Shelter For Abused Women & Children

What Shelter For Abused Women & Children does

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children is a nonprofit social services organization operating as Collier County, Florida's certified domestic violence center and its official service provider for human trafficking victims. Founded in the late 1980s/early 1990s and headquartered in Naples, FL, the organization delivers a comprehensive continuum of care — 24-hour crisis hotline, emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling, legal advocacy, prevention education, and recovery services — to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking and their children across Collier County, with all services provided completely free of charge regardless of citizenship.

The organization's core operating assets are two purpose-built emergency shelters on confidential sites: the Beau Venturi Home in Naples (60 beds, opened 2002) and the Shelly Stayer Shelter in Immokalee (60 beds, opened 2020), supported by nine transitional living cottages providing up to 24 months of empowerment-based housing. Service portfolio includes a Human Trafficking long-term residential program featuring individual therapy, Healing Arts modalities, trauma-informed care, and economic-justice services, plus a Child Care program, After-School Care, Court and Legal Advocacy staffed by a Florida-licensed attorney, a Civil Injunction for Protection Project, and a slate of school-based primary prevention curricula (Hands are for Helping, Healthy Friendships, Teen Healthy Relationships, Expect Respect, Raising Gentle'men). A distinctive operational capability is the Protect Your Pet program with on-site pet kennels — a model the National Humane Society used as input for its PAWS program. The organization has held a Charity Navigator 4-Star rating and, as of 2026, a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.

Revenue is generated through four channels: individual and corporate charitable donations, proceeds from The Shelter Options Shoppe thrift store (operating in downtown Naples since 1991), annual fundraising events such as the Mending Broken Hearts with Hope Luncheon and Bags & Bow Ties Gala, and government grants primarily from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Collier County Community and Human Services Division. Distribution of services is exclusively direct — through shelter facilities, outreach offices in Naples and Immokalee, school-based delivery of prevention curricula, and on-site legal advocates embedded at the Collier County courthouse and State Attorney's Office — with no third-party reseller or licensing channels. Leadership is led by CEO Linda Oberhaus and CDO Cyndi Fields, with a Board of Directors, Board of Trustees, and Guild Executive Committee providing governance.

Name

Shelter For Abused Women & Children

Legal name

Shelter for Abused Women & Children

Website

https://naplesshelter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children is a nonprofit operating as Collier County, Florida's certified domestic violence center, providing free 24-hour emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling, legal advocacy, and prevention education to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAD

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGAEAE

Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Emergency shelter programs
• Human trafficking services
• Transitional housing support
• Prevention education

Headquarters

HQ city

Flushing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization relies on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and community members. The website prominently features donation options and the organization is financed in part by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Collier County Community and Human Services Division.
2. Thrift Store Proceeds: The Shelter Options Shoppe, a thrift store in downtown Naples, sells donated clothing, accessories, furniture, home decor, and designer items. Proceeds from sales fund services for survivors of domestic violence and their families. The shop has served Southwest Florida since 1991.
3. Special Events and Galas: Annual fundraising events including the Mending Broken Hearts with Hope Luncheon, Bags & Bow Ties Gala, and other community events generate revenue and awareness.
4. Government Grants: Financing from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Collier County Community and Human Services Division supports operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Shelter For Abused Women & Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization operating two 60-bed emergency shelters (Beau Venturi Home in Naples and Shelly Stayer Shelter in Immokalee), nine transitional living cottages, and a long-term Human Trafficking Program. It provides a 24-hour crisis hotline, individual and group counseling, trauma-informed Healing Arts, child care and after-school care, court and legal advocacy through a Florida-licensed attorney, school-based prevention education, community training, and the Protect Your Pet program with on-site kennels. All services are provided completely free of charge to survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking in Collier County, Florida.

Product overview

The Shelter for Abused Women & Children is a nonprofit social services organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of programs for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. The core services include two 60-bed emergency shelters (Beau Venturi Home in Naples and Shelly Stayer Shelter in Immokalee), a Transitional Living Program with cottage housing, and a Human Trafficking Program. Supporting services include a 24-hour Crisis Hotline, Healing Arts Program, Child Care and After-School Care programs, Court and Legal Advocacy, and Primary Prevention Programs for schools. The organization also operates The Shelter Options Shoppe, a thrift store that generates funding for programs while providing vouchers for survivors to shop for necessities. All services are provided free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beau Venturi Home: 60-bed emergency shelter in Naples serving victims of domestic violence, built in 2002
• Shelly Stayer Shelter
• Human Trafficking Program
• Healing Arts Program
• Gentle'men Against Domestic Violence
• Expect Respect
• Teen Healthy Relationships
• Healthy Friendships & Boundaries
• Hands are for Helping, Not for Hurting
• Raising Gentle'men
• Protect Your Pet Program
• Civil Injunction for Protection Project
• Child Protection Investigations Project
• State Attorney's Office Advocate
• Transitional Living Program

