Compass House
Compass House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 in Buffalo, NY that provides 24/7 emergency shelter, resource center services, rapid re-housing, and transitional living programs for runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth ages 12-24 in Western New York's Erie County.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1972
- HeadquartersBuffalo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Compass House does
Compass House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and headquartered in Buffalo, New York, that provides emergency shelter and supportive services to runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth in Western New York. Its core service portfolio is structured around an Emergency Shelter at 370 Linwood Avenue for youth ages 12-17 (operating 24/7/365 with a 24-hour crisis hotline at 716-886-0935), a Resource Center at 1451 Main Street for youth ages 14-24 offering non-residential case management, counseling, meals, and hygiene/laundry facilities, and a Transitional Independent Living Program (Honeydew House) accommodating up to six young adults aged 18-24 for a maximum of two years. The organization operates a Rapid Re-Housing Program that housed 78 clients in the trailing 12 months, and participates in the National Safe Place network, running the nationwide TEXT4HELP text crisis service (text SAFE to 44357) and maintaining designated Safe Place sites at 30+ Tops Markets, all NFTA buses, Boys and Girls Clubs, and GLYS Drop-in Center across Erie County.
The organization's revenue model is grant- and donation-funded rather than transactional. All services are provided free, confidential, and voluntarily. Funding streams include federal grants from the Family and Youth Services Bureau (within HHS/Administration for Children and Families) and HUD; private foundation grants (notably a $190,000 three-year implementation grant from The John R. Oishei Foundation, plus Peter C. Cornell, Josephine Goodyear, Children's Foundation, M&T Charitable Foundation, Wilson Greatbatch, Zemsky Junior Board, and Absolutegoo.com); individual tax-deductible donations accepted 24/7; in-kind gifts via an Amazon Wish List; and annual fundraising events including the Richard L. Martin Memorial Classic golf tournament and an Annual Dinner Program. Reach is reported as approximately 300 youth served annually at the shelter and an additional 300 at the Resource Center, totaling 500+ youth annually, which the organization characterizes as roughly 20% of Western New York's homeless youth under age 24 against a regional population of over 3,000 homeless youth.
The go-to-market motion is community-led, dependent on referrals from schools, hospitals, law enforcement, and faith-based organizations, walk-in and hotline intake at Compass House facilities, and the Safe Place partner network. Auxiliary partnerships with Harvest House (CNA training), Buffalo Employment Training Center (GED and employment training), and Villa Maria College (Independent Living Skills video content) extend employment and education pathways. Leadership consists of Executive Director Lisa Freeman, Youth Services Director John Ferby, Shelter Director Latosha Shelton, Rapid Re-Housing Director Mark Mancuso, Director of Development Maris Roalsvig, Independent Living Counselor Kasey Schiffman, Statistician Thom Piniewski, and Communications and Volunteer Coordinator Julie Baker. No parent company, subsidiaries, M&A activity, or commercial funding rounds are present.
Compass House firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Compass House
- Legal name
- Compass House
- Website
- https://compasshouse.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1972
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Compass House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 in Buffalo, NY that provides 24/7 emergency shelter, resource center services, rapid re-housing, and transitional living programs for runaway, homeless, and at-risk youth ages 12-24 in Western New York's Erie County.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Compass House industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Homeless Shelter and Social Services
- NAICS
- Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Child and Youth Services (62411), 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), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)
Keywords
Where Compass House is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Buffalo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Compass House business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Government Grants and Funding: Funded by Family and Youth Services Bureau within the Administration for Children and Families (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
- Private Foundation Grants: Funded by foundations including The John R. Oishei Foundation ($190,000 three-year implementation grant), Peter C. Cornell Foundation, Josephine Goodyear Foundation, Children's Foundation, M & T Charitable Foundation, Zemsky Junior Board, Wilson Greatbatch, and Absolutegoo.com
- Fundraising Events: Annual events including Richard L. Martin Memorial Classic golf tournament and Annual Dinner Program generate community support and donations
- Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted 24/7 at Emergency Shelter and Monday-Friday 9am-5pm at Resource Center; Amazon Wish List for in-kind gifts
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Compass House product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Compass House provides free, confidential, voluntary emergency shelter, housing, and support services for runaway, homeless, and street youth ages 12-24 in Western New York. Core programs include a 24/7/365 Emergency Shelter (ages 12-17), a non-residential Resource Center (ages 14-24) offering case management and counseling, Rapid Re-Housing for housing placement, a Transitional Independent Living Program (up to two years for ages 18-24), and the Safe Place community crisis-intervention network with TEXT4HELP texting service.
Product overview
Compass House operates as a coordinated services organization offering shelter, housing, and support programs for runaway and homeless youth in Western New York. The organization functions as a unified service portfolio organized around a central Emergency Shelter (for youth ages 12-17) complemented by a Resource Center (for ages 14-24) that provides non-residential case management and counseling. Supporting programs include Rapid Re-Housing and the Transitional Independent Living Program (for young adults 18-24) that facilitate long-term housing stability, the Safe Place Program providing 24/7 crisis access through community sites and TXT4HELP text services, and an Independent Living Skills video-based educational service. All services are voluntary, free, and confidential.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Emergency Shelter 24/7/365 crisis shelter providing immediate access to counseling, meals, and temporary housing for runaway and homeless youth ages 12-17, staffed by trained professionals.
- Resource Center Non-residential support services for homeless or at-risk youth ages 14-24 at 1451 Main Street, Buffalo, including case management, independent living skills instruction, personal care supplies, food, cooking and laundry facilities, and individual, group and family counseling.
