Light Of Loving Kindness (lolk)

What Light Of Loving Kindness (lolk) does

Light of Loving Kindness (LOLK) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2016 that delivers mindfulness-based, holistic integrative wellness programs targeting youth from underserved, trauma- and violence-affected communities (primarily on Chicago's South Side) and extends that expertise into corporate buyers via an internal division, the Holistic Wellness Training Institute (HWTI). The organization is headquartered at 7828 S. Spaulding Ave., Chicago, IL 60652, led by Founder Erica Washington (MA, LCPC, LMHC, NCC) and Executive Director Cassandra Powell.

The core product portfolio comprises seven distinct programs built on a common foundation of mindfulness, expressive arts, social-emotional learning, and culturally responsive practices: Self-Love Bootcamp (SLBC), Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA, a 40-hour teen certification), Mindful Youth Ambassadors (MYA, train-the-trainer), Leaders Internship for Teens (LIT!), Nature-Based Programs, GreenHood Initiative, and the Black Male Mentoring Program. HWTI adapts these methodologies into workplace mindfulness and emotional-intelligence training delivered as singular events or multi-week courses. The technology stack is human-delivery-led, with no disclosed AI, API, SDK, or digital product surface beyond a Wix-based website, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, YouTube, LinkedIn), and Eventbrite-based event ticketing.

LOLK's revenue model blends three streams: tax-deductible individual donations collected via Zelle, PayPal, CashApp, and text-to-donate; low-cost or free program fees for youth and underserved participants; and corporate professional-services revenue from HWTI workplace contracts. Distribution relies on direct community engagement, school and after-school partnerships (e.g., After School Matters), municipal and institutional collaborations (Chicago Park District, Forest Preserves of Cook County, Field Museum, City of Chicago, Chicago Community Trust), and national/international program delivery. The organization carries no patents, formal certifications, or funding-round disclosures, and relies on a lean staff and independent-contractor network rather than external capital.

Name

Light Of Loving Kindness (lolk)

Legal name

Light of Loving Kindness

Website

https://lightoflovingkindness.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Light of Loving Kindness (LOLK) is a Chicago-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that delivers mindfulness-based wellness programs — including Self-Love Bootcamp, Black Male Mentoring, and nature-based offerings — to underserved youth, while monetizing corporate workplace training through its HWTI division.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Mental Wellness Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL) (EDAKAMAO), Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD), Recreation Therapy, Stress Management & Mindfulness Programs (EDALAFAO), Health Promotion, Prevention & Wellness Education (EDALAFAF)

Keywords

• Mindfulness wellness programs
• Youth mental wellness
• Corporate wellness training
• Social emotional learning
• Nature based healing

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

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, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting free youth programming. Accepts Zelle, PayPal, CashApp, and text-to-donate contributions.
2. Corporate Wellness Services: HWTI provides workplace mindfulness and wellness training programs to organizations, ranging from singular events to multi-week courses.
3. Program Fees: Low-cost services for communities; some programs offered free to those in need.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Light of Loving Kindness delivers mindfulness-based, arts, nature, and wellness programs that support mental health and resilience for youth from underserved communities, women, and corporate workplaces. Core offerings include the Self-Love Bootcamp, Teen Mental Health First Aid, Mindful Youth Ambassadors, Leaders Internship for Teens, Nature-Based Programs, Black Male Mentoring Program, GreenHood Initiative, and the corporate-focused Holistic Wellness Training Institute (HWTI). Programs are provided free or at low cost to communities and on a contractual basis to organizations.

Product overview

Light of Loving Kindness (LOLK) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing holistic integrative wellness solutions. The organization operates a portfolio of youth-focused programs including Self-Love Bootcamp (SLBC), Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA), Mindful Youth Ambassadors (MYA), Leaders Internship for Teens (LIT!), Nature-Based Programs, Black Male Mentoring Program, and GreenHood Initiative. These programs share a common foundation in mindfulness-based practices, social-emotional learning, and mental wellness support. Additionally, the Holistic Wellness Training Institute (HWTI) extends LOLK's expertise to workplace settings through corporate mindfulness and wellness training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Holistic Wellness Training Institute (HWTI): Provides workplace training with a heart-centered approach, integrating compassion, creativity, emotional intelligence, and resiliency practices to help companies meet employee needs while achieving organizational goals.

