Kirkens Korshær

What Kirkens Korshær does

Kirkens Korshær is a Danish non-profit social welfare organization founded in October 1912 in Copenhagen by pastor Hans Peter Mollerup and 11 other founders. Operating as a forening (association), it runs a dual structure combining direct social services for vulnerable populations with a nationwide retail charity shop network. As of 2025, it operated 229 second-hand shops and 79 social service locations across Denmark, supported by approximately 8,500 volunteers alongside 251-500 paid employees, with two logistics centers (Glostrup and Hasselager) handling collection and distribution of donated goods.

The organization's service portfolio spans 38 day/night warming centers (varmestuer), 9 shelters (herberger), 14 family service locations, 3 health and drug consumption rooms, the Sct. Nicolai Tjenesten anonymous telephone counseling service, prison ministry across 34 of Denmark's 44 prisons, permanent supported housing, and activity/work communities — serving homeless individuals, vulnerable families, people with substance use disorders, and those experiencing loneliness or mental health crises. It is described as the only Danish organization combining this nationwide social service footprint with a retail funding mechanism, serving those 'fallen through the cracks' of other systems.

The 2025 revenue totaled 395 million DKK, with 87% of expenditure directed to social programs and only 4% to administration. Revenue is diversified across 41% from self-governing institutions, 24% public subsidies, 20% charity shop retail, and 15% private donations. Distribution is community-led through volunteer recruitment, direct donation pathways (website, MobilePay, SMS, recurring subscriptions, testamentary giving), corporate workplace giving partnerships, and physical shop locations. Technology plays a purely operational role (website, CRM, payment processing) with no proprietary technology stack disclosed.

Name

Kirkens Korshær

Legal name

Foreningen Kirkens Korshær

Website

https://kirkenskorshaer.dk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kirkens Korshær is a Danish non-profit founded in 1912 operating 229 charity shops and 79 social service locations. It delivers shelter, meals, family services, and harm reduction programs to vulnerable populations, funded by donations, public subsidies, and shop revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Homeless shelters
• Secondhand retail
• Charity organization
• Family support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Copenhagen

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Charity Shop Revenue: Revenue from 229 charity shops selling donated goods across Denmark. The shops are staffed primarily by volunteers, keeping costs low. Proceeds fund the organization's social work programs.
2. Private Donations: Individual donations from supporters, including one-time gifts, recurring monthly donations, and corporate giving programs. Donations are tax-deductible up to 20,000 DKK annually.
3. Foundation and Institutional Grants: Funding from private foundations and public institutions. In 2025, 41% of revenue came from self-governing institutions and 24% from public subsidies.
4. Public Subsidies: Government funding and public subsidies that supported 24% of 2025 revenue, supporting the organization's social service delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kirkens Korshær operates a nationwide social welfare network in Denmark consisting of 229 second-hand charity shops (Genbrug) that sell donated goods and 79 direct social service locations. These locations include 38 day/night warming centers (Varmestuer), 9 shelters, 14 family service programs, 3 supervised drug consumption rooms, housing services, prison ministry across 34 prisons, and the Sct. Nicolai Tjenesten anonymous phone counseling service. The organization provides food, shelter, clothing, addiction support, family services, and counseling to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, mental health challenges, and social exclusion.

