What Heart of Camden does

Heart of Camden is a Camden, New Jersey-based nonprofit community development corporation founded in 1984 by Monsignor Michael J. Doyle. Its mission is to enhance quality of life in South Camden through programs spanning housing restoration, economic expansion, and community development. The organization builds and rehabilitates affordable homeownership housing (rehabs priced at $125,000; new construction at $150,000), operates the no-cost Camden Home Repair Program for income-eligible homeowners, runs the Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse youth recreation facility, delivers family support services including food drives and Project Night Night gift distribution (1,800 totes filled), and administers the Catch the Wave: Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan as a 10-year community revitalization roadmap. It also executes the Broadway Gateway Project to develop an arts and culture corridor along South Broadway in partnership with adjacent cultural institutions including Camden FireWorks, South Camden Theatre Company, and the Center for Environmental Transformation.

The business model is grant-and-donation-funded rather than revenue-generating in the conventional sense. Primary funding streams include New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit (NRTC) awards, corporate contributions from Campbell Soup Co. and New Jersey American Water, foundation grants, individual donations, fundraising events (HOC Golf Classic, Pouring Hope For Camden, Sr. Peg Hynes Memorial Tournament), and one-time proceeds from the sale of completed affordable homes. The target customer base consists of low-to-moderate income families in the Waterfront South neighborhood of Camden, Camden City youth, and community volunteers and donors.

Operationally, Heart of Camden runs with a small staff of approximately 11-50 employees led by Executive Director Carlos Morales, supported by a board of community stakeholders. Geographic scope is tightly focused on South Camden / Waterfront South, with no indication of expansion beyond the city. The organization has no public technology platform, no proprietary software, and no digital product offering; its "technology" is community organizing, real-estate development, and grant administration. Recent strategic activity has centered on scaling the housing predevelopment pipeline (nearly 100 units including the 1.7-acre Croft Mills site), securing larger multi-year grants, and building the Broadway arts corridor ecosystem.

Name

Heart of Camden

Legal name

Heart of Camden

Website

https://heartofcamden.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Heart of Camden is a Camden, NJ nonprofit founded in 1984 that builds affordable housing, delivers home repair and family services, runs the MJD Fieldhouse youth facility, and executes the Catch the Wave neighborhood revitalization plan for the Waterfront South community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Residential Building Construction (2361), New Housing For-Sale Builders (236117), Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

General Bldg Contractors - Residential Bldgs (1520), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI), Housing Rehabilitation, Weatherization & Home Repair Grant/Loan Programs (FSALAKAJ), Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization Housing Programs (FSALAKAO)

Keywords

• Affordable housing development
• Community development programs
• Home repair services
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Nonprofit youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Camden

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Grants and Government Funding: Receives grants from government agencies including New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, Neighborhood Revitalization Tax Credit program, and federal HOME Investment Partnerships. Major grants include $1 million NRTC award (2023), $467,500 Capital Needs Grant (2022), $50,000 Neighborhood Planning Grant, and $950,000 from New Jersey American Water.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporations including Campbell Soup Co. and New Jersey American Water, and foundations such as The Domenica Foundation and New Jersey Community Capital ($10,000 donation).
3. Home Sales Revenue: Revenue from sale of rehabilitated and newly constructed affordable homes to qualified buyers, priced at $125,000 for rehabbed homes and $150,000 for new construction.
4. Fundraising Events: Annual fundraising events including the HOC Golf Classic, Pouring Hope For Camden wine tasting, and Sr. Peg Hynes Memorial Golf Tournament.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Heart of Camden is a community development nonprofit that builds and rehabilitates affordable single-family homes (rehabs at $125,000, new construction at $150,000) and delivers a no-cost Camden Home Repair Program providing up to $20,000 in health and safety repairs per eligible low-income household. It complements housing with the Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse recreation facility, Family Services programming (food, holiday, and emergency drives), the Broadway Gateway arts and culture development initiative, and the Catch the Wave 10-year Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan funded through corporate, government, and individual donations.

