Precious Dreams Foundation

What Precious Dreams Foundation does

Precious Dreams Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York City, co-founded by Nicole Russell-Wharton and Angie Medina. The foundation serves foster and homeless youth across the United States through a portfolio of programs centered on comfort-item distribution, sleep support, and mental health resources, including Comfort Bags, event-based Comfort Drops, the Dream Equity Cohort, the Humble Dreams Alliance, a Baby Sleep program, and the Adulting with AI Assists educational initiative. As of the most recent reporting, the foundation reports cumulative impact of 28,140 youth served, 146,595 comfort items distributed, $678,100 in mental health resources deployed, and $90K in microgrants, delivered through 11 volunteer-led chapters nationwide.

The foundation's flagship operational asset is the NYC Comfort Shop, launched in March 2024 in partnership with the New York City Administration for Children's Services (ACS), which provides a physical retail-style distribution point for foster youth — a partnership that represents a rare co-location arrangement with a municipal child welfare agency. The technology layer is thin: AI is applied only within the Adulting with AI Assists program for educational content generation, and there is no proprietary platform or technology product. Distribution is otherwise event-based, chapter-based, and program-based, relying on volunteer mobilization and in-kind donations.

Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships structured across $50K+, $25K+, and $5K+ tiers, annual fundraising events (including the 15th Annual Dreams to Reality Gala), in-kind contributions, and government-aligned funding. The foundation operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees, has attracted media coverage from outlets including Oprah and the Today Show, and has published books authored by both co-founders. The organization's stated strategic objective is to achieve national access for foster and homeless youth by 2030, and it has activated a global grants program extending its footprint internationally.

Name

Precious Dreams Foundation

Legal name

Precious Dreams Foundation

Website

https://preciousdreamsfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Precious Dreams Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides comfort items, sleep support, and mental health resources to U.S. foster and homeless youth through programs like Comfort Bags, the NYC Comfort Shop, and Dream Equity Cohort, operating across 11 volunteer-led chapters.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (6243), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Benefits Counseling & Financial Literacy for Transition-Age Youth (EDAKANAJ)

Keywords

• Foster care support
• Youth homelessness services
• Comfort item distribution
• Mental health programs
• Sleep support services

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals through the organization's website and fundraising campaigns. The foundation states 100% of monetary donations are used to provide comfort bags and programming.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Grants: Funding and in-kind donations from corporate partners including Purple, Sony Music Group, Diageo, Chase, TD Bank, and others. Major tiers include $50,000+, $25,000+, and $5,000+ contributors.
3. Special Events: Annual Gala (15th Annual) and charity events like Dribble for Dreams serve as fundraising mechanisms with ticket sales and event sponsorship.
4. In-Kind Donations: Corporate partners provide in-kind donations of products including pajamas, sneakers (JD Sports Finish Line), clothing (Kith, Bombas), and other comfort items that are distributed to youth.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Precious Dreams Foundation provides free comfort items, sleep support, mental health resources, and career readiness programs to youth experiencing foster care and homelessness. Core offerings include Comfort Bags (pajamas, stuffed animals, journals, blankets), Comfort Drops (trauma-informed delivery program), the NYC Comfort Shop (retail-style wellness space), Dream Equity Cohort (career and financial support for ages 17-24), Baby Sleep and Care Program, and Humble Dreams Alliance financial assistance. All services are provided free of charge to qualifying youth beneficiaries.

