What Capuchin Community Services does

Capuchin Community Services (CCS) is a faith-based nonprofit social services organization operating in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and a ministry of the Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) religious organization). Founded in 1968 with the establishment of the House of Peace in the wake of Milwaukee's civil unrest, CCS operates two physical locations: the House of Peace at 1702 W. Walnut Street and St. Ben's Community Meal at 930 W. State Street. The organization serves people experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness in Milwaukee, with specific focus on households in ZIP codes 53205, 53206, and 53233. The organization served 148,455 neighbors in 2025 and maintains the largest food pantry in Milwaukee (18,000+ people annually) and the largest seasonal winter warming shelter (70 beds).

CCS delivers a comprehensive suite of free services including hot meals (five nights weekly at St. Ben's), an emergency food pantry, a clothing closet, showers, laundry, haircuts, health screenings, a legal clinic, spiritual care, social work support, holiday food boxes, and a winter warming center operating December through March. These services are produced through a direct-service model with no technology layer; there is no proprietary platform, no app, no API, and no AI/ML component. Partners such as Ascension Health, UW-Milwaukee School of Nursing, and Marquette University Law School embed clinical and legal services into the two sites.

CCS generates no fee revenue. The organization's annual operating budget is approximately $3 million, funded through six revenue streams: individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, in-kind donations, fundraising events (centered on the Capuchin Walk for the Hungry, now in its 20th year), planned/legacy giving, and stock gifts processed through JP Morgan. A dedicated grant writer (Jacob Winder) secures funding from area foundations including the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, Potawatomi Community Foundation, WE Energies Foundation, Jane Bradley Pettit Foundation, and corporate foundations from Kroger, TJX, and Sargento. The organization is volunteer-driven and operates with a small staff under Ministry Director Fr. Zoy Garibay, OFM Cap., who assumed the role in 2025.

Name

Capuchin Community Services

Legal name

The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order, Inc.

Website

https://capuchincommunityservices.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Capuchin Community Services is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit social services organization operating two locations (House of Peace and St. Ben's) that provide free meals, food pantry, clothing, shelter, health, and legal services to people experiencing poverty and homelessness, funded through donations and grants with a ~$3 million annual operating budget.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (62421), Community Food Services (624210), Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Emergency food assistance
• Community meal program
• Homeless services
• Food pantry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals supporting the ministry's operations, collected online or by mail to PO Box 412, Milwaukee, WI 53201-0412.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Grant funding from corporations and foundations to support operational budget of approximately $3 million annually. Grant writer Jacob Winder secures funding from donors.
3. In-Kind Donations: Donations of clothing, food, hygiene items, and other goods directly distributed to guests at no charge.
4. Fundraising Events: Annual Capuchin Walk for the Hungry fundraising event, in its 20th year in 2025, raises awareness and funds for the organization.
5. Planned Giving: Legacy giving programs allowing donors to build a lasting legacy through planned gifts.
6. Stock Gifts: Accepts donations of stock through JP Morgan broker to benefit Capuchin Community Services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Capuchin Community Services is a faith-based nonprofit operating two Milwaukee locations—the House of Peace and St. Ben's Community Meal—that provide free hot meals, emergency food pantry, clothing, seasonal winter shelter, showers, laundry, haircuts, health screenings, legal aid, holiday food boxes, and spiritual care to people experiencing poverty, hunger, and homelessness. All services are provided at no charge and funded through individual donations, corporate and foundation grants, in-kind contributions, and community fundraising events.