Product overview

Kirkens Korshær operates as a social welfare organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of services to vulnerable populations in Denmark. The organization runs 229 second-hand shops (Genbrug) as its primary social enterprise, generating approximately 20% of funding that supports all operations. The core social services include 38 warmth/day centers (Varmestuer) providing meals, warmth, and community; 9 shelters (Herberger) offering temporary housing with support; 14 family service locations (Familietilbud) including parent cafés, children's clubs, and summer camps; 3 health and drug consumption rooms (Sundheds- og stofindtagelsesrum); the Sct. Nicolai Tjenesten anonymous phone counseling service; prison ministry services (Arresthustjenesten) across 34 prisons; 3 housing services (Botilbud) including permanent supported housing; and 4 activity/work communities. Additional offerings include lunch packages for school children and services for foreign homeless individuals. Founded in 1912, the organization is rooted in Church of Denmark values and serves people experiencing poverty, homelessness, mental illness, and social exclusion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Genbrug (Second-hand Charity Shops) A chain of 229 second-hand shops across Denmark where donated clothing, furniture, books, toys, and household items are sold to the public. Proceeds fund Kirkens Korshær's social work with homeless and vulnerable populations.
• Varmestuer (Day and Night Warming Centers) 38 day and night warming centers across Denmark providing hot meals, warmth, rest, hygiene facilities, and community for vulnerable and homeless individuals.
• Herberger (Shelters) Temporary housing facilities with support services for homeless individuals on their path to permanent housing. Kirkens Korshær operates multiple shelters across Denmark.
• Familietilbud (Family Services) 14 family service locations providing parent cafés, children's clubs, summer camps, family groups, and holiday assistance for vulnerable families and children in Denmark.
• Sundheds- og stofindtagelsesrum (Health and Drug Consumption Rooms) 3 supervised facilities in Odense, Aarhus, and Vejle providing health support and safe spaces for people who use drugs.
• Sct. Nicolai Tjenesten (Anonymous Phone Counseling Service) Denmark's oldest anonymous telephone service providing confidential counseling for lonely, distressed, and suicidal individuals. Volunteers answer approximately 58,720 calls annually.
• Arresthustjenesten (Prison Ministry) Counseling and support services for inmates in Danish prisons, offering conversations and presence for isolated individuals in crisis. Services extend to 34 of Denmark's 44 prisons.
• Botilbud (Housing Services) Permanent housing with support for former homeless individuals, including the Skurbyen (Shack Town) communities in Vejle and Aalborg consisting of small independent dwellings sharing outdoor areas and common houses.
• Aktivitets- og arbejdsfællesskaber (Activity and Work Communities) 4 meaningful community spaces for individuals far from the labor market, offering activities and work opportunities across Denmark.
• Sommerlejre (Summer Camps for Vulnerable Families) Annual vacation camps in partnership with Hotel Nyborg Strand providing four days of all-inclusive experiences including accommodation, meals, activities, and shopping for approximately 240 vulnerable family members each year.
• Madpakker (School Lunch Packages) Nutritious lunch packages prepared for school children from vulnerable families across Denmark, ensuring children attend school with a proper meal. Priced at 35 DKK per package for donors.
• Tilbud til udenlandske hjemløse (Services for Foreign Homeless) Food, warmth, and counseling services specifically for foreign homeless individuals in Denmark.

Quantifiable outcome

• 408,870 meals served and 365,777 registered visits to shelters in 2025
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Hotel Nyborg StrandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Hotel Nyborg Strand provides its facilities free of charge as a venue for Kirkens Korshær's annual summer camp for vulnerable families. Each year, approximately 240 people from family services attend a four-day camp. The hotel provides accommodation, meals, activities, and a free shop with clothing and supplies for families. The partnership has been active since 2022.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• KFUK's Sociale Arbejde (YWCA Social Work Denmark): Operates shelters, family support, and social services for vulnerable women and children across Denmark. Comparable in faith-rooted identity, shelter portfolio, and women's/family program focus.
• Dansk Flygtningehjælp (Danish Refugee Council): Major Danish NGO providing shelter, integration services, and humanitarian aid. Comparable in scale, government grants, and direct service delivery to vulnerable populations in Denmark.
• Frelsens Hær i Danmark (Salvation Army Denmark): Operates second-hand charity shops, homeless shelters, addiction rehabilitation, and family support across Denmark — the closest functional analogue to Kirkens Korshær's integrated retail-plus-social-service model, also with a faith-based identity.
• Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (DanChurchAid): Faith-based Danish NGO focused on poverty, humanitarian relief, and development. Comparable in church-affiliated identity, donor base, and mix of domestic and international programs.
• Mødrehjælpen (Mothers' Aid): Danish nonprofit providing counseling, family support, and economic guidance to vulnerable families with children. Directly comparable to Kirkens Korshær's familietilbud and school meal programs.
• Røde Kors Danmark (Danish Red Cross): Denmark's largest humanitarian organization, running shelters, family tracing, and social integration programs across the country. Closely comparable in operating model (nationwide sites, volunteer-driven, government-funded) and beneficiary base (vulnerable populations, refugees).
• Blå Kors Danmark (Blue Cross Denmark): Specializes in addiction treatment, harm reduction, and family support across Denmark. Comparable in social service mix, particularly the drug consumption room operations and recovery-focused programming.

Emerging players

• Sandwell Churches Winter Night Shelter (UK): UK faith-based charity network running rotating night shelters and family support services. Comparable in church-affiliated identity, shelter-network model, and volunteer-driven operations.
• Stockholms Stadsmission (Stockholm City Mission): Swedish nonprofit providing shelters, family services, addiction support, and social enterprise retail. Closest Nordic cross-border functional analogue to Kirkens Korshær's integrated service and social-enterprise model.

Regional players

• Hjemløseenheden, Københavns Kommune (Copenhagen Homeless Unit): Municipal government body operating shelters, varmestuer, and street outreach in Copenhagen. Regional peer providing overlapping services in Kirkens Korshær's home market — a public-sector equivalent of many of its programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxVaWn5cX3b9Y1xR5vqL6fQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/vierkirkenskorshaer
• Instagraminstagram.com/kirkenskorshaer_genbrug
• Xx.com/kirkenskorshaer
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kirkens-korsh-r

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Kirkens Korshær