What Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans does

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit headquartered in Wheaton, Illinois, that delivers housing and supportive services to homeless and at-risk veterans and their families across Northern Illinois. Founded in 2000 by Vietnam veteran and licensed clinical social worker Robert M. Adams and Gulf War veteran Dirk Enger, and led by CEO Christine Lewis, MSHV has built a tiered service continuum that includes transitional housing (Larson Home), affordable rental housing (Miller Home and Tammy's Trace), and permanent supportive housing developments such as Freedom Harbour, Freedom Point, and the in-development Hero Homes complex. The organization holds a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.

MSHV's program portfolio extends well beyond shelter. It operates the V.E.T.S. clinical mental health program, a Freedom Commissary that distributes food and household goods, a Veteran Employment Program, and the federal Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program delivered in partnership with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Hero Homes development — a 20-unit apartment complex in Wheaton — was awarded $10.1 million by the Illinois Housing Development Authority in May 2025, positioning it as the organization's flagship permanent supportive housing site. Adjacent public-private activity includes coalition work with trade unions and other veteran service organizations.

Commercially, MSHV is not a revenue-generating enterprise in the conventional sense; it is a grant- and donation-funded non-profit. Funding sources span IHDA capital grants, VA program contracts, corporate philanthropy (Cigna Group Foundation, Rusu Foundation via the WMHR Presidents Cup, the DuPage Foundation), and individual donor contributions. The organization reports approximately $7 million in annual operating revenue, a headcount of 11–50 employees, and has signaled an intent to roughly double its revenue base as new housing capacity comes online.

Name

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans

Legal name

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, Inc.

Website

https://www.helpaveteran.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans is a 501(c)(3) non-profit providing transitional, affordable, and permanent supportive housing, clinical mental health, employment, and wraparound services to homeless and at-risk veterans and their families across Northern Illinois.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veteran Housing and Supportive Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

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), Veterans & Military Family Benefits Administration (BPAIAKAI)

Keywords

• Veteran housing services
• Supportive housing programs
• Homeless veteran assistance
• Veteran mental health services
• Veteran employment support

Headquarters

HQ city

Wheaton

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, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals supporting veteran housing and services. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) non-profit with Tax ID 36-4337985.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners help bring life-changing services to veterans. Corporations realize philanthropic missions through partnerships with MSHV.
3. Planned Giving: Estate plan gifts allowing donors to make lasting impact with current tax incentives.
4. Government Grants: Funding from government agencies including Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs SSVF program.
5. Recurring Monthly Contributions: Monthly recurring donations allowing supporters to automatically make the greatest impact each month.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides housing, supportive services, and community outreach to help homeless and at-risk veterans and their families achieve self-sufficiency. It operates multiple housing programs (transitional, affordable, and permanent supportive), the V.E.T.S. clinical mental health program, the Freedom Commissary for household essentials, the SSVF rapid re-housing program, and a Veteran Employment Program.

Product overview

Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV) is a non-profit organization providing a comprehensive suite of housing and supportive services for homeless and at-risk veterans and their families. The organization operates multiple housing programs including: transitional housing (Marine LCpl Nicholas Larson Home), affordable housing (Army SSgt. Robert Miller Home, Tammy's Trace), permanent supportive housing (Freedom Harbour, Freedom Point), and the new Hero Homes initiative. MSHV also offers the V.E.T.S. clinical mental health program, the Army Capt. Kevin C. Landeck Freedom Commissary for household essentials, Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF), and a Veteran Employment Program. These interconnected services work together to help veterans achieve self-sufficiency through housing, mental health support, employment assistance, and essential household resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hero Homes
• Army SSgt. Robert Miller Home
• Tammy's Trace
• Marine LCpl Nicholas Larson Home
• Freedom Harbour
• Freedom Point
• V.E.T.S. (Veterans Empowerment Therapy and Support) Clinical Program
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
• Army Capt. Kevin C. Landeck Freedom Commissary
• Veteran Employment Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 1,000 unique veteran households and families annually across Illinois
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Trade UnionssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with trade unions in exploring and developing veteran housing solutions in DuPage County since 2004.
• Veteran Service OrganizationssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with veteran service organizations alongside government agencies and trade unions to develop housing solutions for veterans.
• Corporate PartnerssupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partnerships help MSHV bring life-changing services to veterans. Corporations realize their philanthropic missions while helping veterans and their families reach self-sufficiency with dignity.
• Medinah Country ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the 2026 Presidents Cup event, which generates donations for MSHV and other local charitable causes.
• Government AgenciessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with government agencies since 2004 to explore veteran housing solutions in DuPage County.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• U.S. VETS (United States Veterans Initiative): National 501(c)(3) operating transitional, permanent supportive, and affordable housing for homeless veterans across multiple states with workforce and clinical services — the most direct national peer to MSHV's wraparound veteran-housing model.
• New England Center and Home for Veterans: Boston-based nonprofit providing emergency, transitional, and permanent housing plus clinical, employment, and benefits services to homeless and at-risk veterans — directly comparable service mix and population to MSHV at a similar regional scale.

Regional players

• Swords to Plowshares: Bay Area-based veteran services organization delivering supportive housing, clinical mental health, employment, and benefits navigation to homeless and low-income veterans — directly comparable mission and service set, though anchored in California rather than the Midwest.

Broad incumbents

• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit operating a large portfolio of veteran housing, re-entry, and family services programs alongside broader human services; comparable on the veteran-services subset, though much larger and more diversified than MSHV.
• The Salvation Army: International nonprofit delivering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and case management that explicitly includes veteran-specific pathways and supportive services; significantly larger incumbent with overlapping residential-care operations.
• Wounded Warrior Project: Large national veteran-services nonprofit offering mental health, transition, and long-term support programming for post-9/11 and other injured veterans; broader constituency than MSHV, but overlaps on clinical mental health and wraparound support delivery.

Others

• National Coalition for Homeless Veterans: Federally supported national membership and advocacy organization coordinating public-private resources across the full network of local and regional veteran homeless service providers — adjacent enabling organization rather than direct provider.
• Vietnam Veterans of America: National congressionally chartered veterans service organization focused on advocacy, benefits assistance, and community programs — related mission for the same veteran demographic but largely an advocacy/policy peer rather than direct housing provider.
• HUD-VASH (HUD-VA Supportive Housing Program): Joint HUD-Veterans Affairs program providing permanent supportive housing vouchers and case management for homeless veterans — a direct funder/program partner of MSHV's SSVF work and a structural competitor for the same veteran-housing caseload.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@MSHV0433
• Facebookfacebook.com/Servingourveterans
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/midwest-shelter-for-homeless-veterans-inc.

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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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 Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans