Sheltering Arms

What Sheltering Arms does

Sheltering Arms Children and Family Services, Inc. was a New York City-based nonprofit social services agency founded circa 1823 that served the city's most vulnerable children, youth, and families for approximately 200 years. Its integrated program portfolio spanned foster care and group homes, community mental health clinics (Jamaica, Far Rockaway, and school-based satellites), juvenile justice reception centers (Bruner and New View), CFTSS and Health Home Care Management, maternal and child health programs (Healthy Families Healthy Start), young-adult rapid rehousing and drop-in services, the Rock Safe Streets Cure Violence program, and school-based services delivered inside more than ten partner public schools across the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Harlem. The organization was not a technology company and operated no proprietary platform; all services were delivered by in-person staff at place-based program sites.

The business model was that of a contracted human-services nonprofit. Primary revenue came from New York City and New York State government contracts — most notably the NYC Administration for Children's Services for foster care oversight — supplemented by donor contributions and philanthropic support acknowledged by the Board. Pricing was not applicable in a consumer sense, as services were funded through public contracts and charitable giving rather than direct fees. Go-to-market was relationship-driven and referral-based, with the NYC public-agency referral system (anchored by ACS) as the principal intake channel, complemented by school-partnership channels and donor/Board networks for fundraising.

Following severe pandemic-driven financial challenges, Sheltering Arms announced in 2023 that it would cease operations, and the majority of its programs and employees were transferred to more than 20 successor agencies — most prominently Rising Ground, along with Wheelchairs Against Guns, Center for Justice Innovation, Center for Community Alternatives, Child Center of NY, Harriman Summer Camp, Southern Queens Park Association, NYJTL, New York Edge, and YWCA — by July 1, 2023. On March 7, 2024, the Debtor filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York, with the case assigned to Judge Jil Mazer-Marino. Operating status is now 'closed' as a going concern.

Name

Sheltering Arms

Legal name

Sheltering Arms Children and Family Services, Inc.

Website

https://shelteringarmsny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1823

Operating status

Closed

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Sheltering Arms was a 200-year-old New York City nonprofit that delivered foster care, mental health, juvenile justice, housing, violence prevention, and school-based services to vulnerable children, youth, and families, funded primarily by NYC and NYS government contracts. Operations ceased in 2023 and a Chapter 11 petition was filed in March 2024.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Services (Children, Youth, and Families)

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Temporary Shelters (624221), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Foster care services
• Youth mental health programs
• Juvenile justice services
• Youth housing programs
• Community violence interruption

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government contracts and public funding: As a nonprofit social-services agency, primary funding came from New York City and New York State government contracts, including through the Administration for Children's Services (ACS) and other public agencies that contracted for foster care, mental health, juvenile justice, housing, and community-based services.
2. Donor contributions and philanthropic support: Sheltering Arms acknowledged gratitude to its Board of Directors, staff, and donors, indicating fundraising and charitable giving as a supplementary revenue stream.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Sheltering Arms Children and Family Services, Inc. was a New York City-based nonprofit social services agency that delivered foster care and group homes, community-based mental health clinics, juvenile justice programs, young-adult housing and rapid rehousing, violence-interruption (Rock Safe Streets Cure Violence), and school-based youth services to vulnerable children, youth, and families across NYC boroughs. The organization was funded primarily by New York City and New York State government contracts and donor contributions, and operated as a single integrated nonprofit rather than a technology platform. The agency announced cessation of operations in 2023, transferred the majority of programs and employees to successor agencies (notably Rising Ground) by July 1, 2023, and filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition on March 7, 2024.

Product overview

Sheltering Arms Children and Family Services was a single nonprofit social services organization — not a software platform — that operated an integrated portfolio of programs serving New York City's vulnerable children, youth, and families for approximately 200 years. Its portfolio spanned child welfare (Foster Care and Group Homes), behavioral health (Jamaica Community Mental Health Clinic, Far Rockaway Community Mental Health Clinic, Kidwise Mental Health Clinic Satellite, PS/MS 42 Mental Health Clinic Satellite, CFTSS, Peer Navigation and Support, Safe Havens), health services (Health Services, Healthy Families Healthy Start, Health Home Care Management), juvenile justice (Juvenile Justice Programs, Bruner and New View Reception Centers), young adult and housing services (Next Steps, Works Plus, New Home Young Adult Rapid Rehousing, Jamaica Drop In Center, Jamaica Community Partnership, Far Rockaway community program), violence prevention (Rock Safe Streets Cure Violence), justice-innovation partnerships (Arches with Center for Justice Innovation, Bronx Hope with Center for Community Alternatives), and school-based programs at multiple NYC public schools. Following severe pandemic-related financial challenges, the agency announced it would cease operations and transferred the majority of these programs and employees to successor agencies (most prominently Rising Ground) by July 1, 2023, and on March 7, 2024 the organization filed a voluntary Chapter 11 petition in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Foster Care and Group Homes Out-of-home care program for children placed through the New York City Administration for Children's Services; inquiries redirected to NYC ACS following program transition.
• Community Mental Health Clinics (Jamaica, Far Rockaway, Kidwise Satellite, PS/MS 42 Satellite) Community-based and school-based mental health clinics serving children and families in Queens (Jamaica, Far Rockaway) and within partner school sites; programs transferred to Rising Ground.
• Children and Family Treatment and Support Services (CFTSS) Community-based mental health and supportive services program for children and families; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Health Home Care Management Care coordination program coordinating physical and behavioral health services for enrolled children; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Health Services General health services program for children and families; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Healthy Families Healthy Start Maternal and child home-visiting and support program; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Juvenile Justice Programs Programs serving justice-involved youth, including alternatives to detention and reentry support; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Bruner and New View Reception Centers Reception/intake centers for youth entering the juvenile justice system; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Jamaica Drop In Center and Safe Havens Drop-in center and safe-havens programs providing services for at-risk youth in the Jamaica area; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Peer Navigation and Support Peer-led navigation and support program for youth and families; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Jamaica Community Partnership and Far Rockaway Community Program Community-based partnership programming for the Jamaica and Far Rockaway neighborhoods; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Next Steps and Works Plus Young-adult transition and workforce development/employment programs; transferred to Rising Ground.
• New Home Young Adult Rapid Rehousing Rapid rehousing program providing housing assistance for transition-age young adults; transferred to Rising Ground.
• Rock Safe Streets Cure Violence Street-level violence interruption program in the Rockaways; transitioned to Wheelchairs Against Guns.
• Arches Justice-related program operated in partnership with the Center for Justice Innovation; assumed by Center for Justice Innovation.
• Bronx Hope Bronx-based community-alternatives program partnering with the Center for Community Alternatives; assumed by that partner.
• School-Based Programs (P.S. 105, P.S. 104, JHS 22, P.S. 75, M.S. 302, Brooklyn Green School, Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem, Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders, Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy VI, Jermaine L. Green STEM Institute of Queens) School-linked community programs operated on-site at multiple New York City public schools; transferred to partner agencies including Child Center of NY, Harriman Summer Camp, Southern Queens Park Association, NYJTL, New York Edge (NYE), and YWCA.

