Outreach House

What Outreach House does

The Outreach House is an Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 20-0545709) headquartered at 700 Springer Drive in Lombard, IL, delivering four integrated social-service programs under a single roof: a Food Pantry (grocery-store-style shopping model offering fresh produce, frozen meat, dairy, eggs, bread, and non-perishables), First Things First (monthly distribution of diapers, formula, infant foods, hygiene products, and infant clothing up to size 5T for families with children ages 0–3), Walk-In Assistance (emergency utility-bill payments via direct vendor disbursement to prevent shutoff), and a Clothes Closet (seasonally appropriate clothing, shoes, and outerwear for all ages 5T and up). All services are provided free of charge to eligible residents of York Township, Glendale Heights, Addison, and surrounding DuPage County municipalities.

The organization traces its origins to 1981 at First Church of Lombard and consolidated in 2021 through a merger with the Lombard/Villa Park Food Pantry and Clothes Closet (formerly at First United Methodist Church), moving all four programs into a single Lombard facility in 2022 — a transition that more than doubled the number of people served. Operations rely on a volunteer-driven model (220+ volunteers, 570+ hours weekly, 93% of work performed by volunteers), a 91% program-spending ratio, and the Northern Illinois Food Bank as the primary food supply partner, where each $1 donated acquires $8 worth of food. The organization also partners with eight local grocery retailers for fresh-produce pickups, the National Diaper Bank Network for diaper sourcing, and Prairie Farms Dairy for weekly milk and egg deliveries.

Revenue is generated through individual donations (one-time and monthly recurring), corporate and foundation grants (DuPage Foundation, NBCUniversal Local Impact, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Fill Your Tank, Campbell's Foundation, SBB Research Group Foundation), workplace giving platforms (Thrivent Choice, Benevity, Blackbaud Giving Fund, CAF America), and RaiseRight gift card rebates (1.25%–20% back). The Outreach House is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Kris DeSmedt, with Steve Flint as Vice Chair, Kristin Richey as Secretary, and Carol O'Neill as Treasurer, and is led by Executive Director Catherine Lynott. The organization holds a Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency (2026), a 2023 Top-Rated Nonprofit designation from GreatNonprofits, the 2023 Best of Lombard Award for Social Services, and a 2023 Axelson Excellent Emerging Organization Award finalist designation.

Name

Outreach House

Legal name

The Outreach House

Website

https://theoutreachhouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Outreach House is a Lombard, Illinois-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides food, infant supplies, clothing, and emergency utility assistance free of charge to low-income residents of York Township, Glendale Heights, Addison, and surrounding DuPage County municipalities through four integrated programs delivered under one roof.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Human Services / Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (624210), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Food pantry assistance
• Emergency utility assistance
• Infant diaper program
• Free clothing closet

Headquarters

HQ city

Lombard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Financial Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the nonprofit's mission. Donations can be one-time or monthly recurring gifts. For every $1 donated, the organization can acquire $8 worth of food through the Northern Illinois Food Bank partnership.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations including DuPage Foundation ($15,593), NBCUniversal Local Impact ($20,000), and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Fill Your Tank program ($15,000) to support operational costs, facility improvements, and direct assistance programs.
3. Workplace Giving Programs: Partnership with workplace giving platforms including Thrivent Choice, Benevity, and Blackbaud Giving Fund, allowing employees to contribute through payroll deduction or employer matching programs.
4. RaiseRight Gift Card Program: The RaiseRight scrip program earns rebates (1.25% to 20%) from gift card purchases made by supporters, with rebates deposited directly into The Outreach House's fundraising account at no additional cost to purchasers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Outreach House is a nonprofit social services organization that provides free food, infant supplies, gently used clothing, and emergency utility bill assistance to low-income individuals and families in DuPage County, Illinois. Services are delivered through four integrated programs (Food Pantry, First Things First, Walk-In Assistance, Clothes Closet) under one roof using a grocery store-style shopping model that emphasizes dignity and choice.

Product overview

Outreach House is a nonprofit organization offering four integrated social service programs: Food Pantry, First Things First (infant needs), Walk-In Assistance (emergency financial needs), and Clothes Closet. These four programs merged under one organizational umbrella in 2021 and moved to a single location in 2022, providing compassionate assistance to individuals and families with dignity and without judgment. The organization focuses on addressing food insecurity, clothing needs, infant essentials, and emergency utility assistance for residents of York Township, Glendale Heights, and Addison in DuPage County, Illinois.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Pantry

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ households served weekly; 7800 individuals benefit monthly; number served has more than doubled since 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered historical, core, secondary and major.

