The Bridge Home

What The Bridge Home does

The Bridge Home, legally Shelter Housing Corporation d/b/a The Bridge Home, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered in Ames, Iowa. It is the only organization in central Iowa's Two Rivers Region (Boone, Greene, Hardin, Marshall, and Story counties) dedicated to ending homelessness among single men, women, and families. The organization operates a continuum of care delivered through five core service lines: Street Outreach, Diversion, Emergency Shelter (18 beds: 11 men, 7 women; plus an 8-bed family shelter), Supportive Housing (delivered from TBH-owned four-plex and 18-plex properties in Ames), and Connection to Services. Ancillary programs include the Empowerment Command Center case management hub, Welcome Home Kits, Meals Program, Housing Plan Organizers, Client Transportation, and 17 monthly library outreach sessions across Ames, Marshalltown, and Boone. Case management uses a Housing First, person-centered approach.

The technology footprint is minimal: a WordPress-based website (thebridgehome.org) serves as the primary digital platform for client intake forms, donation processing, and community engagement, with no proprietary technology, APIs, SDKs, or AI/ML capabilities disclosed. Digital outreach is supplemented by Facebook and LinkedIn pages plus a quarterly newsletter distributed to more than 16,000 households.

The business model is a non-commercial nonprofit model. Services are provided free of charge and funded through a diversified mix: federal and local government grants, private foundation grants (including a documented $20,000 Prairie Meadows Betterment Grant in 2024), individual donations (monetary, in-kind, and legacy giving), corporate sponsorships at multiple tier levels (Cummins, EBYPA, Overflow Thrift Store among named supporters), and an endowment fund eligible for the Endow Iowa 25% tax credit. In April 2025, the organization entered a management agreement with Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS), under which CISS provides executive leadership, financial oversight, and strategic guidance while The Bridge Home retains its brand, programs, and local identity.

Name

The Bridge Home

Legal name

Shelter Housing Corporation dba The Bridge Home

Website

https://thebridgehome.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Bridge Home is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1985 in Ames, Iowa, providing emergency shelter, supportive housing, street outreach, and case management to individuals and families experiencing homelessness across the five-county Two Rivers Region of central Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Shelter and Support Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Supportive housing programs
• Homelessness outreach
• Shelter case management
• Housing placement services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal and Local Grants: Government funding from federal and local sources supporting homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, and supportive housing programs.
2. Private Grants: Funding from private foundations supporting organizational programs and services.
3. Private Donations: Individual donor contributions including monetary gifts, in-kind donations of goods, and legacy giving.
4. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships for specific programs, outreach vehicles, meals, and newsletter publications at various tier levels.
5. Endowment Fund: The Bridge Home Endowment provides ongoing support and is eligible for Endow Iowa Tax Credit of 25%.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Bridge Home provides a continuum of homelessness support services including street outreach, diversion, emergency shelter, supportive housing, and connection to community resources for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Operating from its main campus in Ames, Iowa, the organization serves the Two Rivers Region across five counties with 18 emergency shelter beds plus 8 family beds and owns four-plex and 18-plex supportive housing properties. All services are provided free of charge and funded through grants, donations, and sponsorships.

