What Dayspring Center does

Dayspring Center (legal name: Dayspring Center Family Emergency Shelter) is a private nonprofit organization operating an emergency shelter for homeless families at 1537 N. Central Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. Incorporated in 1986 and rooted in an earlier Episcopal church feeding program begun in 1982, the organization runs a 24/7 facility with 14 private family rooms and an average resident stay of 45-60 days. Its core differentiator in the Indianapolis market is the only-family-shelter-keeps-families-together model, serving an average household of a mother with two children under age five, with 50-60% of clients being working families unable to afford housing.

The organization's program suite includes Emergency Shelter, a Children's Services Program with after-school tutoring, a Food and Nutrition Program, and a Follow-Up Case Management Program that maintains engagement with families for up to 12 months post-shelter. Camp Discovery, a six-week summer day camp for children with lived experience of homelessness, and the Holiday Gift Card Program round out the year-round service portfolio. Dayspring reports that 70% of families who complete the program move directly into permanent housing, and the organization has served more than 4,000 families and 11,000 children since opening.

Dayspring operates as a donation-funded nonprofit with no service pricing. Revenue is sourced primarily from individual donors (via the Bloomerang platform), corporate and foundation grants (including a 20-year Charity of Choice relationship with FORUM Credit Union), annual fundraising events (Golf Classic, Ride for Hope, Walking for Dreams, Anniversary Gala), and in-kind contributions. Federal funding was eliminated in 2025, materially shifting the operating model. The organization is led by Interim Executive Director Teresa Wessel (appointed May 5, 2026) following the April 2026 passing of Lori Casson, who had led Dayspring for over 20 years. Operations rely on 275+ annual volunteers and a network of faith-based and corporate partners, with no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML components.

Name

Dayspring Center

Legal name

Dayspring Center Family Emergency Shelter

Website

https://dayspringindy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dayspring Center is a nonprofit emergency shelter in Indianapolis operating a 14-room family facility that keeps parents and children together, serving homeless families with case management, children's services, and up to 12 months of post-shelter follow-up support, funded primarily by individual donors, corporate partners, and community fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors provide the primary funding base for Dayspring's operations. Donors contribute online through the Bloomerang donation platform, by mail, and through in-kind gifts. The organization emphasizes that nearly every dollar that keeps Dayspring operating comes from individual donors.
2. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Corporate partners, foundations, and organizations like FORUM Credit Union provide significant financial support through sponsorships, grants, and ongoing partnership programs. Dayspring has built relationships with companies that serve dinner monthly, donate vans, and provide sustained funding.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual events including the Golf Classic, Ride for Hope, Walking for Dreams, and Anniversary Gala generate revenue through event fees, sponsorships, and donations. These events serve dual purposes of fundraising and community awareness.
4. In-Kind Contributions: Dayspring receives in-kind donations including clothing, food, essential supplies, and holiday gifts. The Holiday Gift Card Program allows donors to provide gift cards enabling families to purchase holiday presents.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dayspring Center operates a 24/7 emergency family shelter in Indianapolis with 14 private family rooms, providing immediate crisis intervention including food, clothing, and shelter. The organization supplements shelter with individualized case management, a Children's Services Program (after-school tutoring and therapeutic activities), a Food & Nutrition Program, a Follow-Up Case Management Program providing up to 12 months of post-shelter support, Camp Discovery (a six-week summer day camp), and a Holiday Gift Card Program. The organization is the only Indianapolis emergency shelter that allows families to stay together (fathers are not separated from their children).

Product overview

Dayspring Center is a nonprofit emergency shelter organization providing a suite of integrated programs to homeless families in Indianapolis. The core offering is 24/7 emergency shelter with 14 private family rooms, supported by Children's Services (assessing and supporting children's development), Food & Nutrition, and the Follow-up Care Program (providing up to 12 months of case management after families leave). Seasonal programs include Camp Discovery (six-week summer day camp for children) and the Holiday Gift Card Program. The organization also operates fundraising events including the Dayspring Golf Classic, Ride for Hope cycling event, and Walking for Dreams. These programs work together to meet immediate needs while helping families achieve long-term stability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Camp Discovery: A six-week summer camp for children who have lived or are currently living at Dayspring. Provides a safe space for kids to play, explore, and offers activities including art classes, STEM, creative writing, field trips, gardening, and mind-body movement.
• Follow-Up Case Management Program