Quantifiable outcome

• Programs and case contacts transitioned to 20+ successor agencies by July 1, 2023, preserving continuity of services for clients
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and minor.

• Rising GroundflagshipImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023Rising Ground absorbed the largest share of Sheltering Arms' programs in the transition, including Jamaica Drop In Center, Far Rockaway, Next Steps, Works Plus, Jamaica Community Partnership, New Home Young Adult Rapid Rehousing, Peer Navigation and Support, Safe Havens, JHS 22, Jamaica Community Mental Health Clinic, Far Rockaway Community Mental Health Clinic, Kidwise Mental Health Clinic Satellite, PS/MS 42 Mental Health Clinic Satellite, Health Services, Healthy Families Healthy Start, Juvenile Justice Programs, Bruner and New View Reception Centers, CFTSS, and Health Home Care Management.
• Wheelchairs Against GunsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023Wheelchairs Against Guns took over the Rock Safe Streets Cure Violence program from Sheltering Arms during the program transition.
• Center for Justice InnovationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023The Center for Justice Innovation assumed responsibility for the Arches program as part of the Sheltering Arms program transition.
• Center for Community AlternativesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023Center for Community Alternatives took over the Bronx Hope program during the Sheltering Arms program transition.
• Child Center of NYminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023Child Center of NY took over school-based programs at P.S. 105 The Bay School and Knowledge and Power Preparatory Academy VI during the transition.
• Harriman Summer CampminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023Harriman Summer Camp took over the program at P.S. 104 The Bays Water during the Sheltering Arms transition.
• Southern Queens Park AssociationminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023Southern Queens Park Association assumed responsibility for The Jermaine L. Green STEM Institute of Queens during the transition.
• NYJTLminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023NYJTL took over the program at P.S. 75 School of Research and Discovery during the Sheltering Arms transition.
• NYE (New York Edge)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023NYE took over programs at M.S. 302 Luisa Dessus Cruz and The Brooklyn Green School during the Sheltering Arms transition.
• YWCAminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 July 2023YWCA took over programs at Eagle Academy for Young Men of Harlem and Urban Assembly Academy for Future Leaders during the Sheltering Arms transition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• MercyFirst: Long Island/NYC nonprofit providing residential foster care, mental health, juvenile justice, and family services — directly comparable in service mix, scale, and reliance on public agency contracts.
• Rising Ground: NYC-based human-services nonprofit that absorbed the majority of Sheltering Arms' programs (foster care, mental health clinics, juvenile justice reception, housing, and youth services) in July 2023. Operates a near-identical integrated portfolio for vulnerable children, youth, and families in NYC.
• Children's Aid Society: Long-standing NYC nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, mental health, education, and community-based services to children and families — directly comparable mission, service mix, and government-contract funding model.
• Graham Windham: Historic NYC nonprofit (founded 1806) providing foster care, adoption, behavioral health, and family services to children and youth in NYC — directly comparable heritage nonprofit in the same child welfare space.
• Jewish Child Care Association (JCCA): NYC-region nonprofit serving children and families through residential, foster care, behavioral health, and community-based programs; comparable contract-funded human-services model and target population.
• SCO Family of Services: Long-established NYC/LI nonprofit providing foster care, residential services, juvenile justice, mental health, and early childhood programs — directly overlapping service portfolio and ACS-contract funding profile.
• Good Shepherd Services: NYC-based nonprofit offering foster care, juvenile justice, youth development, education, and behavioral health services to vulnerable youth and families — comparable scale and contract-funded human-services model.
• HeartShare St. Vincent's Services: NYC-based nonprofit supporting children, adults, and families through foster care, residential programs, behavioral health, and developmental disability services — overlaps significantly with Sheltering Arms' child-and-family portfolio.
• Cardinal McCloskey Community Services: NYC nonprofit providing foster care, preventive services, juvenile justice, special education, and mental health programs to children and families — directly comparable child welfare and ACS-contract dependent model.
• The Child Center of NY: Queens-based nonprofit delivering behavioral health, school-based services, foster care, and family support programs; absorbed Sheltering Arms' P.S. 105 and KAPPA VI school-based programs in the 2023 transition.

Market position

Strengths2 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_ShelteringArms
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShelteringArmsNY
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sheltering-arms-ny

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Sheltering Arms