Cancer Resource Center Of The Finger Lakes

What Cancer Resource Center Of The Finger Lakes does

Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes (CRCFL) is a 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit organization founded in 1994 as the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance and headquartered in Ithaca, New York. It provides free support services to people living with and affected by cancer across the Finger Lakes region of New York State, including Tompkins, Cortland, Cayuga, Chemung, Schuyler, Seneca, and Tioga Counties. The organization serves cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and family members through a community-based service model delivered by a small team of 1-10 employees supplemented by trained volunteers.

CRC's core offerings include one-on-one personalized support, peer support groups (in-person and virtual via Zoom), wellness classes such as yoga, and a hospital volunteer program that coordinates care in chemotherapy wards at local facilities. The organization also operates a boutique providing free wigs, head coverings, and mastectomy bras through the Emily Virkler Memorial Boutique Fund, a lending library of over 600 cancer-related titles, and three named financial assistance funds: the Ángel Fund (cash grants of $25–$500 for immediate needs), the Tapan Mitra Community Access Fund (travel assistance for treatment), and the Skip Hewitt Welcome Fund (supporting ongoing engagement programs). Boutique and lending library services are delivered at its Community Corners office, open Tuesday through Friday.

CRC's revenue model is entirely donation- and grant-funded, with no fees charged to clients. Funding streams include individual donations and bequeathments, grants (sustained for 30 years), the annual Walkathon and 5K fundraiser, and contributions to named memorial funds. In 2024, CRC entered into an affiliation agreement with Cayuga Health System to ensure financial sustainability while expanding its reach, though it retains its own nonprofit status, board governance, and fundraising activities. The organization has no technology platform product, no AI/ML capabilities, and operates primarily through human-delivered services and a basic WordPress-based digital presence.

Name

Cancer Resource Center Of The Finger Lakes

Legal name

Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes

Website

https://crcfl.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes is a nonprofit founded in 1994 that provides free emotional support, practical services, and financial assistance to cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, and families across the Finger Lakes region of New York State.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Cancer Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Cancer support services
• Nonprofit patient support
• Cancer caregiver resources
• Community cancer programs
• Financial assistance funds

Headquarters

HQ city

Ithaca

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. Donations and Contributions: CRC relies on donations from survivors, friends, family, and bequeathments from loved ones. As a local nonprofit, donations are tax-deductible and remain in the community.
2. Annual Walkathon and 5K Fundraiser: The organization holds an annual fundraising walkathon event (October 5, 2024) which is a signature fundraising event.
3. Grants: CRC has been supported through grants for 30 years, enabling provision of all services free of charge.
4. Named Memorial Funds: Special purpose funds including Emily Virkler Memorial Boutique Fund, Ángel Fund, Tapan Mitra Community Access Fund, and Skip Hewitt Welcome Fund accept donations for specific cancer support purposes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes provides free, community-based support services to people affected by cancer, including one-on-one personalized support, support groups, wellness classes, a lending library, and hospital volunteer care in chemo wards. It also operates named financial assistance funds (Ángel Fund, Tapan Mitra Community Access Fund, Skip Hewitt Welcome Fund) and the Emily Virkler Memorial Boutique Fund that provides wigs, head coverings, and mastectomy bras at no cost. All services are delivered regardless of where the client receives cancer treatment, across the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Product overview

The Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes offers a comprehensive suite of free support services for people living with and affected by cancer. The organization operates as a single unified non-profit service model centered on personalized support, combining direct client services (one-on-one support, support groups, wellness classes, hospital volunteer program) with specialized financial assistance funds (Ángel Fund, Tapan Mitra Community Access Fund, Skip Hewitt Welcome Fund) and boutique services (wigs and mastectomy products through the Emily Virkler Memorial Boutique Fund). All services are provided free of charge, funded through grants, donations, and the annual Walkathon and 5K fundraising event.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• One-on-One Personalized Support Individual support services providing personalized assistance to cancer patients, survivors, and their families through direct engagement with CRC staff and trained volunteers.
• Support Groups Peer support groups including gender-specific and disease-specific groups, caregiver groups, and the 'Virtually Together' open Zoom group meeting monthly for all cancer patients, survivors, loved ones, and those affected by any cancer type.
• Emily Virkler Memorial Boutique Fund Free wigs, head coverings, and mastectomy bras provided through the Emily Virkler Memorial Boutique Fund for anyone experiencing cancer.
• Ángel Fund Direct cash assistance grants ranging from $25 to $500 for individuals with cancer in the community who have specific and immediate financial needs.
• Tapan Mitra Community Access Fund Financial assistance for travel costs related to cancer diagnosis, second opinions, and treatment appointments for individuals experiencing financial hardship due to cancer.
• Skip Hewitt Welcome Fund Fund supporting CRC's support groups and programs that engage people with CRC on an ongoing basis, with grants up to $250 per request for events, expenditures, or individual support group member needs.
• Lending Library Extensive lending library with over 600 titles including books on cancer types, treatment, side effects, nutrition, caregiving, mind and body, and biographical materials, available during open hours.
• Wellness Classes Wellness programming including yoga and other wellness classes offered to support the overall health of cancer patients and survivors.
• Hospital Volunteer Program Coordinating volunteer care in chemotherapy wards at local hospitals to provide support to patients undergoing treatment.
• Annual Walkathon and 5K Fundraiser Signature annual fundraising walkathon and 5K event held in October to support CRC programming and services while building community awareness.

