About Us

Our Why

Every year, millions of children are growing up in the shadows of trauma, instability, and limited support. Many bounce between homes, schools, and services - with no consistent adult walking with them. Caregivers are exhausted, systems are confusing, and the trauma is real.

But there's no shortage of heart. Volunteers are eager, churches and non-profits show up, but most organizations struggle to mobilize mentors at scale - lacking systems, support, and structure needed for sustained relationships.

We built UpFrom to address these pains. UpFrom provides a relational operating system to equip organizations already doing the work and aims to unite families, mentors, and community organizations to help youth rise.

Our Mission

To transform hundreds of thousands of lives through the power of team mentoring.

We imagine a future where mentoring isn't luck or luxury - it's as accessible as calling an Uber.

What We Do

We empower the people already doing the work—churches, nonprofits, and local community leaders—with everything they need to build durable mentoring ecosystems.

Team-Based Mentoring Model

Youth aren't matched with one person—they're surrounded by a small team of mentors who bring collective consistency, care, and accountability.

Mentor Support System

From onboarding flows to trauma-informed training, we simplify the heavy lift of turning volunteers into relationally equipped mentors—so staff can focus on care, not admin.

Organization Dashboard with Compliance Layer

Every organization gets access to a real-time data platform that tracks engagement, outcomes, and background checks—ensuring safety, transparency, and scalable growth.

Family and Youth Engagement

UpFrom prioritizes families. We offer communication tools and resources that honor the agency and voice of youth and caregivers.

J. Todd Smith

Named a top social entrepreneur by Bloomberg, Todd is CEO of Method Five Labs with a track record of scaling ventures from zero to millions, exiting a top-ranked software fund, and launching one of the most viral products of the 2010s.

Fiona Hall

Fiona Hall is a product strategist with 25+ years of global experience in organizational development and human-centered, neuroscience- informed software development. Based in Dallas, she’s deeply involved in local nonprofits and women’s empowerment.

Built to Scale with Method Five Labs

UpFrom is powered by Method Five Labs, the embedded operating system behind mission-driven ventures. From compliance dashboards to mentoring tools, M5 Labs delivers the scalable infrastructure that enables UpFrom to grow with precision, impact, and national reach.

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