Product overview

Heart of Camden is a nonprofit community development organization that operates as a unified suite of programs rather than a modular platform. Its core offerings consist of Quality Affordable Housing (rehabbed and new construction homes), Community & Economic Development (including the Catch the Wave Neighborhood Plan), Family Services (food, clothing, and emergency assistance), and the Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse (youth recreation facility). Additional offerings include the Camden Home Repair Program and the Broadway Gateway arts and culture development project. These programs collectively work toward the organization's mission of enhancing quality of life in South Camden through housing restoration, economic expansion, and community development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Quality Affordable Housing Builds and rehabilitates affordable single-family homes in the Waterfront South neighborhood for first-time buyers, offering 3-bedroom, 1.5-bath options of approximately 1,200 sq ft (rehabs at $125,000) and 1,750 sq ft (new construction at $150,000) with all-new wiring, plumbing, windows, interior finishes, HVAC, appliances, and luxury vinyl plank flooring. Buyers can access first-time homebuyer grants and down payment assistance programs.
• Camden Home Repair Program No-cost health and safety home repair service for owner-occupied housing units in Camden, covering repairs valued at approximately $20,000 per household. Eligible homeowners must have household income below 50% of area median income (2025 thresholds: 1 person $41,800; 2 people $47,800; 3 people $53,750; 4 people $59,700) and the program does not create a lien on the property.
• Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse State-of-the-art recreation facility for South Camden youth and families featuring a full-sized basketball court, bleachers, meeting space, and facilities for volleyball and yoga. Hosts youth programs, summer camps (including LUCY OUTREACH for ages 7–11 with STEM, Art, Biking, Cooking, and Field Trips), open gym nights, and community events.
• Family Services Direct family support services for South Camden households, including food drives, holiday gift drives, winter coat giveaways, Project Night Night packages (1,800 totes filled with pajamas, blankets, and bedtime stories), and emergency assistance programs for families in need.
• Broadway Gateway Project Arts and culture revitalization effort at the Broadway and Ferry Avenue intersection that includes the Olsen Building Maker Space, the Artisan Square development, and public art installations, transforming the corridor into a destination that anchors the Waterfront South Arts District.
• Catch the Wave: Waterfront South Neighborhood Plan Comprehensive 10-year community development vision for the Waterfront South neighborhood, created through community engagement and identifying goals across housing, economic development, youth, greening, arts & culture, and public safety.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,800 totes filled in annual gift drives
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• LUCY OUTREACHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer Summer Camp at Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse for Camden City youth ages 7-11. Includes STEM, Art, Biking, Cooking, and Field Trips activities.
• Michael J. Doyle Fieldhouse (MJD Fieldhouse)coreOthersState-of-the-art gym built in the former Star Theater on Broadway, opened in 2012. Features full-sized basketball court, bleachers, meeting space, and facilities for volleyball, yoga, and other activities. Serves children and families of South Camden.
• Camden FireWorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNeighborhood art gallery and arts organization in Waterfront South. Located at 1813 S. Broadway. Partner in Broadway Gateway Project for arts and culture revitalization.
• Camden Shipyard & Maritime MuseumsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at 1910 S. Broadway, Camden. Anchor institution for cultural enrichment and community development for Camden's Waterfront South neighborhood. Educates about Camden's maritime heritage.
• Center for Environmental TransformationsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at 1729 Ferry Avenue. Dedicated to environmental transformation for Camden neighborhoods. Joint initiative with Heart of Camden to train Waterfront South residents as environmental justice advocates and neighborhood environmental stewards.
• South Camden Theatre Company / Waterfront South TheatresecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCamden's first professional theater at 400 Jasper Street. Anchors the Waterfront South Arts District. Goal to entertain, engage, and educate while promoting South Camden's rebirth.
• Nick Virgilio Writers House / Mighty WriterssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLiterary arts organization at 1801 S. Broadway. Inspires lifelong learning and strengthens communities through literary arts programs.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC): National CDFI that finances and supports local community development organizations like HOC, channeling capital from corporations, foundations, and government into affordable housing and neighborhood revitalization. Operates at much larger scale but overlaps significantly with HOC's funding ecosystem.
• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit that combines affordable housing development, capital deployment, and policy advocacy. Comparable to HOC in mission and use of federal HOME funds and corporate partnerships, but operates at far greater geographic and financial scale.

Others

• Catholic Charities USA: National network of faith-based social service agencies providing housing assistance, family services, and community programs. Adjacent given HOC's Catholic roots under Monsignor Doyle; HOC is a much smaller, neighborhood-focused entity within this broader ecosystem.

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity International: National nonprofit that builds and rehabilitates affordable homeownership housing for low-income families using volunteer labor and donor funding. Directly comparable to Heart of Camden's core model of building and selling rehabbed and new-construction affordable homes to qualifying buyers.
• Mercy Housing: Major nonprofit affordable housing developer and operator combining housing development with supportive services for low-income families and seniors. Comparable to HOC's integrated housing-plus-services model in South Camden.
• Rebuilding Together: National nonprofit providing no-cost home repair and rehabilitation for low-income homeowners, with funding from corporate partners and federal sources like FHLB. Directly comparable to Heart of Camden's Camden Home Repair Program offering up to $20K of health and safety repairs at no cost.
• BRIDGE Housing: Nonprofit affordable housing developer producing new and rehabilitated homes for low- and moderate-income households across multiple states. Closely mirrors HOC's combination of new construction ($150K), rehab ($125K), and pipeline-driven development.
• Isles Inc. Trenton-based nonprofit community development organization providing affordable housing, home repair, youth programs, and neighborhood planning in disinvested NJ cities. Closely mirrors HOC's integrated housing-services-youth model in a comparable urban New Jersey context.

Regional players

• New York City Housing Partnership: Nonprofit affordable housing developer producing new homes for low- and moderate-income families through public-private partnerships. Comparable development model to HOC but operates in New York City rather than Camden.
• New Jersey Community Capital: New Jersey's largest CDFI that provides financing and grants for affordable housing and community development across NJ cities including Camden, Newark, and Trenton. Directly comparable funder and regional peer for HOC, and an existing donor/partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/heart_of_camden
• Facebookfacebook.com/heartofcamdenorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Heart of Camden