What Breaktime does

Breaktime is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2018 and headquartered at 63 Franklin Street in Boston, Massachusetts, that operates a three-stage transitional employment program for young adults aged 18-25 experiencing homelessness. The organization was founded by Connor Schoen (CEO) and Tony Shu after the founders observed at the Y2Y Harvard Square shelter that ad hoc material aid was insufficient to end young adult homelessness. Since inception, Breaktime has served more than 120 individuals and reports 2024 alumni outcomes of 89% employed or in school and 78% in stable housing.

The program consists of Launchpad (three weeks of paid work readiness training and financial education), Liftoff (three months of paid job placement at $20/hour with workforce partners), and Stable Orbit (three years of continued wraparound and financial support via the Young Adult Services team). Supplemental offerings include Flight Boosters — structured continuing-education modules across five categories — and Pathway Coaching, delivered by MSW students providing one-on-one case management. Breaktime does not operate proprietary technology; its assets are its service delivery model, a referral and employment partner ecosystem of 40+ organizations, and a planned centralized Hub facility at 63 Franklin Street opening in phases between 2025 and 2027.

Revenue is generated through individual and corporate donations, foundation grants, government grants and contracts (MA DYS, MA DPH, Department of Labor), and minor earned revenue from workforce development activities. Disclosed institutional funding includes $1,000,000 from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation (December 2023) and $50,000 from Born This Way Foundation (August 2022). Breaktime reaches beneficiaries through a community-led, referral-driven GTM motion drawing from shelters, youth organizations, and government agencies, supplemented by earned media, volunteer programs (including the Young Professionals Advisory Council), and an active social media presence. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and supported by an Advisory Council with members from Bain Capital Community Affairs, Greater Boston Food Bank, BAGLY, and Foundation Source, among others.

Name

Breaktime

Legal name

Breaktime

Website

https://breaktime.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Breaktime is a Boston-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a three-stage transitional employment program — Launchpad, Liftoff, and Stable Orbit — to break the cycle of young adult homelessness for individuals aged 18-25, supported by workforce partners and opening a centralized Hub facility at 63 Franklin Street in 2025-2027.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Homelessness & Workforce Development Services

NAICS

Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Young Adult Workforce Programs (Out-of-School Youth) (EDAAAOAD)

Keywords

• Youth employment programs
• Transitional employment services
• Homelessness support services
• Job training programs
• Workforce development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropic Revenue: Breaktime generates revenue through individual donations, corporate donations, and major gifts from foundations and philanthropists. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and relies on charitable contributions to fund operations.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Breaktime partners with governmental and quasi-governmental agencies at local, state, and federal levels to secure funding for programs and services.
3. Earned Revenue from Services: As a transitional employment program, Breaktime may generate revenue through social enterprise activities or fee-for-service arrangements with workforce development programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Breaktime is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a three-stage transitional employment program for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness in Boston. The program pairs work-readiness training (Launchpad), paid job placement at $20/hour with workforce partners (Liftoff), and three years of wraparound and financial support (Stable Orbit), with a centralized Hub facility opening in phases from 2025 to 2027.

Product overview

Breaktime is a nonprofit organization offering a three-stage transitional employment program designed to break the cycle of young adult homelessness in Boston. The program consists of Launchpad (work readiness training), Liftoff (paid job placement), and Stable Orbit (long-term support). The organization is also developing The Hub, a centralized facility opening 2025-2027, alongside supplementary services like Flight Boosters (continuing education) and Pathway Coaching (MSW student support).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Launchpad: 3-week stipend-paid period focused on professional development, financial empowerment, and personal growth for young adult associates.
• Liftoff
• Stable Orbit
• The Hub

Products and services

• Launchpad The first stage of Breaktime's transitional employment program, providing 3 weeks of stipend-paid work-readiness training, professional development, financial empowerment, and personal growth for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness.
• Liftoff The second stage of Breaktime's program, providing 3 months of paid job placement at $20/hour (20-30 hour weeks) with workforce partners across various industries, with continued social work support while young adults gain employment experience.
• Stable Orbit The third stage of Breaktime's program, providing 3 years of continued wraparound and financial support through Breaktime's Young Adult Services team to help young adults maintain long-term stability and growth after paid placement.
• The Hub A centralized facility in downtown Boston (63 Franklin Street) opening in phases between 2025 and 2027, providing young adults experiencing housing insecurity access to job training, basic necessities, and health services under one roof. The Hub is designed by and for young people and is the first centralized space of its kind in Boston.

