WeHOPE

What WeHOPE does

WeHOPE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 1854 Bay Road in East Palo Alto, California, that delivers a comprehensive portfolio of services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness across five Bay Area counties (Alameda, San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Marin). Founded in 1999 by Pastor Paul Bains and Cheryl Bains as Project WeH.O.P.E. from the Saint Samuel Church congregation, the organization has grown from a seasonal gym shelter serving 12-20 individuals into a multi-site operator running a 73-bed emergency shelter in East Palo Alto, a 52-bed transitional shelter at Coast House in Half Moon Bay (assumed from San Mateo County in July 2024), and a 100-room Monarch Site in San Francisco, complemented by safe parking programs in East Palo Alto and San Jose.

The organization's core technological asset is the Dignity on Wheels (DoW) mobile hygiene program, launched in 2015, which deploys customized trucks and trailers equipped with shower stalls, toilets, sinks, washers, and dryers to provide free showers, laundry, and restrooms directly to unhoused individuals. Since inception DoW has delivered nearly 270,000 showers and over 115,000 laundry sessions across the Bay Area; in FY2024-2025 alone, it provided 37,564 showers, 19,915 laundry loads, and 12,389 case management sessions while serving 6,076 unique individuals. Supporting programs include the Family Harvest food distribution (operated every Tuesday with Second Harvest Food Bank), the HOPE Jobs employment initiative, job training and life skills curricula, and The Honor Initiative (premium client experiences). No proprietary software, apps, or AI systems were disclosed; the technology stack consists of physical mobile units plus standard nonprofit tooling (Givebutter for donations, Double the Donation for employer matching).

WeHOPE's business model is non-commercial: all services are delivered at no cost to clients, and the organization is funded through a diversified mix of individual donations (including the Circle of Hope recurring monthly program), corporate and foundation grants (notably a $1 million matching commitment from John and Susan Sobrato in 2024, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative sponsorship, and Stanford Health Care as presenting sponsor of Seeds of Hope 2024 which raised $190,000), and government contracts with municipalities including San Jose ($671,350 disclosed), Sunnyvale, East Palo Alto, and San Mateo County. Customer acquisition is community-led: clients reach the organization via city partnerships, outreach case managers, inter-agency referrals, and word of mouth, while donors are cultivated through events, the monthly WeHOPE Together newsletter, Instagram (@ProjectWeHOPE), earned media, and the Share Your Why content campaign. The organization employs 11-50 staff across shelter management, mobile operations, development, and communications.

Name

WeHOPE

Legal name

WeHOPE

Website

https://wehope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food Services (624210)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Homeless shelter services
• Mobile hygiene services
• Safe parking programs
• Emergency food assistance
• Job training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

East Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Recurring and one-time donations from individual supporters through the organization's website, events, and monthly giving program (Circle of Hope).
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Matching Grants: Major gifts from corporations and foundations including the Sobrato family's $1M matching grant, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative sponsorship, and corporate sponsors for events like Seeds of Hope.
3. Government Contracts: Contracts with municipalities (e.g., San Jose City Council funding of $671,350) and counties for homeless services including safe parking programs and mobile hygiene services.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WeHOPE is a nonprofit organization providing direct services to individuals experiencing homelessness across the Bay Area. Its core offerings include emergency shelter, mobile hygiene services through the Dignity on Wheels program (showers, laundry, restrooms), safe parking programs for vehicle dwellers, food distribution, and job training with life skills education. All services are provided free of charge to clients and funded through donations, grants, corporate sponsorships, and government contracts.

Product overview

WeHOPE operates as a multi-service nonprofit organization providing a comprehensive portfolio of programs aimed at helping individuals experiencing homelessness become healthy, employed, and housed. The core offerings include Dignity on Wheels (mobile hygiene services with showers, laundry, and restrooms), Emergency Food and Shelter, Job Training and Life Skills programs, and Safe Parking Programs for vehicle dwellers. Supporting programs include the Family Harvest food distribution, HOPE Jobs employment initiative, The Honor Initiative (premium client experiences), and Circle of Hope monthly donor program. The organization operates shelters in East Palo Alto (73 beds), San Francisco (Monarch Site, 100 rooms), and Half Moon Bay (Coast House, 52 beds), with Dignity on Wheels serving 5 counties and 18 cities across the Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dignity on Wheels (DoW): Mobile hygiene services program providing showers, laundry, and restrooms to individuals experiencing homelessness. Operating since 2015 across 5 counties and 22 cities in the Bay Area.
• Dignity on Wheels at Coast House
• WeHOPE at Berryessa Safe Parking
• WeHOPE at Coast House
• Circle of Hope
• The Honor Initiative

