The Safe Place Foundation

What The Safe Place Foundation does

The Safe Place Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1989 and headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, that operates a 40-bed drug- and alcohol-free residential recovery program for homeless or near-homeless adult males in the early stages of recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction. Its service model is a structured two-phase program: Phase I consists of 5 beds delivering an intensive two-week 12-step immersion with life skills training (household management, budgeting, grocery shopping, meal planning, resume writing, interview preparation), while Phase II provides 35 beds for up to nine months focused on employment acquisition, income budgeting, and transition to independent living, with mandatory attendance at four outside 12-step meetings per week and structured Transition Plan Reviews. Residents are admitted primarily through institutional referrals from Linn County Drug Court, inpatient treatment centers, correctional facilities, and parole officers, as well as self-referrals from individuals off the street following relapse, with supplemental support delivered through partnerships with Iowa Works and the local Cedar Rapids recovery community (AA, NA, CA).

The foundation is governed by a 15-member Board of Directors led by Miranda Peyton (President), with day-to-day operations headed by Executive Director Kyle Taylor — a former resident who was promoted to the role in January 2024 after previously serving as Program Coordinator from April 2018 to March 2023 — alongside Program Coordinator Tony Ashby, who brings 10 years of experience working with homeless men in recovery. The physical footprint consists of two adjacent houses at 523 and 527 6th Ave SE, expanded from the original single 14-bed house through a 2004 capital campaign that funded purchase and renovation of the 'red house' next door, bringing total bed capacity to its current 40. The organization has no paid technology product, no proprietary software, and serves approximately 100 men per year.

The revenue model is entirely donation-based: no service fees are charged to residents, and operating expenses are funded through voluntary monetary donations accepted via Zeffy (preferred), PayPal, and Venmo, supplemented by in-kind gifts through an Amazon Wishlist, volunteer labor, and periodic grants such as a $2,800 grant received from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation in May 2025. The foundation publishes a suggested sponsorship figure of $395 per resident per month as a donor benchmark. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on institutional referral relationships, word-of-mouth, published testimonials from former residents and family members, an email newsletter, and volunteer engagement rather than any commercial marketing apparatus, and the organization does not pursue geographic expansion beyond Cedar Rapids and Eastern Iowa.

Name

The Safe Place Foundation

Legal name

The Safe Place Foundation

Website

https://safeplacefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Safe Place Foundation is a Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that runs a 40-bed, two-phase residential recovery program serving homeless or near-homeless adult men in early recovery from drug or alcohol addiction, funded entirely by donations and serving approximately 100 men per year through a mix of institutional referrals and self-referrals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sober Living and Recovery Housing Services

NAICS

Residential Mental Health and Substance Abuse Facilities (623220), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Sober living housing
• Addiction recovery services
• Residential recovery program
• 12-step recovery support
• Homeless shelter services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cedar Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: The foundation relies on monetary donations from individuals, organizations, and community members to fund operations, maintain the two houses, and provide services to residents. Donations are accepted via Zeffy (preferred), PayPal, and Venmo.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Safe Place Foundation provides a 40-bed drug and alcohol-free residential recovery program for homeless or near-homeless adult males in early recovery, delivered across two houses in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The program is split into a two-week Phase One immersion (5 beds) covering 12 Step recovery and life skills, and a Phase Two extended stay of up to nine months (35 beds) focused on employment, budgeting, peer mentorship, and transition to independent living. Services are offered at no cost to residents and are funded entirely through donations, grants, and volunteer support.

Product overview

The Safe Place Foundation operates a two-phase residential recovery program for homeless or near-homeless adult males in early recovery from alcoholism or drug addiction. Phase One is a 5-bed intensive two-week program focused on 12 Step immersion and life skills development. Phase Two is a 35-bed extended stay program (up to nine months) combining continued recovery work with employment support and independent living preparation. Together, the programs provide a structured 40-bed sober living environment with ongoing staff support, peer mentorship, and community volunteer involvement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phase One Program An intensive two-week residential program for adult males in early recovery from alcohol or drug addiction, providing 12 Step immersion, life skills development (household chores, grocery shopping, meal planning, budgeting), and introduction to the local recovery community through meetings and events. Phase One has 5 beds and serves as the entry point into the foundation's recovery program.
• Phase Two Program A continuation residential program lasting up to nine months for men transitioning out of Phase One. Residents focus on job seeking, gaining employment, budgeting income, and saving for independent living, while continuing recovery work through a minimum of four outside 12 Step meetings per week, sponsor relationships, and house meetings facilitated by Phase II peers. Phase Two has 35 beds.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100 men assisted per year on average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Iowa WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity agency utilized by Safe Place Foundation to provide additional training and employment assistance for residents. Residents receive instruction on job seeking, resume writing, and interview preparation through this partnership.
• Linn County Drug CourtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJudicial referral program for individuals facing substance abuse-related charges. Safe Place Foundation provides court-ordered sober living placement as part of recovery sentencing alternatives.
• Local Recovery Community (AA, NA, CA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCedar Rapids area 12-step recovery meetings including Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Cocaine Anonymous. Residents attend meetings to engage with the local recovery community as part of their Phase I and Phase II programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Oxford House: The largest network of self-run sober living homes in the United States, with over 3,000 houses. Directly comparable as a peer-run sober living model serving individuals in early recovery, though Oxford House operates as a chartered house network rather than a centralized nonprofit.
• MARR Addiction Treatment Centers: Long-running recovery residence operator for men in early recovery from addiction, providing structured sober living with peer support in Georgia. Directly comparable as a gender-specific (men's) sober living nonprofit with phased programming and outcome measurement.
• Clean & Sober Transitional Living: Sacramento-based sober living operator providing structured recovery housing for men and women transitioning out of addiction. Comparable mission, resident population, and referral-driven intake model.
• A New Way of Life: Provides sober living housing and reentry support for individuals in recovery, primarily women and men coming from incarceration. Comparable in combining housing, life skills, and community reintegration programming on a donation-funded nonprofit model.
• The Granite House: Recovery residence operator providing structured sober living homes for men with peer support and 12-step integration. Comparable in operating small-capacity, peer-driven recovery houses in a regional market.
• Lumina Recovery: Sober living and recovery residence provider offering structured housing with peer support and life skills programming. Comparable as a modern sober living operator using phased programs similar to Safe Place's Phase I/II model.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Centers: Nationwide nonprofit operating long-term residential recovery programs for men and women with substance use disorders. Comparable as a much larger, established nonprofit providing free recovery housing funded by donations, though it operates at significantly greater scale and offers additional social services.

Regional players

• Iowa Harm Reduction Coalition: Iowa-based nonprofit serving people who use drugs, including referrals to housing and recovery resources. Comparable as a regional peer addressing substance use and housing instability, though focused on harm reduction rather than sober living specifically.
• Willis Dady Emergency Shelter: Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter and housing services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a regional peer addressing homelessness in the same geography, though focused on emergency shelter rather than recovery-specific housing.

Others

• Area Substance Abuse Council (ASAC): Eastern Iowa-based nonprofit providing substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. Comparable as a regional referral partner in the same geographic and population ecosystem, providing outpatient treatment that often feeds into sober living residences like Safe Place.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

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 The Safe Place Foundation