What Harbor House does

Harbor House Ministries (HHM) is a Michigan-based nonprofit organization founded around 2005 that operates licensed Adult Foster Care - Specialized Residential services for adults with profound developmental disabilities. From a single campus at 919 44th St SW in Jenison, Michigan, HHM runs three residential homes — Pier Place, Beacon Place, and Anchor Place — each licensed for 12 residents and staffed 24/7 by trained direct care professionals, for a total census of 36 individuals. The organization supplements residential care with The Cove, an on-campus activity center offering PT/OT equipment, a sensory room, and a therapy pool, and with Day Program Services for individuals who have aged out of school programs. HHM is CARF-accredited at the highest 3-year level and licensed by the state of Michigan under LARA, and is overseen by Community Mental Health of Ottawa County.

The organization's business model blends insurance-funded care with philanthropy. Cost of care is reimbursed through Medicaid, Medicare, long-term care insurance, and auto insurance based on each resident's assessed level of assistance; insurance rates "do not fully fund the cost of care," and HHM therefore must raise at least $500,000 in donations each year to bridge the gap. Room and board fees are state-set at the monthly SSI rate minus $44. Admissions are routed through county Mental Health case managers and Supports Coordinators, with Ottawa County as the primary catchment and select neighboring counties (Kent via Network 180, Allegan via On Point) as secondary sources.

HHM is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, several of whom have family members living in the homes, and is led by Executive Director Becky Buchholz (appointed 2025). The organization employs 85+ direct care professionals supported by facilities, maintenance, culinary, and administrative teams, and operates with a debt-free financial principle. Strategic positioning is Christ-centered and relationship-driven, with go-to-market executed almost entirely through community referrals, family testimonials, and grassroots fundraising rather than paid marketing.

Name

Harbor House

Legal name

Harbor House Ministries

Website

https://harborhouseministries.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Harbor House Ministries is a Michigan nonprofit that provides licensed 24/7 adult foster care for 36 adults with profound developmental disabilities across three specialized residential homes in Jenison, funded by insurance, state-set room and board fees, and approximately $500,000 in annual donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Foster Care Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331), Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (623312)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

General Assisted Living Facilities (HLADABAA)

Keywords

• Adult foster care
• Residential disability services
• Specialized developmental care
• Community living supports
• Long-term disability housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Jenison

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. Insurance-funded care: Cost of care is based on the level of assistance an individual needs. Eligibility and approval for the cost of residential services must come through insurance which includes Medicaid, Medicare, long-term care insurance, and auto insurance.
2. Donations and fundraising: Harbor House must raise at least $500,000 each year to meet the costs involved in living abundantly. Funds support hiring qualified caring individuals, life and spiritual enrichment, and social/emotional programming. Donors can become Sustaining Partners, donate through IRA distribution, or include HHM in estate plans.
3. Room and board fees: Fees for room and board are set by the state for all AFC homes at the monthly SSI rate minus 44 dollars.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Harbor House Ministries operates three licensed Adult Foster Care – Specialized Residential homes (Pier Place, Beacon Place, and Anchor Place) in Jenison, Michigan, each providing 24/7 trained-staff residential care for 12 adults with profound developmental disabilities. The organization supplements residential care with The Cove activity center (featuring therapy pool, PT/OT equipment, and sensory room), Day Program Services for individuals who have aged out of school, and Community Living Supports that enable residents to participate in the broader community. Operations are funded primarily through Medicaid, Medicare, long-term care insurance, and auto insurance, supplemented by donations and fundraising.

Product overview

Harbor House Ministries operates as a unified care organization offering licensed Adult Foster Care - Specialized Residential services through three homes (Pier Place, Beacon Place, Anchor Place), each serving 12 residents. The organization supplements residential care with The Cove Activity Center featuring therapy pools, PT/OT equipment, and sensory rooms, plus Day Program Services for individuals aging out of school programs. Community Living Supports enable residents to participate in the broader community. The organization relies on more than 85 direct care professionals plus volunteer programs and donor contributions to sustain operations, raising approximately $500,000 annually through donations to cover costs not funded by insurance rates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adult Foster Care – Specialized Residential Licensed adult foster care homes (Pier Place, Beacon Place, Anchor Place) providing 24/7 specialized residential services for 12 individuals per home, staffed by trained direct care professionals for adults with profound developmental disabilities.
• The Cove Activity Center On-campus activity center equipped with specialized PT and OT equipment, a sensory room, therapy pool, and commercial kitchen, serving residents from all homes with daily enrichment experiences and therapies.
• Day Program Services Day programming directed by Kerri Adamczak combining therapies, activities, and enrichment for individuals who have aged out of school programs.
• Community Living Supports Staff-supported community participation including transportation, care, and support for outings to coffee shops, museums, sporting events, volunteering, and social activities in the broader community.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 residents per home with 24/7 staffing ensures high-quality individualized care