Products and services

• 24-Hour Crisis Hotline Trained advocates and certified volunteers provide safety planning, domestic violence information, and resource referrals 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to survivors in crisis.
• Beau Venturi Home (Naples Emergency Shelter) Confidential 60-bed emergency residential shelter in Naples providing safe housing and on-site services for victims of domestic violence; includes an on-site pet kennel so families can stay together with their pets.
• Shelly Stayer Shelter (Immokalee Emergency Shelter) Confidential 60-bed emergency residential shelter in Immokalee providing safe housing and trauma-informed services for victims of human trafficking and domestic violence; includes two on-site pet kennels, daycare, an after-school program room, and dedicated courtyards.
• Transitional Living Program Highly selective empowerment-based program providing up to 24 months of safe, affordable transitional housing in cottages, paired with outreach services, counseling, education, and financial classes for survivors of domestic violence working toward independence.
• Human Trafficking Program Long-term residential program providing individual therapy, Healing Arts, trauma-informed care, NA/AA meetings, economic justice services, and court and legal advocacy for survivors of human trafficking.
• Healing Arts Program Trauma-recovery program using meditation, yoga, creative writing, artwork, aromatherapy, drum circles, and other alternative modalities to help survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking move toward wholeness and personal growth.
• Child Care Program In-house childcare service for survivors residing in emergency shelter, providing a nurturing, safe, and developmentally appropriate environment where children can play, learn, and put their fears aside while their parents pursue services and stability.
• After-School Care Program Safe, familiar, and developmentally appropriate environment for school-aged children (ages 5-17) during out-of-school time, offering enriching activities and homework assistance.
• Court and Legal Advocacy Free legal consultation, assistance with filing injunctions for protection, in-court support, legal representation at injunction hearings, and court advocacy for survivors navigating their abusers' criminal cases.
• Primary Prevention Programs School-based prevention education including Hands are for Helping (Pre-K through 1st grade), Healthy Friendships (middle school), Teen Healthy Relationships (high school), Expect Respect (eight-week program), and Raising Gentle'men for boys and young men, delivered in Collier County schools.
• The Shelter Options Shoppe Thrift store in downtown Naples selling donated clothing, accessories, furniture, home décor, and designer items, open to the public; proceeds fund services for survivors of domestic violence and the store issues vouchers for survivors to shop for necessities.
• Community Education and Training Educational presentations and training delivered to community members and professionals on the dynamics of domestic violence and human trafficking.
• Protect Your Pet Program On-site pet kennels and pet-safety planning designed to meet the unique needs of survivors and their pets, including collaborations with local veterinarians, enabling families to enter shelter together.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 20,000 volunteer hours provided annually
• +2 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

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance (IFHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2024Collaboration to construct a Transitional Living Apartment complex exclusively leased to Shelter participants. The partnership provides 16 families with empowerment-based, safe and secure housing as they work toward self-sufficiency. IFHA is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing for farmworker families and low-income residents of Immokalee. Construction began March 2024.
• Collier County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership through the InVEST (Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team) program. The Shelter's advocate works with the Sheriff's Office, Naples Police Department, Marco Police Department, State Attorney's Office, and Department of Children & Families to provide intensive service management for individuals in potentially lethal situations.
• Collier County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Shelter is Collier County's official service provider for human trafficking victims, as ratified by Collier County Commissioners and Collier County Sheriff's Office on October 11, 2016.
• State Attorney's OfficecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFull-time advocate works in the State Attorney's Office three days per week assisting domestic violence crime victims. Shelter provides court support and helps survivors navigate the legal system.
• Department of Children & FamiliescoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPartnership through the Child Protection Investigations Project using the Safe and Together model to reduce children removed from survivors of domestic violence involved in child abuse investigations.
• Naples Police DepartmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration through the InVEST program to provide intensive service management and assistance to individuals identified as potentially lethal domestic violence situations.
• Marco Police DepartmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCollaboration through the InVEST program to provide intensive service management and assistance to individuals identified as potentially lethal domestic violence situations.
• National Humane SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Shelter's Protect Your Pet program was so innovative that the National Humane Society sought the Shelter's help in developing their PAWS (Pets And Women's Shelters) program, later moved to Sheltering Animals & Families Together (SAF-T).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Abuse Counseling and Treatment (ACT): Fort Myers-based nonprofit operating emergency shelters and support services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Lee County, FL — directly comparable mission, geography-adjacent service area, and program mix.
• The Spring of Tampa Bay: Certified domestic violence center in Hillsborough County, FL providing emergency shelter, counseling, and legal advocacy — closely mirrors the Shelter's service model, certification status, and comprehensive program portfolio.
• Harbor House of Central Florida: Orange County, FL certified domestic violence center offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and outreach — directly comparable operating model, scale, and survivor-services focus.
• Safe Place and Rape Crisis Center (SPARCC): Sarasota-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, counseling, and advocacy for survivors of domestic and sexual violence — directly comparable Florida-based DV service provider with shelter and prevention programming.
• Hope Family Services: Manatee County, FL nonprofit offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and counseling for domestic violence survivors — directly comparable certified DV center serving a single Florida county.
• YWCA Southwest Florida: Regional YWCA affiliate providing domestic violence shelter, sexual assault services, and racial justice programs in Southwest Florida — closely comparable mission and regional footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army of Collier County: National faith-based social services organization operating in Collier County with overlapping emergency housing and case-management services — broader incumbent with comparable but non-specialized programs.
• National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV): National umbrella and advocacy organization for the domestic violence field — provides policy, technology, and training support to shelters including the Shelter, making it a relevant broader incumbent and ecosystem leader.

Others

• Florida Coalition Against Domestic Violence (FCADV): Statewide coalition that certifies and funds Florida's DV centers, including the Shelter — a key ecosystem partner, capacity-builder, and funding intermediary that shapes the regulatory and funding environment the Shelter operates in.

Regional players

• Collier Resource Center: Local Collier County nonprofit connecting residents to social services including housing, food, and crisis support — overlapping client base and complementary referral relationships within the same service area.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheShelterNaples
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheShelterNaples
• Instagraminstagram.com/theshelternaples

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shelter For Abused Women & Children