Product overview

Precious Dreams Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides a portfolio of programs supporting youth in foster care and homelessness. The core offerings include Comfort Bags and Comfort Drops (trauma-informed comfort item deliveries), the NYC Comfort Shop (retail-style wellness space), Dream Equity Cohort (career and financial support for ages 17-24), Baby Sleep and Care Program, and Humble Dreams Alliance (financial assistance). The foundation also offers Adulting with AI Assists, an education-focused digital initiative using generative AI. These programs are delivered through a network of eleven volunteer-led National Chapters across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Comfort Bags Brand-new comfort items including pajamas, stuffed animals, receiving blankets, children's books, journals, and fidget tools distributed to children in foster care and homeless shelters.
• Comfort Drops Trauma-informed intervention program designed to support emotional regulation, self-soothing, and psychological safety for children experiencing foster care and housing instability through personalized comfort bag deliveries to shelters and foster care facilities.
• NYC Comfort Shop First-of-its-kind retail-style wellness space at NYC's Nicholas Scoppetta Children's Center providing free high-quality essentials, comfort items, trauma-informed workshops, and special events to children within their first 24-48 hours in foster care.
• Dream Equity Cohort Program serving young people ages 17-24 preparing to exit foster care or shelters, providing direct financial support, career-ready workshops, mental health resources, workforce readiness, financial literacy, and $2,000+ in unrestricted funds.
• Baby Sleep and Care Program Program distributing bedtime comfort items, coping tools, pajamas, and comforting items to newborns, teen moms, and children in foster care and homeless shelter systems.
• Humble Dreams Alliance Financial assistance program providing support for essential needs including tuition, phone bills, and gas for youth exiting foster care.
• Adulting with AI Assists Education-focused digital initiative using generative AI to equip young people with tools to use AI strategically as they navigate the transition into adulthood, especially those facing barriers to access, guidance, and opportunity. Co-produced with Dream Equity Cohort participants.
• National Chapters Volunteer-led chapter network spanning eleven cities across the United States, extending the foundation's reach to communities with high populations of homelessness.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of youth served are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Partnerships

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

• NYC Administration for Children's Services (ACS)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 March 2024Partnership to launch the Comfort Shop at Nicholas Scoppetta Children's Center, serving every child entering NYC's foster care system. ACS provides facility and referrals; Precious Dreams Foundation provides comfort items, workshops, and programming. This is the foundation's most significant government partnership.
• JD Sports Finish LinemajorOthersProvided over 250 pairs of sneakers to the Comfort Shop for distribution to foster youth
• KithmajorOthersDonated clothing and comfort items to the Comfort Shop
• BombasmajorOthersDonated socks and comfort items to the Comfort Shop
• Brandon BreauxminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisual artist collaborated to redesign foundation logo and create clothing line 'Invisible Space' with proceeds benefiting PDF
• Miguel, Terrence J, Lil Rel, Luke JamesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCelebrities who partnered with Precious Dreams Foundation for PSA video raising awareness about foster care youth

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Together We Rise: Nonprofit that provides comfort items (duffel bags, bedding, stuffed animals) and support services to youth in foster care and homelessness. Operates Sweet Cases and similar drop-style programs, and runs a national volunteer network — directly comparable to Precious Dreams' Comfort Drops and Comfort Bag model.
• Comfort Cases: Nonprofit distributing backpacks filled with comfort and personal-care items to children entering foster care. Overlaps with Precious Dreams on the trauma-informed comfort-item-delivery thesis and the 24-48 hour entry-into-care window.
• TreeHouse: Nonprofit focused on youth in foster care, providing education, wellness, and transition support. Closely comparable to Precious Dreams' wraparound service model for foster and homeless youth, including focus on transition-age youth.
• National Safe Place: National youth safety network providing immediate help and safe locations for at-risk and homeless youth. Overlaps with Precious Dreams' Comfort Drop and shelter-partnership distribution model.
• FosterClub: National network supporting youth in and aging out of foster care through mentoring, leadership training, and advocacy. Comparable to Precious Dreams' Dream Equity Cohort and Humble Dreams Alliance for transition-age youth.

Broad incumbents

• Covenant House: Large established nonprofit serving homeless, trafficked, and at-risk youth across 31 cities in the U.S. and Latin America with shelter, education, and workforce programs. Comparable to Precious Dreams' homeless youth and Dream Equity Cohort offerings but at substantially greater scale and scope.
• Children's Aid Society: NYC-based nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, after-school, and health services to children and families. Overlaps with Precious Dreams on NYC foster care and youth services, including a comparable NYC footprint and ACS-adjacent positioning.
• Boys Town: National nonprofit providing residential care, family services, and youth programming for at-risk children, including foster and homeless youth. Comparable on youth residential support and national chapter-style delivery, though much larger and more institutionalized.

Emerging players

• A Sense of Home: Nonprofit furnishing first homes for young adults aging out of foster care. Comparable to Precious Dreams' transition-to-independence programming (Humble Dreams, Dream Equity Cohort), though focused on home furnishings rather than comfort items.

Regional players

• Marymead CatholicCare: Australian nonprofit providing foster care, homelessness, and youth support services. Comparable service portfolio to Precious Dreams (out-of-home care, youth housing, mental health) but operates primarily in Australia, not the US.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/preciousdreamsf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=6pU6euhOOuE
• Facebookfacebook.com/PreciousDreamsFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/precious-dreams-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/preciousdreamsfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Precious Dreams Foundation