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter 24/7 emergency shelter for homeless families providing immediate crisis intervention, food, clothing, and shelter with case management support, with 14 private family rooms allowing families to stay together.
• Children's Services Program Program assessing and supporting the physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive health of children experiencing homelessness, including after-school tutoring and therapeutic activities.
• Food & Nutrition Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of families who complete the program move directly into permanent housing
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FORUM Credit UnioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2006One of FORUM's first Charity of Choice Partners since 2006. FORUM has served dinner at Dayspring on the second Wednesday of every month for twenty years. They donated two vans to Dayspring (2007 and 2022), have been chosen twice as beneficiary of company-wide employee fundraising, and host annual Purse Bingo events with proceeds going to Dayspring.
• Circle City GhostbustersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partner helping raise funds and awareness for Dayspring Center through events and community engagement.
• MJ-211minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Walking for Dreams community fundraising event.
• RBC Wealth ManagementcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle Sponsor for the Dayspring Golf Classic 2026, providing significant event funding at the Guardian Angel level ($8,500).
• Spidel Burnham & FinchcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily Champion Sponsor for multiple Golf Classics, with Tim Spidel serving as event coordinator and board president.
• Landman Beatty LawyerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily Champion Sponsor for Golf Classic events, providing ongoing corporate sponsorship support.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & SpiritsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBeverage Cart Sponsor for the Dayspring Golf Classic 2026.
• MJ-211minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPutting Green Sponsor for Golf Classic 2026.
• FoamcraftminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHaven Ambassador Sponsor for Golf Classic events.
• FHLBank IndianapolisminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHaven Ambassador Sponsor for Golf Classic 2026.
• Life Journey ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch volunteer team led by Dawn Watkins provides Saturday breakfast for shelter residents since 2015.
• Brebeuf Jesuit High SchoolminorGTM or Marketing PartnerStudents volunteer at Dayspring every Thursday through Nick Klinger, who has coordinated volunteers for 10 years.
• Bright LearningminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides tutoring services for Camp Discovery summer program serving homeless children.
• Horizon HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDayspring's Interim Executive Director Teresa Wessel previously served as CEO of Horizon House, creating potential for collaboration between the two homeless services organizations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Horizon House: Indianapolis-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness with shelter and supportive services. Directly comparable: same city, same population, and Dayspring's interim ED Teresa Wessel was previously Horizon House CEO, evidencing overlapping networks and programmatic model.
• Wheeler Mission: One of the largest emergency shelters in Indianapolis serving men, women, and families experiencing homelessness with shelter, food, and recovery programs. Comparable as a fellow Indianapolis-based emergency shelter competing for the same donor pool and serving overlapping homeless populations.
• Catholic Charities Indianapolis: Provides emergency assistance, family services, housing support, and case management across Central Indiana. Comparable as a faith-rooted direct service provider competing for the same population, donors, and government funding streams in Indianapolis.

Broad incumbents

• Family Promise: National nonprofit network focused specifically on family homelessness, mobilizing congregations and volunteers to shelter and rehouse families with children. Comparable as the leading national franchise model for family-focused emergency shelter, directly mirroring Dayspring's core constituency.
• Salvation Army of Central Indiana: Operates the Red Shield Shelter and family services in Indianapolis as part of a global social services organization. Comparable as a broad-incumbent provider of family shelter, food, and case management in the same Indianapolis market.

Others

• United Way of Central Indiana: Regional funder and convener that allocates dollars to family-services and homelessness agencies in Central Indiana. Comparable as a strategic ecosystem participant that channels corporate giving to peer shelters and coordinates the local funding landscape Dayspring depends on.
• Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP): Indianapolis-based coalition that advocates for and coordinates the local response to homelessness, publishing the annual Point-in-Time count referenced in Dayspring's materials. Comparable as the convening/advisory body whose data and policy positions directly shape Dayspring's operating environment.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National research, policy, and advocacy organization shaping federal homelessness funding and best practices. Comparable as the sector-wide standards-setter whose frameworks (e.g., Housing First, outcome measurement) directly inform how Dayspring designs programs and competes for national foundation dollars.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dayspringindy
• Xx.com/dayspringindy

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Dayspring Center