Butterfly Dreams Therapy

What Butterfly Dreams Therapy does

Butterfly Dreamz, Inc. (operating as Butterfly Dreams Therapy or Butterfly Dreamz) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Joy Lindsay in response to the loss of her sister to gun violence. Headquartered at 'Grandma's House' in Gary, Indiana, with a second office in Newark, New Jersey, the organization delivers leadership development, wellness programming, and early-career workforce support to girls and gender-expansive youth ages 12 and older living in high-poverty communities across Lake County, Indiana and Essex County, New Jersey. Its portfolio spans three core program pillars: Community Wellness Programs & Events (including the monthly Connect + Create Lunch Program held every fourth Saturday in both cities), Early-Career Leadership & Workforce Development (paid internships, fellowships, the Teen Mental Health Ambassador program, and micro- and named scholarships), and Community-Based Participatory Research (Rooted Research). An alumni engagement layer called the Cocoon Club operates on the Circle community app, and a youth publishing arm produces books sold through Amazon, with 'Real Talk Before High School' scheduled for Fall 2026.

The organization's technology stack is entirely third-party and lightweight: Circle for the Cocoon Club alumni app (iOS and Android), Eventbrite for event registration, JotForm for sponsorship applications, Bonfire for merchandise, and Amazon for book distribution. There is no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability disclosed. Programs are delivered free to participants by design, and the business model is donation- and sponsorship-driven rather than revenue-generating in a commercial sense. Co-sponsorship packages for Connect + Create are tiered at $500 (Live Boldly), $750 (Dream Big), and $1,000 (Fly High) per event, with in-kind food and material donations accepted at equivalent levels. Additional revenue comes from individual donations, book sales, and merchandise, with no disclosed annual revenue figure, no funding rounds, and no institutional grants explicitly named in the input. The organization is family-led by Joy Lindsay (Founder & CEO), her mother Heather Lindsay (Board Chair and Head of Operations at HCSC), and her sister Tiffany Davis, Esq. (Board Secretary and Legal Counsel), with a Board of Directors spanning health insurance, legal, and academic sectors.

Name

Butterfly Dreams Therapy

Legal name

Butterfly Dreamz, Inc.

Website

https://butterflydreamz.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Butterfly Dreamz is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2013 that delivers leadership development, wellness programming, workforce training, and community-based research to 2,500+ girls and gender-expansive youth annually across high-poverty communities in Gary, Indiana and Newark, New Jersey.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAK

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

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

SECONDARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

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

SECONDARYEDAKAMAO

Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Leadership training
• Community wellness services
• Mental health programs
• Nonprofit workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Gary

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, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Co-Sponsorship Revenue: Relies on co-sponsorship from local businesses, corporations, sororities, civic organizations, and professional groups to fund free programs and events. Three sponsorship tiers ranging from $500 to $1,000 per event.
2. Individual Donations: Accepts monetary donations from individuals to support free programming and services to youth and families in their communities.
3. Book Sales: Publishes and sells books and journals for youth readers through Amazon, including the upcoming 'Real Talk Before High School' releasing Fall 2026.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Butterfly Dreamz, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers leadership development, wellness, and workforce preparation programs for girls and young people ages 12+. Core offerings include school-based community wellness programs, the Connect + Create monthly lunch program, youth internships and apprenticeships, community-based participatory research (Rooted Research), alumni support through the Cocoon Club, and youth-authored books and publications. Programs are delivered free to participants and funded through donations and corporate co-sponsorships.