• First Church of LombardhistoricalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Former host location for Walk-In Assistance and First Things First programs. The Outreach House originally operated at First Church of Lombard (24 W Ash Street) before merging with Food Pantry and Clothes Closet from First United Methodist Church.
• First United Methodist Church (Lombard)historicalStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Former host location for Clothes Closet and Food Pantry programs. Merged with The Outreach House in 2021 under the same 501(c)(3) to bring more resources to more people.
• Northern Illinois Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary food supply partner. The Outreach House receives the majority of its food from the Northern Illinois Food Bank, where each $1 donated can be stretched to acquire $8 worth of food. Also receives weekly fresh milk and eggs through a partnership with Prairie Farms dairy facilitated by the food bank. Northern Illinois Food Bank provides food deliveries twice monthly as well as training and grant opportunities.
• National Diaper Bank NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Outreach House is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network, which provides access to resources, best practices, and support for diaper distribution programs addressing infant poverty.
• Eight Local Grocery RetailerssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization picks up food donations of fresh produce, dairy, deli, and bakery items from eight local grocery retailers, supplementing food acquired through the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
• ThriventsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Thrivent Choice, clients with membership can contribute to organizations they care about and influence how Thrivent distributes charitable grant funding through Choice Dollars.
• BenevitysecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate giving platform used by many corporations to support and match employee giving. Contact employer to see if they participate.
• Blackbaud Giving FundsecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner501(c)(3) donor-advised fund that disburses charitable donations from individuals and companies directly to nonprofit organizations worldwide.
• CAF AmericasecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal grantmaking organization assisting corporations, foundations, and individuals by streamlining the grantmaking process to eliminate risk and administrative burden.
• York TownshipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYork Township is the primary service area for The Outreach House. The organization helps families in York Township sections including Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, and Westmont. York Township General Assistance can assist residents in finding additional help.
• workNet DuPagesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for employment opportunities. Touchscreen kiosks installed at various locations including The Outreach House for access to employment services, training, and job placement assistance.
• University of Illinois Extension SNAP-EdsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerLISA A. MILLS, Community Outreach Worker for SNAP-Education, visits approximately once a month to provide samples of healthy food for guests made using pantry items, along with recipes for healthy eating.
• Prairie Farms DairysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerFresh milk and eggs are received weekly through a partnership between Northern Illinois Food Bank and Prairie Farms dairy.
• Mission Sustainability Initiative at ForefrontmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThis initiative helped two small nonprofits serving the same clients merge to benefit their clients. Through their co-location, The Outreach House dramatically increased both quality of service and the number of clients reached.
• More Than Food Consulting, LLCsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsulting firm that provided guidance during The Outreach House's paradigm shift, helping shift from traditional pantry model to store-style shopping with strength-based language when serving guests.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• BEDS Plus Care: DuPage County-area nonprofit focused on housing stabilization, shelter, and supportive services. Comparable regional geography and vulnerable-population focus, but specializes in housing rather than food/clothing/utility assistance.
• Hesed House: Aurora, IL-area emergency shelter and social services nonprofit serving the broader western Chicago suburbs. Comparable integrated service model (food, shelter, case management) and similar community-based operating approach.

Broad incumbents

• DuPage PADS: Larger DuPage County nonprofit focused on ending homelessness through shelter and housing programs. Overlaps with Outreach House's Walk-In Assistance (utility shutoff prevention) but operates at broader scale and focuses on housing rather than food/clothing.
• Greater Chicago Food Depository: Regional food bank serving Cook County with mobile pantries and partner network. Larger, broader incumbent; relevant as a potential competitor for donor and volunteer attention in the broader Chicago-area hunger-relief ecosystem.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago: Large faith-based nonprofit operating food pantries, emergency assistance, and family support across the Chicago region. Provides overlapping services to similar low-income populations but at substantially greater scale and with broader service scope.
• Salvation Army Metropolitan Division: National faith-based nonprofit with a strong Chicago-area presence providing food, clothing, and emergency assistance. Overlapping service categories and target populations with Outreach House, but with much broader scope and national brand.

Direct peers

• Loaves & Fishes Community Services: Naperville, IL-based nonprofit serving the western Chicago suburbs with food pantry, clothing, and emergency assistance programs. Highly comparable to Outreach House in target population, service model, and DuPage/Kane County geography.
• West Suburban Community Pantry: Western Chicago suburb food pantry serving low-income families with food and clothing assistance. Comparable in scale and service mix to Outreach House, with a similar volunteer-driven, dignity-focused operating philosophy.
• Northern Illinois Food Bank: Primary food supply partner for Outreach House and the largest hunger-relief organization in the region. Operates similar food distribution programs across northern Illinois with overlapping donor and volunteer networks, making it both a strategic supplier and the closest comparable peer.
• People's Resource Center: DuPage County-area nonprofit providing food, clothing, and emergency assistance through an integrated model very similar to Outreach House. Closest like-for-like peer in geography and service mix, including food pantry and clothing closet operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheOutreachHouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-outreach-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors3 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 Outreach House