Diversion

What Diversion does

Diversion Indy is a private Indianapolis-based non-profit that operates a furniture donation, warehousing, and redistribution model targeting individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, domestic violence, or extreme poverty who have secured housing. The organization collects high-quality, nearly-new furniture from individual donors and a network of interior designer ambassadors, then either places those items directly into homes for referred beneficiaries or sells unplaced inventory at monthly public warehouse sales held at its 1625 Southeastern Avenue facility. Proceeds from warehouse sales, monetary donations, and operational sponsorships cover warehouse rent, moving trucks, and outreach costs. Referrals of beneficiary families flow through a network of housing-provider and social-service partners including Indy Public Safety Foundation, Youth For Christ, and other housing organizations.

The business model is community-led and hybrid in revenue construction: in-kind furniture donations supply the inventory, direct placement to referred families constitutes the social impact product, and monthly warehouse sales to the general public serve as the primary cash-generating mechanism. A secondary layer of value comes from corporate sponsors (Clark's White Glove Delivery for logistics; Westpoint Financial Group for funding) and an Interior Designer Ambassador Program featuring named designers such as Joseph's Oriental Rug Imports, Hoskins Interior Design, Tiffany Skilling Interiors, and Whetstone & Associates. There is no technology platform, software product, or digital service; the entire operating model rests on physical logistics, volunteer labor, and community partnerships.

Governance is led by co-founders Deanna Whetstone (Board Chair) and Linda Cook (Vice-Chair), with Barb Moes serving as Director of Operations. The organization is privately funded through donations, grants (a single $5,000 MassMutual Foundation grant dated July 2023 is documented), and warehouse sale proceeds. Geographic scope is limited to the Indianapolis metropolitan area, with all distribution and retail activity centered on a single warehouse location.

Name

Diversion

Legal name

Diversion Indy

Website

https://diversionindy.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness Support Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Retail-Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply (5200)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Donation Pickup & Reuse Hauling (HSAKALAI), Donation, Consignment & Resale Coordination (HSAFAFAG)

Keywords

• Furniture donation program
• Homeless support services
• Home furnishings assistance
• Nonprofit social services
• Community outreach programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Warehouse Sales: Monthly warehouse sales of donated, unplaced furniture and home goods. Proceeds fund operational costs including warehouse rent, moving trucks, and outreach efforts.
2. Monetary Donations: Financial contributions from individuals and organizations used to cover essential costs such as warehouse rent, moving trucks, and operational expenses.
3. Furniture Donations (In-Kind): Collection of high-quality, nearly new furniture from partnering designers and individuals. Donated furniture is either placed in homes or sold at warehouse sales.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Diversion Indy collects donated furniture and home goods from individuals and interior designer partners, then distributes those items to individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness, domestic violence, or extreme poverty who have secured housing. The organization funds its operations through monetary donations, in-kind furniture contributions, and monthly warehouse sales of unplaced donated items held at its Indianapolis facility.

Product overview

Diversion Indy is a non-profit furniture store operating as a single unified service model rather than a platform architecture. The organization collects donated furniture through its Furniture Donation Program, redistributes quality items to furnish homes for individuals and families in need through its Home Furnishing Services, and generates operational funding through monthly Warehouse Sales open to the public. Supporting services include Volunteer Programs for community engagement, Corporate Partnership and Interior Designer Ambassador Programs for ongoing donations and support, and First Friday Events for community building. The core value proposition is transforming houses into homes by providing essential furniture and home goods to those transitioning out of homelessness or hardship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Warehouse Sales

Quantifiable outcome

• Families in empty homes are three times more likely to return to homelessness - Diversion helps prevent this by furnishing homes
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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 core and minor.

• Clark's White Glove DeliverycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsor that provides delivery services for donated furniture. Helps cover transportation costs and enables furniture to reach families in need.
• Indy Public Safety FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering organization that connects individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness with Diversion's furniture services.
• Youth For ChristcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering organization that refers families and individuals in need to Diversion for furniture assistance.
• The Success PlugminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnering organization connecting individuals in need with Diversion's resources.
• Joseph's Oriental Rug ImportscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior Designer Ambassador that donates high-quality rugs and furnishings to support Diversion's mission.
• Hoskins Interior DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior Designer Ambassador donating premium furnishings and leveraging industry networks to support the mission.
• Tiffany Skilling InteriorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior Designer Ambassador contributing high-end furniture donations and advocacy for the Diversion cause.
• Whetstone & AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInterior Designer Ambassador donating design expertise and quality furnishings to help furnish homes.
• Various Interior Designer PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple interior designers donate high-quality, nearly new furniture and home goods to support Diversion's mission.
• Housing Provider OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizations providing housing to those experiencing homelessness that collaborate with Diversion to furnish those homes for their clients.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Habitat for Humanity ReStore: Habitat for Humanity ReStores sell donated furniture and home goods to fund affordable housing construction, combining donated inventory with a retail/resale model — the closest structural parallel to Diversion's warehouse-sale funding approach.
• Furnishing Hope: Nonprofit furnishing homes for families transitioning out of homelessness and crisis; shares Diversion's mission of providing furniture and home goods to recently housed families.
• Furniture Bank Association of North America: A network of furniture banks that collect donated furniture and provide it to families transitioning out of crisis situations — directly overlapping Diversion's core mission and beneficiary profile.
• Bridging (Minneapolis): A single-metro furniture bank that collects donated furniture and distributes it to families exiting homelessness and crisis — a near-identical operating model to Diversion at slightly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Baby2Baby: Large nonprofit distributing donated essential items (diapers, clothing, furniture) to children and families in need; overlapping beneficiary population and donation-driven distribution model.
• Dress for Success: Collects donated professional clothing and provides it to individuals re-entering the workforce; analogous donation-aggregation-to-client model, though for clothing rather than furniture and targeting employment rather than housing transitions.
• Room to Grow: Provides furnishings and household goods to families with infants and toddlers exiting shelters and instability; very similar beneficiary profile to Diversion but focused on early-childhood families.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries International: The dominant nonprofit donation/retail operator with broad mission scope; operates retail stores funded by donated goods to support workforce programs — analogous donation-to-retail-to-mission funding loop at much greater scale.
• The Salvation Army: Operates thrift retail stores and family-services programs including furniture assistance; broader scope than Diversion but shares the donation-funded social services model.

Others

• National Council of Furniture Bank Networks: Umbrella network supporting local furniture banks with shared resources and best practices; relevant as a peer ecosystem Diversion could join for sourcing, partnerships, and eventual expansion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/diversionindy
• Facebookfacebook.com/diversionindy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Diversion