Products and services

• Self-Love Bootcamp (SLBC) An integrative social-emotional learning program for young adults that develops mental wellness practices resulting in higher self-esteem, self-confidence, and resiliency, with reduction in symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideations.
• Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) A 40-hour certification program that teaches teens ages 15-18 how to recognize, understand, and respond to signs of mental health and substance abuse challenges in themselves and peers.
• Mindful Youth Ambassadors (MYA) A train-the-trainer program for youth who have completed the Self-Love Bootcamp, enabling them to deepen their mindfulness practice and become teen leaders for their families, schools, and communities.
• Leaders Internship for Teens (LIT!) A leadership and education program focusing on project-based learning, community service, social-emotional skills, and mindfulness, preparing high school students for leadership roles and post-secondary goals.
• Nature-Based Programs Holistic, mindfulness-based outdoor nature programs for youth and adults, leveraging the healing power of nature to improve cognitive function, physical wellness, and mental health.
• Black Male Mentoring Program A transformative 16-week journey empowering Black high school males through mindfulness, mental wellness, and African diaspora traditions, providing mentorship, cultural connection, and social-emotional learning.
• GreenHood Initiative An environmental leadership program that empowers high school youth through hands-on learning, environmental education, and community engagement to become environmental advocates.
• Holistic Wellness Training Institute (HWTI) A workplace training division providing mindfulness-based programs with scientific backing that integrate compassion, creativity, emotional intelligence, and resiliency practices to help organizations meet employee and business goals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduction in symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideations through Self-Love Bootcamp participation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• African American Legacy Fund (AAL)coreOthersPartnership supporting African American community initiatives and youth programming through funding and community development.
• After School MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago-based partnership providing after-school programming opportunities for teens.
• Blick Art MaterialsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerArt supplies partner supporting creative arts programming for youth.
• Catch A FireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting mission-driven work and community engagement.
• Chicago Park DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing access to parks and outdoor spaces for nature-based programming and community events.
• City of ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership supporting urban youth and community wellness initiatives.
• Department of Family & Support ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity department partnership supporting family services and community wellness programs.
• Englewood Arts CollectiveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArts-focused partnership supporting creative programming in Englewood community.
• Facing Forward to End HomelessnessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership addressing housing stability and providing holistic support services.
• Field MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuseum partnership providing educational and nature-based learning experiences for youth programming.
• Forest Preserves of Cook CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership providing access to forest preserves and natural areas for outdoor healing and nature programs.
• Friends of the Forest PreserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupport organization for forest preserve conservation and educational programming.
• Howard Brown HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership providing health and wellness resources for LGBTQ+ community.
• Insight In YoucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCulturally competent mental health consultancy partnership providing mental health education and support for youth programs including the Black Male Mentoring Program.
• NCH2coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature Culture Human Network partnership supporting equitable access to nature for BIPOC communities.
• Sista Afya Community CareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental wellness organization providing culturally responsive support for Black women.
• SocialWorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChicago youth organization focused on arts, education, and civic engagement.
• Studio YogiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoga and wellness studio partnership supporting movement and mindfulness programming.
• TCA HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership providing community health services and wellness programming.
• TTI Inventory: Dr. Larry TurnerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeisner Technique Facilitator and wellness coach contributing to HWTI programming.
• University of Chicago Net Board FellowsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent organization partnership providing mentorship and educational opportunities.
• Wells High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh school partnership providing programming and mentorship opportunities for students.
• Your Passion 1stminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth development organization supporting passion-based learning and career exploration.
• Zen FrankieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWellness and mindfulness practitioner partnership supporting yoga and meditation programming.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• After School Matters: Chicago-based nonprofit providing after-school and summer programming for teens, including SEL and project-based learning; LOLK is explicitly an After School Matters partner, making it both a partner and a near-peer competing for teen engagement hours.
• Mindful Schools: National nonprofit that trains educators and brings mindfulness and SEL programs into K-12 schools; comparable curriculum approach (mindfulness + SEL for youth) and comparable school-based delivery model, though broader geographic footprint.
• Aakoma Project: Youth mental health nonprofit specifically focused on BIPOC teens and young adults of color, providing mental health awareness, research, and culturally responsive support — closely mirrors LOLK's cultural-responsiveness positioning and target demographic.
• Sista Afya Community Care: Chicago-based mental wellness nonprofit providing culturally responsive support for Black women; LOLK is an explicit partner, and the organizations share a culturally-rooted, community-anchored wellness model targeting Black communities.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago: Chicago-based youth mentoring nonprofit serving at-risk youth with one-to-one mentoring and youth development programs; directly comparable as a community-based youth-development organization operating in the same metro with overlapping partner ecosystems (schools, city agencies).
• SocialWorks: Chicago youth nonprofit focused on arts, education, and civic engagement for youth in underserved communities; LOLK lists SocialWorks as a partner, and both organizations target Chicago youth through arts-and-culture programming.

Regional players

• Howard Brown Health: Chicago-based LGBTQ+ health and wellness provider (LOLK partner) that also delivers community wellness and mental health services to underserved populations; comparable mission alignment but operates as a clinical health center rather than a wellness-program nonprofit.
• Keshet: Chicago-based Jewish educational and youth-serving organization with SEL, mentoring, and leadership development programming for teens; comparable youth-development programming model and Chicago footprint, though culturally specific to a different community.

Broad incumbents

• Calm Business: Major consumer and corporate mindfulness platform competing for the same workplace wellness budgets HWTI targets; broader content, employer contracts, and brand awareness but lacks LOLK's community-rooted, culturally responsive positioning.
• Headspace (for Work): Larger digital mindfulness and mental health platform with a B2B workplace offering (Headspace for Work) directly overlapping HWTI's corporate training product; a scaled incumbent with much broader content library and enterprise sales motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LOLKindness
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC48_iFJ9hdLrd-MOAYm_PLg
• Facebookfacebook.com/LightofLovingKindness.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/light-of-loving-kindness-lolk
• Instagraminstagram.com/lightoflovingkindness
• TikToktiktok.com/@lightoflovingkindness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Light Of Loving Kindness (lolk)