- Rapid Re-Housing Housing placement program helping young adults experiencing homelessness secure stable housing through case manager support, landlord advocacy, and placement in safe housing.
- Transitional Independent Living Program Transitional housing program at Honeydew House accommodating up to six young adults aged 18-24 for a maximum of two years, offering intensive case management, independent living skills training, employment support, education guidance, and assistance finding permanent housing.
- Safe Place Program National youth shelter outreach program providing immediate access to shelter and services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year through designated Safe Place sites including 30+ Tops Markets locations, all NFTA buses, Boys and Girls Clubs, and GLYS Drop-in Center in Erie County, with TEXT4HELP text-based crisis intervention service (text SAFE and location to 44357).
- Independent Living Skills Educational video series and counseling services teaching essential independent living skills including hygiene, budgeting, and locating safe neighborhoods, with access to an Independent Living Counselor (videos created in partnership with Villa Maria College students).
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves 500+ youth annually through shelter, resource center, and outreach efforts
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Compass House
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Compass House technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Compass House partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Tops Marketscore30 Tops Markets locations in Erie County designated as Safe Place sites where youth can access immediate help
- NFTA (Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority)coreAll NFTA buses designated as Safe Place sites for youth crisis response
- Boys and Girls ClubscoreDesignated as Safe Place sites in Erie County for youth crisis response
- GLYS Drop-in CentercoreDesignated as Safe Place site in Erie County for youth crisis response
- National Safe PlacecoreNational organization providing the Safe Place framework and TEXT4HELP text service (44357) for teen crisis response
- River Oaks Golf ClubminorVenue partner for the 2025 Richard L. Martin Memorial Classic golf tournament
- Villa Maria CollegeminorStudents from Villa Maria created 'How to' videos for the Independent Living Skills program including Hygiene 101, Locating Safe Neighborhoods, and Budgeting
- Western New York Coalition for the HomelessminorSource of regional homeless youth statistics and data for Erie County
- Harvest HouseminorPartner providing free CNA training program to Compass House clients
- Buffalo Employment Training CenterminorPartner providing GED classes and employment training opportunities to Compass House clients
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Compass House competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hetrick-Martin Institute: New York-based nonprofit serving LGBTQ+ youth with shelter, drop-in services, case management, and independent living supports — a comparable multi-program youth services organization, though with a more narrowly defined sub-population.
- Ali Forney Center: New York City nonprofit operating the largest LGBTQ+ homeless youth shelter network in the U.S., offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and drop-in services; directly comparable as a multi-site youth homelessness services provider.
- Larkin Street Youth Services: San Francisco-based nonprofit offering shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services for homeless and at-risk youth ages 12-24, with a service mix (emergency shelter, resource center, housing placement, independent living skills) closely paralleling Compass House's portfolio.
- YouthCare (Seattle): Nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and education/employment programs to homeless youth and young adults in the Puget Sound region; closely comparable operating model and target population (ages 12-24).
- Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and supportive services to homeless and trafficked youth ages 18-24, with a multi-site service model very similar to Compass House's shelter + resource center + transitional living portfolio.
- New Alternatives for Homeless Youth: New York City nonprofit providing shelter, drop-in services, case management, and independent living support to homeless LGBTQ+ youth ages 16-24, with a service mix and target demographic closely overlapping Compass House's resource center and transitional living model.
Others
- Western New York Coalition for the Homeless: Regional advocacy, data, and Continuum of Care coordinating body for homeless services in Western New York; adjacent comparator because Compass House both serves youth within its catchment and relies on its data for impact reporting.
Broad incumbents
- National Safe Place: National umbrella network that licenses the Safe Place/TEXT4HELP framework Compass House deploys; comparable because Compass House is both a program operator and a local Safe Place licensee within this network.
- Salvation Army of Buffalo: Regional nonprofit operating emergency shelter, transitional housing, and case management in Western New York; comparable because of overlapping shelter + housing services in the same Erie County geography, though with a much broader service mandate.
Regional players
- HomeBase (Buffalo): Western New York nonprofit operating homelessness prevention, housing placement, and case management programs; comparable because of its overlap with Compass House's Rapid Re-Housing and community housing-services model in the same geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Compass House social profiles
Digital presenceCompass House financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Compass House leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Compass House funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Compass House M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Compass House
What does Compass House do?
Compass House provides free, confidential, voluntary emergency shelter, housing, and support services for runaway, homeless, and street youth ages 12-24 in Western New York. Core programs include a 24/7/365 Emergency Shelter (ages 12-17), a non-residential Resource Center (ages 14-24) offering case management and counseling, Rapid Re-Housing for housing placement, a Transitional Independent Living Program (up to two years for ages 18-24), and the Safe Place community crisis-intervention network with TEXT4HELP texting service.
Is Compass House a public or private company?
Compass House is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Compass House founded?
Compass House was founded in 1972. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Compass House based?
Compass House is headquartered in Buffalo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Compass House make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Grants and Funding is the primary driver. The others are private Foundation Grants, fundraising Events and individual Donations.
Who are Compass House's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hetrick-Martin Institute, Ali Forney Center, Larkin Street Youth Services, YouthCare (Seattle), Covenant House and New Alternatives for Homeless Youth. Western New York Coalition for the Homeless is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are National Safe Place and Salvation Army of Buffalo. HomeBase (Buffalo) is listed as a regional player.
Does Compass House have an API?
No public API is recorded for Compass House.
What industry is Compass House in?
Compass House's product category is Youth Homeless Shelter and Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAB, Housing Assistance & Homeless Services, with a secondary code of BPAIANAC, Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services. Its NAICS code is 62422 and its SIC code is 8300.