Children's Lantern

What Children's Lantern does

Children's Lantern is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in June 2011 by Tim and Jill Tracy in Defiance, Ohio, following their attendance at a global orphan conference. The organization provides support services and resources for foster, adoptive, and kinship families as well as young adults aging out of the foster care system (aged 18-25). Its core service portfolio centers on the Hope Closet, a boutique-themed resource center at 930 S. Clinton St. in Defiance that distributes free clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and seasonal goods; a Weighted Blankets program offering handmade sensory therapy blankets in 3lb/5lb/8lb/10lb weights; the Kinship Lantern of Hope program serving kinship caregivers in partnership with Defiance County Area Schools and funded by United Way of Defiance County; the Guiding Light Scholarship providing up to $1,000 plus mentorship to aged-out foster youth; and the Lantern Adoption of Hope Grant (in implementation). Children's Lantern also operates annual community and fundraising events including the Back to School Bash, the Stars Stripes and Lantern Lights Gala, golf outings, a jigsaw puzzle contest, the Hope On Wheels Golf Cart Raffle, and Weighted Blanket Assembly Days.

The organization is faith-based, anchoring its mission in scripture (Luke 9:6; Hebrews 13:16) and emphasizing that 100% of monthly donations fund ministry activities. There is no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is direct, in-person, and volunteer-driven. Children's Lantern employs a four-person leadership team — Executive Director Steve Heilshorn (appointed November 2021), Office and Financial Administrator Daisy Moening, Family Care Coordinator Tonya Briseno, and Marketing/Communications Director Reagan Williams — supported by community volunteers and faith-aligned partner organizations.

Revenue is generated through a mix of individual donations, recurring monthly giving, fundraising events, raffle ticket sales, and institutional grants. The marketing approach is grassroots and community-led, relying on Facebook, Instagram, email newsletters, and community events rather than paid acquisition. Children's Lantern claims operational impact across more than six Ohio counties and extends awareness/fundraising support to organizations in Ethiopia, India, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, and Uganda. No revenue figures, beneficiary counts, or audited financials are publicly disclosed.

Name

Children's Lantern

Legal name

Children's Lantern

Website

https://childrenslantern.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Children's Lantern is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Defiance, Ohio that provides clothing, weighted blankets, scholarships, and case support to foster, adoptive, and kinship families as well as aged-out foster youth across northwest Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Foster Care Support Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Advocacy, Parent Training & Support Services (EDAJAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Foster care support
• Kinship family services
• Adoption support programs
• Nonprofit family assistance
• Community outreach services

Headquarters

HQ city

Defiance

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 Donations: The organization relies heavily on individual donations from the community. Their messaging emphasizes that 100% of monthly donations go directly toward funding ministry activities that help foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including a Stars, Stripes, and Lantern Lights Gala, golf outings, puzzle contests, and garage sales. Proceeds support operational costs and program delivery.
3. Raffle and Ticket Sales: Special raffle events like the Hope On Wheels Golf Cart Raffle where tickets are sold at $20 each or $100 for 6 tickets. Winner drawn at annual gala.
4. Institutional Grants and Funding: Partnership funding from organizations like United Way of Defiance County supports specific programs such as the Kinship Lantern of Hope initiative.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Children's Lantern provides free, faith-based support services and tangible resources to foster, adoptive, and kinship families, as well as aged-out foster youth. Core offerings include the Hope Closet (free clothing, shoes, hygiene items, and emergency supplies), handmade Weighted Blankets for trauma and sensory needs, the Kinship Lantern of Hope program, and the Guiding Light Scholarship providing up to $1,000 per aged-out youth applicant.

Product overview

Children's Lantern is a faith-based nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive suite of support programs for foster, adoptive, and kinship care families. The organization operates as a portfolio of interconnected service programs including the Hope Closet (boutique-themed clothing and essentials distribution), Weighted Blankets program (handmade sensory therapy blankets), Kinship Lantern of Hope (kinship family support in partnership with Defiance County Area Schools), Guiding Light Scholarship (financial assistance for aged-out foster youth), and the Lantern Adoption of Hope Grant. The organization also hosts annual community events including the Back to School Bash, Stars Stripes and Lantern Lights Gala, and various fundraising events like the Hope On Wheels Golf Cart Raffle and Jigsaw Puzzle Contest. All programs are designed to serve as 'a village of hope beyond the system' for vulnerable families and youth in the Defiance, Ohio area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Positively impacted more than 6 counties in Ohio
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 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.

• Defiance County Area SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school district for the Kinship Lantern of Hope program. Schools help identify and refer kinship families who may benefit from the program's support services and assistance.
• First Presbyterian ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner hosting the Back to School Bash event location. Provides venue and support for the annual event serving foster, kinship, and adoptive families.
• Tools For SchoolsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization collaborating on the Back to School Bash event to provide backpacks and school supplies for children in foster, kinship, and adoptive care.
• Family Christian CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for Weighted Blanket Assembly Day events where volunteers gather to assemble weighted blankets for individuals with trauma or sensory needs.
• CornerstoneminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoster care organization through which Daisy Moening (Office/Financial Administrator) holds a foster license to provide respite care for families in need.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Together We Rise: National nonprofit providing resources (Sweet Cases, school supplies, foster youth programs) to foster children across the U.S.; highly comparable to Children's Lantern as both deliver tangible support items and programming to foster/adoptive families via community partnerships.
• A Sense of Home: Nonprofit creating home environments for youth aging out of foster care; directly comparable to Children's Lantern's Guiding Light Scholarship program targeting aged-out foster youth (18-25).
• Comfort Cases: National nonprofit providing duffel bags and essential items to children entering foster care; directly comparable to Children's Lantern's Hope Closet model of dignified, material support for foster children.
• Raise the Future: Nonprofit (formerly Dillon International / Adoption Services) supporting adoption and post-adoption services; directly comparable to Children's Lantern's Lantern Adoption of Hope Grant and adoption family support programs.

Emerging players

• CASA (National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association): National network training volunteers to advocate for foster children in court; Children's Lantern's Office/Financial Administrator Daisy Moening is a CASA volunteer, and CASA represents an adjacent/overlapping service model in foster advocacy.

Broad incumbents

• KidsPeace: Established national nonprofit providing residential treatment, foster care, and community-based programs for children and youth in crisis; broader incumbent operating across foster care and child welfare with greater scale than Children's Lantern.
• National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): National nonprofit providing community-based services including foster care, adoption support, and family preservation; broader incumbent with federal contracts serving similar populations as Children's Lantern.

Others

• Tori Hope Petersen Personal Brand: Former foster youth, foster mom, and author speaking at Children's Lantern's annual gala; a thematic peer/ecosystem participant rather than direct service provider, representing the broader foster care advocacy community.
• United Way of Defiance County: Local United Way chapter that funds Children's Lantern's Kinship Lantern of Hope program; an ecosystem funder/partner rather than direct competitor, but representative of the regional funding infrastructure Children's Lantern depends on.
• Youth for Christ (Defiance): National faith-based youth organization where Children's Lantern leadership (Steve Heilshorn — 10 years; Tonya Briseno — 19 years) previously served; ecosystem/funder pipeline peer representing faith-aligned youth services in the same geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/squarespace
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChildrensLantern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Children's Lantern