Product overview

Capuchin Community Services is a nonprofit social services organization operated by the Capuchin Franciscan Province of St. Joseph, offering a comprehensive suite of programs to serve the poor, hungry, and homeless of Milwaukee since 1968. The organization operates two main locations—the House of Peace (founded 1968) and St. Ben's Community Meal (serving since 1970)—providing emergency food assistance through a food pantry, hot meals through a community meal program, free clothing distribution, seasonal winter shelter, health and wellness services, legal aid, social work support, and holiday food box programs. These services are provided at no cost to guests and are funded through donations, grants, and community fundraising events including the annual Capuchin Walk for the Hungry.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• St. Ben's Community Meal Free hot meal program serving people experiencing homelessness and hunger at the St. Ben's Community Meal location five nights per week (Sunday-Thursday), with bagged meals on Fridays. Operated continuously since 1970 by rotating sponsor groups under Capuchin Community Services.
• House of Peace Food Pantry Emergency food pantry serving residents of Milwaukee ZIP codes 53205, 53206, and 53233, providing canned goods, peanut butter, cereal, rice, beans, soup, and fresh bread at no cost. Largest food pantry in Milwaukee, serving 18,000+ people annually.
• Capuchin Clothes Closet Free clothing distribution service providing new and gently used clothing for men, women, and children, including shoes and household items. Donated items are not re-sold and are given directly to those who need them.
• St. Ben's Winter Warming Center Seasonal emergency overnight shelter operating December through March, providing beds for 50 men and 20 women to protect individuals from harsh Milwaukee winters. Largest seasonal warming shelter in Milwaukee.
• Open Door Ministries Comprehensive support services at St. Ben's including free showers, laundry facilities, haircuts, birth certificate assistance, eyeglasses, and driver's license recovery for people experiencing homelessness.
• House of Peace Wellness Center / Health Care Free health and wellness services including health screenings, wellness programs, health education, referral services, nursing case management, and adult wellness checks, provided in partnership with Ascension Health and the UWM School of Nursing.
• Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic Free legal advice and referral services for civil legal matters, offered weekly at the House of Peace through Marquette University Law School volunteer attorneys and law students.
• Holiday Food Box Program Special holiday food distributions at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter providing complete holiday meals including turkey or gift cards, serving over 1,000 households annually through the House of Peace food pantry.

Quantifiable outcome

• 148,455 neighbors served in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 core and minor.

• Ascension HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAscension Health provides healthcare services at St. Ben's through the Ascension St. Ben's Clinic, offering wellness checks and other health services to adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUWM School of Nursing operates the House of Peace Community Nursing Center, providing health screenings, wellness programs, health education, referral services, and case management for guests.
• Marquette University Law SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarquette Volunteer Legal Clinic offers free legal advice and referral services for civil legal matters at House of Peace every Tuesday from 1:00-3:00 PM.
• Milwaukee BucksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMilwaukee Bucks NBA franchise mascot Bango has visited St. Ben's Community Meal. Bucks players and staff have volunteered at food drives.
• Hunger Task ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGrant supporting St. Ben's Meal and House of Peace Food Pantry.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Hunger Task Force: Milwaukee-based food bank and anti-hunger organization that is an explicit grant and operational partner of Capuchin Community Services, directly comparable in food distribution, food pantry, and meal program focus.
• Milwaukee Rescue Mission: Milwaukee faith-based nonprofit providing meals, shelter, and recovery services to the homeless and hungry, directly comparable in mission, geography, and target population to CCS.
• Salvation Army of Milwaukee County: National faith-based nonprofit operating shelter, food, and social services in Milwaukee, offering a similar suite of emergency and community support programs as Capuchin Community Services.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: Faith-based social services agency providing food, housing, and emergency assistance across the Milwaukee region, highly comparable in faith-rooted model and breadth of free services.
• Guest House of Milwaukee: Milwaukee nonprofit operating the city's primary men's homeless shelter and offering supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness, directly comparable in shelter and wraparound service model.
• Hope House of Milwaukee: Milwaukee faith-affiliated shelter and meal provider serving men, women, and families experiencing homelessness, closely comparable in shelter capacity and emergency meal service offerings.

Regional players

• Repairers of the Breach: Milwaukee day shelter and resource center serving people experiencing homelessness with meals, showers, and case management, comparable in service mix but operates as a day program rather than overnight shelter.
• StreetLife Ministries: Milwaukee street outreach nonprofit supporting youth and adults experiencing homelessness and hunger, comparable in faith-based community service model and Milwaukee focus.

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin: Regional food bank serving eastern Wisconsin including Milwaukee, comparable in food distribution mission and pantry network, though operating at significantly larger scale across a broader geography.
• United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County: Large regional nonprofit that funds and coordinates many of the same social services in Milwaukee, comparable in funding relationship and community impact focus though operating as a funder/convener rather than direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/capuchincommunityservices
• Facebookfacebook.com/CapuchinCommunityServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/capuchin-community-services

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 Capuchin Community Services