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cayuga Health SystemcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024CRC has entered into an agreement to become an affiliate of Cayuga Health System (CHS). This affiliation ensures financial sustainability while maintaining CRC's mission to offer services to anyone regardless of where they receive cancer treatment. The affiliation will provide CRC ability to reach a wider area of need. CRC staff have remained in their positions and the office continues at the same location.
• Hospicare & Palliative Care Services of Tompkins CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRC and Hospicare share a common goal to be accessible to diverse populations. The partnership has included webinars, digital and print materials, and Community Conversations with faith leaders to bridge the gap between faith and healthcare. Together they have reached dozens of faith communities throughout Tompkins and Cortland Counties to reach underserved populations.
• Cayuga Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRC offers palliative care referrals and works with Cayuga Medical Center for patient care coordination. The website references palliative care services available at Cayuga Medical Center.
• Cornell UniversityminorOthersCRC has connections with Cornell University through memorial funds (Tapan Mitra was a Cornell professor) and Cornell Law School's Estate Planning Practicum. Additionally, Miguel Ángel Balsa taught at Cornell.
• Faith Communities (Various Churches)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThrough collaboration with Hospicare, CRC has reached out to dozens of faith communities throughout Tompkins and Cortland Counties to provide information and resources to populations who might not traditionally seek cancer support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: National disease-specific cancer nonprofit offering patient support, financial aid, and peer communities — comparable to CRC in providing free support, financial assistance funds, and disease-specific peer connections for cancer patients and families.
• Cancer Support Community: National nonprofit operating a network of 175+ cancer support centers delivering free psychosocial support, support groups, and educational programs to cancer patients and families — the closest scaled analog to CRC's community-based, free-of-charge support model.
• American Cancer Society: Largest US cancer-focused nonprofit offering patient support, lodging, transportation, and information services nationwide — comparable mission to CRC but at vastly greater scale and through centralized programs rather than community-led local hubs.
• National Cancer Institute: Federal government agency providing comprehensive cancer information, support resources, and research — comparable to CRC's extensive cancer information resources, lending library, and resource navigation role for newly diagnosed patients.
• Livestrong Foundation: Cancer-focused nonprofit historically known for direct patient navigation, financial support, and survivorship programs — comparable to CRC's emphasis on personalized one-on-one support and practical/financial assistance to cancer survivors.
• Susan G. Komen: Major breast cancer nonprofit providing education, financial assistance, and patient support — comparable to CRC's origins as the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance and its continued breast cancer support services through the Emily Virkler Boutique.

Direct peers

• CancerCare: National nonprofit providing free support services including counseling, support groups, financial assistance, and educational resources to people affected by cancer — closely overlaps with CRC's combination of emotional support and direct cash-assistance funds.
• Gilda's Club: Network of local clubhouses offering free emotional and social support to people with cancer and their families, including support groups, educational workshops, and social activities — directly comparable to CRC's local-club-style support model.
• Hospicare & Palliative Care Services of Tompkins County: Local hospice and palliative care nonprofit actively partnered with CRC on faith-community outreach across Tompkins and Cortland counties; comparable in being a community-rooted, free-of-care services nonprofit serving seriously ill patients and families in the same Finger Lakes geography.

Regional players

• Roswell Park Alliance Foundation: Western New York cancer-focused support and fundraising organization affiliated with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center — comparable regional cancer support model and the same hospital-affiliation structural pattern CRC just adopted with Cayuga Health.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CRCFL
• Facebookfacebook.com/cancerresourcecenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/cancerresourcecenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cancer-resource-center-of-the-finger-lakes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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