Product overview

The Bridge Home is a non-profit homelessness support organization offering a continuum of care from preventive outreach to permanent housing programs. The core service portfolio consists of Street Outreach, Diversion, Emergency Shelter, Supportive Housing, and Connection to Services. Emergency Shelter operates from a main campus in Ames, Iowa with 18 beds (11 men, 7 women) plus a family shelter with 8 beds. Supportive Housing includes TBH-owned four-plex and 18-plex properties. Supporting services include the Empowerment Command Center, Welcome Home Kits, Housing Plan Organizers, Meals Program, Library Outreach Sessions, and Client Transportation. The organization serves the Two Rivers Region covering Boone, Greene, Hardin, Marshall, and Story counties in central Iowa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Street Outreach Proactive outreach program that connects with individuals experiencing homelessness on the street, providing outreach kits, collecting client information, making referrals, and maintaining relationships for ongoing support across the Two Rivers Region.
• Diversion Short-term program working with clients on the verge of homelessness to find safe alternatives to entering shelter through connection to services, support coordination, and conflict mediation.
• Emergency Shelter Temporary shelter providing food, health and wellbeing assistance, and financial education while clients work to secure permanent housing. The shelter in Ames has 18 beds (11 for men, 7 for women) and a family shelter with 8 beds next door.
• Supportive Housing Long-term, needs-based program to help clients secure affordable housing, overcome financial barriers, achieve self-sufficiency, and maintain a permanent home. TBH owns a four-plex and 18-plex designated for supportive housing programs in Ames.
• Connection to Services Program connecting clients to external programs and community resources to help them achieve sustainable, healthy outcomes, including 211 referrals.
• Empowerment Command Center All-in-one hub for clients to move beyond crisis to capability, providing guidance, training, and connection to resources. Staffed by ECC Coordinators Troy Jansen and Emma Martin, located at 110 N Sherman Ave, Ames, IA 50010.
• Rapid Re-Housing Housing program designed to help prevent clients from experiencing homelessness by providing assistance to secure affordable housing.
• Welcome Home Kits Essential items provided to individuals and families transitioning into permanent housing. Family kits ($10,000 sponsorship for 50 kits) and individual kits ($5,000 sponsorship for 50 kits) available through sponsorship.
• Meals Program Program ensuring clients and their families have access to nutritious food for at least two meals each day. Monthly sponsorship at $5,000 or holiday meal sponsorship at $1,500.
• Library Outreach Sessions 17 library outreach sessions each month conducted in Ames, Marshalltown, and Boone where staff works with clients to answer questions, process intakes, and make referrals.
• Client Transportation Transportation services and vehicle sponsorship program for outreach across Boone, Greene, Hardin, Marshall, and Story counties. Vehicle purchase sponsorship at $60,000, annual at $30,000, quarterly at $5,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% of shelter clients came from living conditions unfit for human habitation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 April 2025The Bridge Home and CISS entered a management agreement designed to strengthen services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Central Iowa. Under the agreement, CISS provides executive leadership, financial oversight, and strategic guidance to TBH while preserving TBH's unique identity and local impact. Includes structured 100-day transition plan with KPIs monitored at 75-day mark.
• Overflow Thrift StorecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverflow Thrift Store provides cash donations and gift cards enabling The Bridge Home clients to access essential clothing, footwear, and personal/household items. In 2023, Overflow contributed over $172,000 to 22 organizations. 'We love doing it that way because it gives people the dignity to pick out their own things that they need.' - Sandy Swanson, Executive Director.
• Martha's House of HopemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner providing transitional living for pregnant or parenting women and infants up to one year old. Services include housing, transportation, medical care, case management, and material assistance. The Bridge Home connects clients to Martha's House for specialized maternal/infant support.
• 211 IowamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational abbreviated dialing code (211) provides 24/7 free access to health and human services information and referral throughout Iowa including the Two Rivers Region. Local nonprofits submit service information to the call center for accurate referrals.
• Community & Family ResourcesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal agency facilitating the Steps Program, which Shelley (a client) participated in for recovery and wellness. The Bridge Home connects clients to this organization for specialized substance use and mental health recovery programs.
• Landlord PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal landlords who make vacant units available to individuals and families needing affordable housing. Benefits include priority matching for housing-ready clients, funding assistance for families, unit inspections, case manager support for tenants, and Section 8 enrollment assistance.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Salvation Army of Ames: Local Salvation Army branch in Ames providing emergency assistance and shelter-related services for individuals and families in need. Listed as a referral partner in The Bridge Home's contact network, serving overlapping client populations in the same geography.
• Martha's House of Hope: Iowa nonprofit providing transitional housing for pregnant or parenting women and infants. Direct referral partner of The Bridge Home, sharing the same client population of vulnerable families needing housing and wraparound support.
• Central Iowa Shelter & Services (CISS): Des Moines-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable as a same-region (Iowa) shelter operator that recently entered a management agreement to provide executive leadership and financial oversight to The Bridge Home.
• Community & Family Resources: Iowa-based nonprofit providing substance use and mental health recovery programs including the Steps Program. Direct referral partner of The Bridge Home, sharing clients needing behavioral health support as part of homelessness stabilization.
• Family Promise: National nonprofit operating shelter and housing programs specifically targeted at families with children experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable in mission and program model to The Bridge Home's family shelter and supportive housing services.

Regional players

• Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Statewide coalition supporting domestic violence service providers, including emergency shelters for survivors. Comparable as a regional nonprofit addressing intersecting needs of housing, safety, and crisis support for vulnerable Iowans.
• Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa: Central Iowa affiliate of Habitat for Humanity focused on affordable housing construction and homeownership pathways. Comparable as a regional affordable-housing nonprofit in The Bridge Home's service area, addressing the same housing-insecurity challenge from a supply-side angle.

Others

• United Way of Story County: Regional United Way affiliate that funder and convenes human services organizations across central Iowa, including The Bridge Home's region. Comparable as a key funding intermediary and ecosystem connector in The Bridge Home's operating geography.
• Primary Health Care (PHC) Iowa: Iowa nonprofit providing healthcare services to underserved populations including people experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a complementary service provider frequently serving the same client population as The Bridge Home.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of Central Iowa: Larger regional social services organization operating housing, refugee resettlement, and emergency assistance programs. Comparable as a multi-service nonprofit addressing homelessness and housing instability across overlapping Iowa geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TheBridgeHomeTwoRiversRegion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bridge-home

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 The Bridge Home