Paz de Cristo
Paz de Cristo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center in Mesa, Arizona that feeds, clothes, and empowers people experiencing hunger, poverty, and homelessness in the Phoenix East Valley through nightly meals, showers, food boxes, clothing, ID/job assistance, and mail services, supported by 8,000+ annual volunteers and individual, corporate, and foundation donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersMesa, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Paz de Cristo does
Paz de Cristo Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at 424 W Broadway Rd, Mesa, Arizona, founded in 1988 as an outreach ministry of St. Timothy's Catholic Church and incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 2008 (EIN 26-1669496). The organization delivers integrated human-services programming organized around three pillars — Feed (nightly hot meals served 365 days a year and emergency food boxes), Clothe (showers, clothing closet, free haircuts), and Empower (Arizona ID vouchers, birth certificate assistance, a Jobs Program with career coaching and resume support, and a USPS-approved mailroom for guests without permanent addresses). Its model is direct service delivery from a single physical campus, with no technology product layer.
Operationally, Paz de Cristo serves 50,000+ meals per month, welcomes roughly 2,400 unique guests and 7,000+ visits per month, and reports serving 16,000+ individuals annually across segments that include people experiencing homelessness, the working poor (~45% of nightly guests), veterans, seniors on fixed incomes, and families with children. It employs a small paid staff of approximately 14 people led by Executive Director Jackie Shelley and is supported by 8,000+ volunteers contributing 37,000 hours annually, plus a 13-member Board of Directors. Reported program efficiency is 87 cents of every donated dollar going directly to programs.
The revenue model is donation-based philanthropy: individual one-time and recurring gifts, corporate and foundation grants (Thunderbirds Charities, Delta Dental of Arizona Foundation, Fry's, SRP, Boeing, Union Pacific, and others), Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donations enabled by its QCO designation (Code 20275), planned giving through a gift legacy portal, and in-kind contributions of food and goods. Fundraising is diversified across an annual More than a Meal gala, an annual Golf Tournament (raising $36,000+ in 2024), and the Empty Bowls partnership with Mesa Community College. Marketing and outreach occur through the pazdecristo.org website, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and email newsletter. The organization holds Candid/GuideStar Platinum Transparency (2025 and 2026) and a Charity Navigator 4-Star Rating.
Paz de Cristo firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Paz de Cristo
- Legal name
- Paz de Cristo Community Center
- Website
- https://pazdecristo.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Paz de Cristo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center in Mesa, Arizona that feeds, clothes, and empowers people experiencing hunger, poverty, and homelessness in the Phoenix East Valley through nightly meals, showers, food boxes, clothing, ID/job assistance, and mail services, supported by 8,000+ annual volunteers and individual, corporate, and foundation donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Paz de Cristo industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social and Human Services (Hunger Relief & Homeless Services)
- NAICS
- Community Food Services (62421), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Meals, Nutrition & Congregate Dining Day Programs (HSABANAM)
Keywords
Where Paz de Cristo is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mesa
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Paz de Cristo business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: The organization receives monetary donations from individuals through its website, mail, and in-person. Donors can make one-time or monthly recurring gifts. Donations are tax-deductible as it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
- Corporate & Foundation Grants: Paz de Cristo receives grants and sponsorships from corporations (Fry's, SRP, Boeing, Delta Dental Foundation, Thunderbirds Charities, etc.) and foundations to support food programs, operations, and specific initiatives.
- Arizona Charitable Tax Credit: Arizona taxpayers can donate up to $506 (single) or $1,009 (married) and receive a dollar-for-dollar state income tax credit. This encourages donations from Arizona residents.
- Planned Giving: The organization offers planned giving opportunities through its gift legacy portal for donors wishing to include Paz de Cristo in their estate planning.
- In-Kind Donations: The organization accepts food, clothing, and other physical goods donations which support its programs without requiring cash expenditure.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation-based services - free to recipients |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
Paz de Cristo product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Paz de Cristo Community Center provides free direct services to individuals and families experiencing hunger, poverty, and homelessness in the Phoenix East Valley. Its core offerings include nightly hot meals served 365 days a year, emergency food box distributions, hot showers with hygiene kits, a clothing closet, free haircuts, Arizona ID and birth certificate assistance, a Jobs Program with career coaching and resume support, and a USPS-approved mailroom. Services are delivered on-site at its Mesa, Arizona campus and are funded through donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.