Quantifiable outcome

• 89% of alumni are employed or in school
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Cradles to CrayonscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment partner providing job placement opportunities for Breaktime Associates. Cradles to Crayons provides essential items to children and families in need.
• El Jefe'scoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment partner offering job placement for young adults in the restaurant/hospitality industry.
• Honeycomb CreamerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment partner providing job opportunities in the food service and hospitality sector.
• BrightViewcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment partner offering job placement in facilities management or related services.
• Catholic Charities BostoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner and employment partner supporting young adults experiencing homelessness with services and job opportunities.
• Community Work ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment partner providing workforce development and job placement services for Breaktime Associates.
• Y2Y NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner operating youth shelters and housing programs for young adults experiencing homelessness. Co-partner in Pride events.
• Bridge Over Troubled WaterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral source providing services to youth experiencing homelessness and housing instability.
• BAGLY (Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner and advocacy partner providing services to LGBTQ+ youth. Co-partner in Pride parade and advocacy efforts. Grace Sterling Stowell serves as Executive Director.
• Home for Little WandererscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner providing services to youth, including those transitioning out of foster care.
• JRI (Jewish Family & Children's Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner offering workforce development and support services.
• Greater Boston Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory Council member Catherine D'Amato serves as President and CEO. Food security partner.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Year Up: Year Up is a workforce development nonprofit that provides young adults (primarily 18-24) with training, corporate internships, and wraparound support. Like Breaktime, it operates a multi-stage paid program targeting underemployed youth and measures success via employment outcomes, making it the closest analog in scale and methodology.
• Roca: Roca is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit running a high-intensity, multi-year intervention model for young adults experiencing homelessness and involvement with the criminal justice system. It shares Breaktime's emphasis on paid transitional employment and long-duration engagement with vulnerable youth in the Boston area.
• STRIVE: STRIVE provides workforce training and job placement to individuals facing barriers to employment, including homelessness and prior incarceration. Its paid-employer-partnership model and outcome-driven approach closely mirror Breaktime's Launchpad/Liftoff sequence.
• Covenant House: Covenant House is the largest U.S. nonprofit serving youth experiencing homelessness, providing shelter, job training, and wraparound services. While broader in scope, its youth-employment pathway and 24/7 service model are highly comparable to Breaktime's intended Hub offering.
• The Door: The Door is a New York City youth services nonprofit offering integrated education, workforce training, housing support, and health services to young people ages 12-24. Its co-located, multi-service-center design is the conceptual predecessor to Breaktime's planned Hub.
• Larkin Street Youth Services: Larkin Street Youth Services provides housing, employment, and education programs to homeless and at-risk youth in San Francisco. Like Breaktime, it operates a transitional employment component paired with long-term housing support and serves a similar age demographic.
• HomeBase (Youth Services): HomeBase runs the Youth Collaboratory, providing prevention, diversion, and employment services to young adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Its focus on upstream intervention for the 18-25 demographic directly overlaps Breaktime's target population.
• Bridge Over Troubled Waters: Bridge Over Troubled Waters is a Boston-area nonprofit serving unhoused and at-risk youth with education, employment, and housing services. As an existing Breaktime referral partner, it operates overlapping programs for the same geography and demographic.
• Bottom Line: Bottom Line provides workforce and college access support to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds, with a strong Boston presence. While its mission extends to college success, its case-management intensity and employer-coaching model mirror Breaktime's Pathway Coaching approach.
• Youth Villages: Youth Villages delivers intensive, community-based interventions to at-risk youth and young adults, including housing and employment support. Its evidence-based, outcome-tracked service model and multi-state footprint provide a template for Breaktime's potential geographic expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/breaktimeboston
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE2ln7cvha6rJEQqCDyBn9g
• Facebookfacebook.com/breaktimeboston
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/breaktimeboston
• Instagraminstagram.com/breaktime
• TikToktiktok.com/@breaktimema

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Breaktime