St. Paul's Center

What St. Paul's Center does

St. Paul's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Rensselaer, New York, founded in 2005 to provide emergency shelter and supportive housing to families experiencing homelessness in New York's Capital Region. Its core service is a year-round, 19-bed emergency shelter for mothers and their children, complemented by the Bridges Program — a post-shelter housing stability initiative reporting a 97% success rate in keeping families stably housed for more than a year after exit — and the Women's Empowerment Program, a trauma-informed peer support group. The organization has expanded its housing portfolio to include the Lee Dyer Family Apartments (10 units of permanent supportive housing, substantially funded by New York State's Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance) and, as of April 2025, Senior Housing at Pitcher Place in Colonie (16 supportive housing apartments for adults aged 55+). Ancillary programs include GED preparation kits, the Chain Reaction bicycle initiative for children, and children's running and enrichment activities.

The underlying operating model is service-direct provision rather than technology platform delivery; there are no proprietary software systems, AI/ML capabilities, or API-based products. Service delivery occurs on-site at the shelter and housing locations, with intake primarily through community referrals, self-referral, and coordination with social service agencies in Rensselaer County and the broader Capital Region. Since inception, St. Paul's Center reports having impacted more than 2,800 families.

St. Paul's Center operates entirely on a non-commercial revenue model: all shelter, housing, and supportive services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. Funding is assembled from four streams — individual donations and monthly giving (via Kindful), corporate sponsorships (Adopt-A-Night at $15/night, Adopt-A-Family, structured sponsorship tiers including $250 for three weeks of staff support), foundation and grant support (TSB Foundation, Community Foundation of the Capital Region, 100 Women Who Care, Sunmark Credit Union), and government funding (notably New York State OTDA for capital projects). Marketing and beneficiary outreach are conducted through the organization website, blog, seasonal newsletters, Facebook and Instagram, community events, volunteer programs, and earned media coverage.

Name

St. Paul's Center

Legal name

St. Paul's Center

Website

https://stpaulscenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

St. Paul's Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 19-bed emergency shelter, 10-unit permanent supportive housing, and 16-unit senior supportive housing in New York's Capital Region, serving homeless mothers with children and seniors aged 55+ with free shelter and stability services funded by donations, grants, and government support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Supportive Housing Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly (62331)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Independent Living with Supportive Services (Light ADL/IADL Support) (HLADAAAE), Affordable / Low-Income Assisted Living (Medicaid Waiver Focused) (HLADABAE)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Homeless family housing
• Supportive housing programs
• Nonprofit social services
• Housing stability advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Rensselaer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations and Monthly Giving: The organization relies heavily on individual donations through its website donation portal (Kindful). Monthly giving programs encourage recurring donations from community supporters. One-time donations are solicited through various campaigns including Adopt-A-Night ($15/night), Adopt-A-Family for holidays, and general fund drives.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors provide financial support in exchange for brand visibility and community recognition. Sponsors can fund specific nights of shelter ($15/night), three weeks of staff support ($250), or in-kind donations covering diapers, paper products, and kitchen items. The organization offers various sponsorship tiers and team-building volunteer activities for corporate partners.
3. Government Grants and Funding: The organization receives funding from government sources including New York State's Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). The 2020 Lee Dyer Family Apartments housing project was substantially funded through OTDA grants. The organization participates in government-funded housing programs for homeless families.
4. Foundation and Grant Support: St. Paul's Center receives grants from foundations including the TSB Foundation and Community Foundation of the Capital Region. Specific grants have funded programs like the Chain Reaction bicycle initiative (Sunmark Credit Union) and GED preparation kits (100 Women Who Care).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

St. Paul's Center operates a 19-bed emergency shelter for homeless mothers and children in Rensselaer County, New York, and provides permanent supportive housing (Lee Dyer Family Apartments, 10 units) and senior supportive housing (Pitcher Place, 16 units). Its Bridges Program delivers up to one year of post-shelter housing stability support with a documented 97% success rate, complemented by the Women's Empowerment Program, GED preparation kits, and the Chain Reaction bicycle program for children.

Product overview

St. Paul's Center operates as a coordinated suite of housing and support services for homeless families. The core offerings include a 19-bed emergency shelter providing immediate refuge, paired with the Bridges Program for post-shelter stability support (97% success rate). The Women's Empowerment Program delivers trauma-informed peer support sessions. On the housing side, the Lee Dyer Family Apartments provides permanent supportive housing for 10 families, while the newly launched Senior Housing at Pitcher Place (April 2025) offers 16 supportive apartments for seniors 55+. Ancillary programs include GED preparation kits and the Chain Reaction bike program for children's enrichment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter A 19-bed emergency shelter facility in Rensselaer County providing temporary housing, meals, and supportive services year-round to mothers and their children experiencing homelessness. The dedicated staff provides individualized support to help families transition to independent living.
• Lee Dyer Family Apartments

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of families in Bridges program remain in stable housing for more than a year after leaving shelter
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Rensselaer City Police Department (Deputy Chief Famiglietti)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with St. Paul's Center to plan the Chain Reaction bike rodeo community event. Contributed to bike safety education and community outreach.
• Freewheel Bike FixsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered for the Chain Reaction bike rodeo, donating time for free bike safety checks and basic bike repairs. Community ally in children's programming.
• Fleet Feet Running StoresupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal running store that fitted children in the SPC Runners program with appropriate shoes. Store owner Charlie provided mentorship and encouragement, treating children with kindness and respect.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Family Promise: National network specifically focused on family homelessness, providing shelter, prevention, and stabilization programs for families with children. Direct mission alignment with St. Paul's Center's family-shelter focus.
• Homeless and Travelers Aid Society (HATAS): Albany-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services to homeless individuals and families in the Capital Region. Direct comparable in mission and regional footprint.

Others

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National advocacy and policy organization that has featured St. Paul's Center's work in video features. Industry-level peer in the homelessness services ecosystem with aligned mission and referral network overlap.
• Rensselaer County Department of Social Services: Government agency that refers families to St. Paul's Center and co-funds housing programs. A primary referral partner and complementary public-sector service provider in the same geography.

Regional players

• Volunteers of America Upstate New York: Upstate NY branch of a national nonprofit providing housing, supportive services, and case management to homeless and vulnerable populations. Operates in overlapping Capital Region/NY geography with similar service offerings.
• Salvation Army of the Greater Capital Region: Regional branch of the national Salvation Army providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and social services in the Capital Region. Comparable in providing beds and case management to homeless populations.
• YWCA of the Greater Capital Region: Capital Region nonprofit providing housing and supportive services for women and families, including domestic violence and homelessness support. Comparable in serving women and families in the same geographic market.
• Bethesda House of Schenectady: Capital Region nonprofit providing emergency shelter and supportive services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Schenectady. Highly comparable to St. Paul's Center in mission, regional geography, and service mix.
• Unity House of Troy: Nonprofit based in Troy, NY (adjacent to Rensselaer) providing housing, case management, and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness, mental health challenges, and domestic violence. Strongly comparable in geography and service model.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Albany: Large faith-affiliated social services organization operating in the same Capital Region as St. Paul's Center, providing housing assistance, case management, and emergency support services to vulnerable populations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/stpaulscenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/stpaulscenter
• Xx.com/StPaulsCenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 St. Paul's Center