Product overview

Butterfly Dreams Therapy operates as a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected youth development programs centered on leadership, wellness, and community engagement. The core offerings include Community Wellness Programs delivered at partner schools, Youth Internships for early-career development, Rooted Research for community-based participatory research, and the Cocoon Club alumni support program. The Connect + Create Lunch Program provides monthly community gatherings, while Youth Books & Publications extend the organization's reach through authored materials for youth readers. These programs collectively aim to transform high-poverty schools and communities into spaces that cultivate leadership and well-being for girls and all young people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Wellness Programs & Events Holistic leadership development and wellness programming delivered to middle and high school students at partner schools in Gary, IN and Newark, NJ, including creative arts for mental health and community-building activities.
• Youth Internships Early-career leadership and workforce development program including the 2026 Teen Mental Health Ambassadors program providing 6-month paid internships with $720 stipends for high school students.
• Rooted Research Community-based participatory research program where young people conduct research shaping adolescent mental health initiatives in their cities.
• Cocoon Club Alumni support program for high school graduates offering care packages, scholarships ($300 micro-scholarship, $2,500 Diana Scholarship), wellness coaching, and ongoing community connection through the Circle app.
• Connect + Create Lunch Program Free monthly in-person gathering held every 4th Saturday in Gary, IN and Newark, NJ for women, teen girls, and gender-expansive youth ages 12+ featuring free meals, creative arts for mental health, and intergenerational community building.
• Youth Books & Publications Books and journals written and published for youth readers since 2013, many co-authored by young people served by the organization. Sold through Amazon and Bonfire.
• Real Talk Before High School New book publication for 7th, 8th, and 9th-grade students about preparing for high school, healthy relationships, and using one's voice. Offered as a free advance copy for educators working with target grade levels.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 95% of youth report improved mental health outcomes and graduate high school with college acceptance
• +3 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

Integration3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Local BusinessescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Co-sponsors of Connect + Create monthly lunch program. Local businesses provide financial sponsorship or in-kind donations (food, materials) to support free community events for women, teen girls, and families in Gary and Newark. Sponsors receive social media recognition, logo placement, and volunteer opportunities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sadie Nash Leadership Project: New York City-based nonprofit providing leadership development, mentorship, and college/career readiness for girls and gender-expansive youth from underserved communities — closely aligned with Butterfly Dreamz's Newark, NJ teen girl focus and outcomes (college acceptance, leadership).
• Step Up Women's Network: Nonprofit providing mentoring, leadership development, and workforce readiness programs for girls from under-resourced communities — directly comparable in target demographic, workforce-development mission, and outcomes tied to college access.
• Girls Inc. National nonprofit operating a network of local affiliates that deliver girls' empowerment programming in schools and communities, including leadership, mentoring, and STEM — directly comparable to Butterfly Dreamz's leadership, wellness, and workforce development model for girls.
• National Black Child Development Institute: National nonprofit focused on improving outcomes for Black children and families through research, advocacy, and community programs — comparable to Butterfly Dreamz in its Black-community anchoring, intergenerational engagement, and use of community-based participatory research.
• Black Women's Blueprint: Black-women-led organization advancing social justice and well-being for Black women and girls through community-based programs — closely aligned with Butterfly Dreamz's Black-women-led, intergenerational, community-rooted model.
• Spark - The Program: Nonprofit connecting under-resourced middle school students with workplace-based mentoring and career exploration — comparable to Butterfly Dreamz's youth internship and career-pathway work for underserved adolescents.
• Girl Be Heard: Nonprofit that uses theater, storytelling, and creative arts to empower girls and gender-expansive youth globally — directly comparable in its use of creative arts for mental health, community-based programming, and focus on underserved teen girls.

Broad incumbents

• YWCA USA: National federation delivering services for women and girls across housing, workforce development, and racial justice — overlaps with Butterfly Dreamz's mission to empower girls and women in underserved communities, but operates at much greater scale and breadth.
• National Girls Collaborative Project: National network connecting organizations that encourage girls in STEM — overlaps with Butterfly Dreamz's workforce-development and college/career pipeline focus, though narrower in subject-matter emphasis.

Emerging players

• DoughMain Education Foundation: Smaller-scale nonprofit focused on financial literacy, life skills, and leadership development for youth in underserved communities — partially overlapping with Butterfly Dreamz's leadership and college/career readiness programming for teens.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/butterfly-dreamz-inc-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Butterfly Dreams Therapy