler Care (EDACAGAF), Health Education & Parent Coaching (Sleep, Safety, Illness Management) (EDACAMAN)

Keywords

• Nonprofit childcare services
• First responder family support
• Public safety wellness programs
• Military family services
• Community crisis assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Tucson

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. Individual and Corporate Donations: The foundation receives donations from individuals and businesses in the Southern Arizona community. The organization reports that 90% of every dollar raised goes directly to programs. Monthly Giving Club allows donors to set up recurring donations.
2. Arizona QCO Tax Credits: The foundation is a Qualified Charitable Organization (QCO) registered with the Arizona Department of Revenue. Arizona taxpayers can direct state tax credits to the foundation through its QCO campaign, providing a dollar-for-dollar tax benefit to donors within Arizona.
3. Annual Fundraising Events: The Circle of Care Gala and Community Festival of Service (5K run/walk) generate significant revenue. The 2025 Circle of Care Gala raised over $200,000 with 334 guests; the 2022 Gala raised close to $200,000 with 477 guests.
4. Planned Giving and Legacy Donations: The foundation offers planned giving through estate planning, wills, and a Legacy Club. It also accepts Donor Advised Fund (DAF) contributions from Fidelity Charitable, Schwab Charitable, Vanguard Charitable, and others. Employer-matched funding through Benevity/American Online Giving and Raytheon is also available.
5. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support the foundation's events and programs, appearing on the Sponsors page with logos. Sponsors include Chick-fil-A, Costco, Jim Click, Hughes Federal Credit Union, KVOA, KOLD, and many others.
6. Community Partner Programs: Partnerships such as the PTSDad Book (20% of proceeds donated) and Fry's Community Rewards generate incremental donations. The Jim Click Millions for Tucson Raffle offers raffle ticket sales that benefit the foundation.
7. Summer Camp Scholarships and Program Fees: The foundation provides summer camp scholarships to families, offsetting costs. The 2025 Summer Camp Scholarship Program funded 17 families, 25 children, and 14 departments with $12,500.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Erik Hite Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers affordable childcare and family wellness programming for public safety employees and active military families in Southern Arizona. Its flagship offering is the Child Development Center, which serves children ages 6 weeks to 5 years at fees 30-35% below standard childcare rates, with extended hours that accommodate irregular 24-hour shifts. Surrounding programs include parenting classes, adult workshops, spouse/significant-other support groups, a youth wellness retreat, summer camp scholarships, emergency financial relief, and a 360 Meals program for Tucson Police officers.

Product overview

The Erik Hite Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of programs organized across three pillars: Education, Wellness, and Outreach. The Education pillar includes the Child Development Center (the foundation's flagship program, providing specialized childcare from 6 weeks to 5 years for public safety and military families) and Parenting Classes. The Wellness pillar encompasses Adult Workshops, Spouse & Significant Other Support Groups, Youth Wellness Retreat, and an Emergency Relief Fund. The Outreach pillar includes Summer Camp Scholarships, the TPD 360 Meals Program, and Champions Club volunteer program. The foundation also hosts two signature fundraising events: the annual Circle of Care Gala and Community Festival of Service (5K run). The organization serves families of public safety employees and active military across Southern Arizona.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Erik Hite Child Development Center Provides safe and affordable childcare for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years from public safety employees and active military families. Offers full-time, part-time, and drop-in services with flexible hours tailored to irregular 24-hour shifts. Fees are 30-35% below standard childcare rates in the area; eligible families verify employment via work email. The Child Development Center serves up to 82 children and is the first childcare center in the U.S. specifically designed to serve public safety and active military families.
• Parenting Classes Free parenting classes for public safety and active military personnel covering child development, communication, and family dynamics to build resilient, healthy family foundations. Topics follow a Love Logic-based curriculum and are open to eligible families in Southern Arizona.
• Adult Workshops

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of every donated dollar goes directly to programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tucson Police Department (TPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTPD is a key partner in administering the 360 Meals Program, through which community members donate funds to provide TPD officers with gift cards for restaurants and meal providers at a 50% discount. TPD also refers officer families to the Child Development Center and other foundation programs.
• PTSDadminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPTSDad is a comic book that presents PTSD to children at an accessible level. A generous 20% of proceeds from PTSDad book sales are directly donated to the Erik Hite Foundation.
• Fry's (Kroger)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Fry's Community Rewards program, customers can link their Fry's rewards card to the Erik Hite Foundation (DC869), generating donations at no cost to the shopper.
• Jim Click Millions for Tucson RaffleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe foundation participates in the Jim Click Millions for Tucson Raffle, where raffle ticket purchases support the foundation's programs. The raffle offers three prizes courtesy of Jim Click.
• PICOR FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPICOR Foundation donated to the 2025 Summer Camp Scholarship Program, which funded scholarships for 17 families and 25 children across 14 departments.
• St. Alban's Episcopal ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSt. Alban's Episcopal Church donated to the 2025 Summer Camp Scholarship Program supporting first responder families.
• Hearts of GoldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHearts of Gold donated to the 2025 Summer Camp Scholarship Program supporting first responder families.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fisher House Foundation: Major nonprofit providing housing and support to military and veteran families during medical crises. Comparable as an established military family support organization with national infrastructure and donor base.
• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation: Federally chartered nonprofit honoring America's fallen firefighters and supporting their families and coworkers. Comparable as an established first-responder family support organization with national reach.
• Tunnel to Towers Foundation: Large national nonprofit supporting fallen first responder and military families through mortgage payoffs, smart homes, and family assistance programs. Comparable as a major, established first-responder family charity with broader national scale.
• Childcare Aware of America: National nonprofit focused on childcare accessibility, affordability, and quality, including support for military and first-responder families. Comparable as a broader childcare-services advocacy and support nonprofit.
• Bright Horizons Family Solutions: Large for-profit provider of employer-sponsored childcare and early education, including dedicated employer client programs. Comparable as a provider of workplace-aligned childcare services for employer clients, including shift-based care.

Direct peers

• First Responders Children's Foundation: National nonprofit providing financial support, scholarships, and hardship grants to children of first responders killed or injured in the line of duty. Closest peer by mission, serving the same children-of-first-responder population across the U.S.
• Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.): National organization providing resources and support to surviving families of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty. Comparable as a peer serving surviving family members of fallen officers through peer-support programming.
• Spirit of Blue Foundation: Nonprofit focused on improving safety and wellness of law enforcement officers and their families through grants and equipment. Comparable as a niche first-responder family support nonprofit with overlapping wellness and outreach orientation.
• Police Benevolent Foundation: Nonprofit supporting officers and families of law enforcement through hardship assistance, scholarships, and wellness programs. Comparable as a peer providing family-focused support services to the law enforcement community.
• Blue H.E.L.P. Nonprofit supporting families of law enforcement officers who die by suicide, providing resources and survivor assistance. Comparable as a law-enforcement family support nonprofit with overlapping survivor-family mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@erikhitefoundation2830
• Facebookfacebook.com/erikDhite
• Instagraminstagram.com/ErikHiteFoundation
• TikToktiktok.com/@ehfsocial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erik-hite-foundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Erika Lynn Foundation