Product overview
Paz de Cristo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community center offering a unified set of social services organized around three core pillars: Feed, Clothe, and Empower. The organization operates as a single integrated service program rather than a platform-with-modules architecture. Core services include nightly meal service (hot meals 365 days/year), emergency food boxes, showers, clothing closet, and free haircuts. These are complemented by empowerment programs including Arizona ID vouchers, birth certificate assistance, a Jobs Program with career coaching and resume support, and USPS-approved mailroom services. The services work together to address immediate needs (hunger, hygiene, clothing) while removing barriers to self-sufficiency (IDs, employment, stable addresses).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Nightly Meal Service
- Emergency Food Boxes
- Showers Program
- Clothing Closet
- Free Haircuts
- Arizona ID Vouchers
- Birth Certificate Assistance
- Jobs Program
- Mailroom Services
- Water Stations
Quantifiable outcome
- 87 cents of every dollar goes directly to programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Paz de Cristo
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Paz de Cristo technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Paz de Cristo partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Fry's Food StorescoreCorporate sponsor providing ongoing support for food programs and community outreach
- SRP (Salt River Project)coreCorporate sponsor supporting community services and operations
- BoeingminorCorporate sponsor supporting community programs
- Union PacificminorCorporate sponsor supporting community services
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian CommunityminorCommunity sponsor supporting East Valley services
- City of MesacoreCity sponsor and partner; Mayor John Giles recognized for support of Paz deristo and community contributions
- City of TempeminorCity sponsor supporting community programs
- Dignity HealthminorHealthcare sponsor supporting community wellness
- Marc Community ResourcescorePartner providing behavioral health, substance abuse, employment, and sober living services; Navigators help guests get jobs and access resources
- Community Bridges, InccorePartner providing behavioral health, substance abuse, domestic violence, employment, and rehabilitation services through community court connections
- Circle the CitycoreHealthcare partner providing medical and mental health services for guests in need
- Copa HealthcoreHealthcare partner previously located at Paz de Cristo; provides navigators and health services for community members
- Arizona Food Bank NetworkcoreNetwork connecting guests to additional food resources across Arizona
- St. Vincent de PaulcorePartner providing housing assistance; worked with Paz to secure apartment deposit for guests
- St. Patrick Catholic CommunitycoreChurch volunteer group serving monthly for 20+ years; sends 7-20 volunteers for evening meal; organizes donation drives for socks, underwear, t-shirts
- Mesa Community CollegeminorPartner for Empty Bowls event; art students create handcrafted bowls; restaurant partners provide soup
- iHelpminorProgram offering temporary shelter; guests connected through Paz de Cristo
- Veterans Affairs (VA)coreFederal partner providing veteran benefits, counseling, and housing programs through the VA system
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Paz de Cristo competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Circle the City: Phoenix-based nonprofit providing healthcare, recuperative care, and outreach to people experiencing homelessness. Already a core partner of Paz de Cristo, the organizations share the same beneficiary population and frequently cross-refer guests.
- UMOM New Day Centers: Phoenix-based 501(c)(3) providing shelter, housing, and support services to families and individuals experiencing homelessness. Comparable scale and beneficiary population to Paz de Cristo, with a stronger focus on transitional housing but overlapping food and empowerment services.
- St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance: One of the largest food banks in the U.S., headquartered in Phoenix, distributing food through a network of partner agencies across Arizona. Comparable scale of food distribution, though operating a wholesale/agency-partner model rather than direct service.
- Catholic Charities Community Services: Arizona's largest Catholic social services agency, providing food boxes, housing assistance, refugee services, and emergency aid across the Phoenix metro. Direct comparable in mission, scale, and service mix, with overlapping beneficiary population.
- St. Vincent de Paul: Arizona-based Catholic social services nonprofit providing food, clothing, housing, and emergency assistance to low-income and homeless individuals. Already a mutual partner of Paz de Cristo and operates the largest network of neighborhood food banks in the Phoenix metro area — directly comparable in mission and service mix.
- André House: Phoenix-based Catholic Worker community providing daily meals, showers, clothing, and case management to people experiencing homelessness. Operates a near-identical direct-service model (nightly meals, hygiene, clothing) and is the most operationally similar peer to Paz de Cristo in the Phoenix metro.
- AZCEND: Mesa-based community action agency providing food boxes, emergency assistance, Head Start, and senior services across the East Valley. Operates in the same geographic catchment as Paz de Cristo with overlapping food and emergency assistance programs.
Broad incumbents
- Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization with a network of 200+ food banks reaching 46 million people annually. Arizona Food Bank Network (a Paz de Cristo partner) is a member, making Feeding America a tier-1 indirect competitor and upstream supplier in the same food assistance value chain.
- Salvation Army Phoenix: National faith-based nonprofit with a large Phoenix metro operation providing meals, shelter, and social services to homeless and low-income populations. Broader geographic and program scope than Paz de Cristo, but directly comparable in core service mix and beneficiary cohort.
Regional players
- United Way of Maricopa County: Regional umbrella funder coordinating charitable giving across Maricopa County and supporting many of the same partner organizations as Paz de Cristo. Functions as both a peer and a potential funding source for the organization.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Paz de Cristo social profiles
Digital presencePaz de Cristo compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Paz de Cristo financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Paz de Cristo leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles19 records
Paz de Cristo funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Paz de Cristo M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Paz de Cristo
What does Paz de Cristo do?
Paz de Cristo Community Center provides free direct services to individuals and families experiencing hunger, poverty, and homelessness in the Phoenix East Valley. Its core offerings include nightly hot meals served 365 days a year, emergency food box distributions, hot showers with hygiene kits, a clothing closet, free haircuts, Arizona ID and birth certificate assistance, a Jobs Program with career coaching and resume support, and a USPS-approved mailroom. Services are delivered on-site at its Mesa, Arizona campus and are funded through donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.
Is Paz de Cristo a public or private company?
Paz de Cristo is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Paz de Cristo founded?
Paz de Cristo was founded in 1988. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Paz de Cristo based?
Paz de Cristo is headquartered in Mesa, United States, in the North America region.
How does Paz de Cristo make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate & Foundation Grants, arizona Charitable Tax Credit, planned Giving and in-Kind Donations.
Who are Paz de Cristo's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Circle the City, UMOM New Day Centers, St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance, Catholic Charities Community Services, St. Vincent de Paul, André House and AZCEND. Broad incumbents are Feeding America and Salvation Army Phoenix. United Way of Maricopa County is listed as a regional player.
Does Paz de Cristo have an API?
No public API is recorded for Paz de Cristo.
What industry is Paz de Cristo in?
Paz de Cristo's product category is Social and Human Services (Hunger Relief & Homeless Services). Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAD, Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding), with a secondary code of BPAGAEAL, Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services. Its NAICS code is 62421 and its SIC code is 8300.