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lakeshore Disability NetworkminorOthersResource partner providing advocacy and resources for people with developmental disabilities. Listed as part of HHM's community resource network for families.
• Disability Advocates of Kent CountyminorOthersResource partner providing advocacy services for people with disabilities in Kent County. Listed as part of HHM's community resource network.
• The Arc of MichiganminorOthersStatewide advocacy organization for people with developmental disabilities. Listed as a community resource partner.
• The Family Hope FoundationminorOthersResource partner providing scholarships for equipment and therapies.
• Lori's VoiceminorOthersResource partner providing scholarships for equipment and therapies.
• Kenowa AmbucsminorOthersResource partner providing scholarships for equipment and therapies.
• Community Mental Health of Ottawa CountycoreOthersOversees local county community mental health system and conducts annual audits of HHM operations. Primary referral partner for admissions.
• Network 180 (Kent County)minorOthersCase management and funding agency partner for Kent County residents.
• On Point (Allegan County)minorOthersCase management and funding agency partner for Allegan County residents.
• Renew Therapeutic RidingminorOthersTherapeutic and adaptive recreation partner for residents.
• Franciscan Life Process Center Music TherapyminorOthersMusic therapy partner providing therapeutic services to residents.
• Mary Free Bed Recreation TherapyminorOthersRecreation therapy partner providing therapeutic and adaptive recreation services.
• My Team TriumphminorOthersAdaptive recreation organization partner supporting community participation.
• Clock MobilityminorOthersAccessible transportation provider for sales and rental of mobility equipment.
• Lakeshore Ride LinkminorOthersTransportation partner providing accessible transportation services.
• Hope Network RidesminorOthersTransportation partner providing accessible transportation services.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• The Arc Michigan: Statewide advocacy and resource network for people with developmental disabilities in Michigan. Listed by Harbor House as a community partner; not an operator but a peer advocacy/reference network shaping the I/DD landscape in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Mosaic: National faith-informed nonprofit providing residential and day services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Operates group homes across many states with similar 24/7 staffing and Medicaid-funded care model.
• Sevita Health (formerly The MENTOR Network): Large national provider of home and community-based services for adults and children with intellectual, developmental and behavioral health needs. Comparable ICF/IID and group-home residential services with Medicaid payer base.
• RHA Health Services: Multi-state provider of residential, behavioral health and I/DD services, including specialized group homes. Comparable Medicaid-funded residential model for adults with developmental disabilities.
• BrightSpring Health Services: Diversified home and community health platform with significant services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including residential supports. Public company benchmark for scaled I/DD residential services.

Direct peers

• Beacon Specialized Living Services: Michigan-based Adult Foster Care provider serving adults with developmental disabilities, mental illness, and traumatic brain injuries. Operates licensed AFC homes in Michigan with similar Medicaid funding and county-referral dynamics.
• Hope Network: Michigan-based nonprofit providing housing, residential services, and supports for individuals with developmental disabilities, brain injuries, and mental health needs. Directly comparable mission, payer mix (Medicaid), and residential care model across Michigan.
• Penn-Mar Human Services: Regional nonprofit providing residential, day and employment supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Pennsylvania/Maryland. Comparable community-based residential model with similar payer mix.

Regional players

• LifeScape (formerly South Dakota Achieve): Regional nonprofit providing residential, therapy and day services for children and adults with developmental disabilities. Comparable small-scale, faith-informed nonprofit residential model operating in a single state region.
• Community Living Services (Michigan): Michigan-based supports and services organization for people with developmental disabilities, coordinating residential and community living supports with county CMH partners. Comparable Michigan footprint and CMH-driven referral model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/harborhouseministriesmichigan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harbor-house-ministries-of-michigan

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Harbor House