Quantifiable outcome

• 196 households (207 individuals) placed in housing in fiscal year 2024-2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• City of San JosecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2025Partnership to operate WeHOPE at Berryessa Safe Parking program, providing secure overnight parking for vehicle dwellers along with access to basic needs and consistent case management support designed to help people stabilize and move toward housing.
• City of SunnyvalecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 August 2024WeHOPE partnered with the city of Sunnyvale to provide outreach services to homeless residents, including mobile hygiene services through Dignity on Wheels, comprehensive case management, job training access, and assistance in securing housing.
• San Mateo CountycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2024WeHOPE took over operations of Coast House homeless shelter in Half Moon Bay from the county. County's long-term goal is to convert the site into affordable housing, with annual performance measures requiring 60% of adults and 80% of families to transition to permanent housing.
• Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership crucial to Dignity on Wheels program's success in Alameda County, enabling 37,756 showers administered with the majority in Oakland.
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon ValleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership spanning over 15 years to address food insecurity in San Mateo County. The Family Harvest program operates every Tuesday, offering essential nutritious items including dairy, protein, and produce.
• Stanford Health CaremajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor of Seeds of Hope 2024 annual fundraiser, supporting WeHOPE's mission and helping raise $190,000 for homeless services.
• Abrahamic Alliance InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated with WeHOPE to organize a bicycle drive that distributed more than 89 bicycles to individuals served across WeHOPE locations in San Jose, East Palo Alto, and San Francisco.
• Good Karma BikesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnered with WeHOPE for bicycle drive providing transportation access to help participants travel to work and medical appointments.
• Goodwill STRIVEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner providing financial literacy and job readiness workshops at Berryessa Safe Parking, helping participants develop practical skills and connections to employment opportunities.
• Bay Area Community HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProviding vital mobile healthcare services to Berryessa residents who face challenges accessing traditional medical facilities.
• HOPE NUEVO ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonates thrift store items including clothing and household essentials to help clients access necessities and restore confidence.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• LifeMoves: Largest Bay Area provider of homeless services operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and supportive services across multiple counties. Directly comparable to WeHOPE in geography, target population, and service model including shelter operations and case management.
• HomeFirst Services of Santa Clara County: Santa Clara County's primary provider of homeless services including emergency shelter, rapid rehousing, and outreach. Directly overlaps with WeHOPE's shelter, case management, and housing placement work in the same Bay Area geography.
• Abode Services: Bay Area nonprofit providing shelter, supportive housing, and homelessness prevention across multiple counties. Closely comparable multi-county service model with similar housing-placement and supportive-service programs.
• Hamilton Families: San Francisco-based nonprofit operating emergency shelter, transitional housing, and rapid rehousing programs for families experiencing homelessness. Comparable shelter-plus-case-management model serving Bay Area homeless populations.
• Larkin Street Youth Services: San Francisco nonprofit providing shelter, housing, education, and job training for youth experiencing homelessness. Comparable wraparound service model with strong case management and employment-program components.
• Compass Family Services: San Francisco nonprofit offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and case management for families experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable in service mix, target population, and Bay Area geography.
• St. Anthony's Foundation: San Francisco-based social services nonprofit providing meals, clothing, shelter, and supportive services to people experiencing poverty and homelessness. Comparable multi-program service delivery with hygiene, food, and shelter offerings.

Regional players

• Samaritan House: San Mateo County nonprofit providing food, shelter, housing, and case management services. Overlaps with WeHOPE's Coast House operations and broader San Mateo service territory but is primarily a regional social services provider.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County: Large regional nonprofit providing a broad portfolio of social services including homeless services, immigration support, food, and housing. Comparable in service breadth but operates as a much larger multi-program incumbent.

Others

• Midpen Housing: Bay Area affordable housing developer and operator. Adjacent rather than directly comparable — provides housing infrastructure rather than the emergency shelter, mobile hygiene, and case management services WeHOPE delivers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/ProjectWeHOPE
• Xx.com/projectwehope
• Facebookfacebook.com/ProjectWeHope

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

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 WeHOPE