Francis House

What Francis House does

Francis House is a Syracuse, New York-based nonprofit organization founded in 1991 by Sister Kathleen Osbelt that operates a residential home providing end-of-life care to individuals with terminal illnesses who have a prognosis of three months or less to live. The organization serves a narrow, deeply personal use case: offering a home-like environment where residents are surrounded by caregivers, staff, volunteers, and an 'extended family' during the dying process, with services provided regardless of faith, ethnicity, or ability to pay. Its beneficiary population comprises terminally ill patients, their family caregivers, and healthcare professionals seeking education on compassionate end-of-life practices; referral pathways run through healthcare providers, families, and self-referrals via francishouseny.org.

Francis House's product surface centers on its single residential facility at 108 Michaels Avenue, Syracuse, augmented by structured volunteer programs, two auxiliary groups (Francis House Auxiliary and Youth Auxiliary) that drive fundraising and community outreach, and educational offerings through the Sister Kathleen Osbelt Center and the Compassionate Heart Series (a collaboration with the Saint Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum). Annual programming includes the 'There's No Place Like Home' gala (attended by 2,000+ community members), Founder's Day Picnic, Tea & Talk book discussions, and the Gazebo Lighting Ceremony. The underlying technology footprint is minimal: a content website, email newsletter, and social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn) with no apps, APIs, or disclosed integrations.

The organization's revenue model is purely donation- and event-driven. Francis House explicitly states it does not receive federal, state, or local funding or insurance reimbursement, depending instead on community charitable donations, in-kind contributions, the annual gala and other fundraising events, auxiliary-led apparel sales, and an Amazon Wish List. Go-to-market is direct, relationship-based, and place-bound — services are delivered solely on-site in Syracuse, and customer acquisition for donations relies on community reputation built over 35 years rather than paid marketing. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors (with leadership refreshed July 1, 2025) and operates with 11-50 staff supplemented by a large volunteer workforce.

Name

Francis House

Legal name

Francis House

Website

https://francishouseny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Francis House is a Syracuse, New York nonprofit founded in 1991 that operates a residential hospice providing end-of-life care to terminally ill individuals with a prognosis of three months or less, serving residents and families regardless of ability to pay through donations, fundraising events, and a volunteer workforce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Residential Hospice and Palliative Care

NAICS

Other Residential Care Facilities (62399)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

End-of-Life Emotional & Spiritual Support (Chaplaincy/Counseling) In-Home (HSABAFAH), Community-Based Palliative Care (Home-Based Non-Hospice) (HLADAHAH)

Keywords

• Hospice residential care
• End-of-life care
• Palliative care home
• Community hospice services
• Bereavement support

Headquarters

HQ city

Syracuse

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Francis House relies on donations from the community to operate. The organization explicitly states it does not receive federal, state, or local funding or insurance reimbursement, making charitable donations essential to its operations.
2. Fundraising Events: Major annual fundraising events including 'There's No Place Like Home' gala that attracts over 2,000 attendees, with ticket sales at $50 per person, open bar, food stations, silent auction, and raffles.
3. In-Kind Donations: Acceptance of in-kind donations including food, supplies, household items, and wish list items from the community and through Amazon Wish List.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Francis House operates a residential hospice home in Syracuse, NY that provides compassionate end-of-life care for individuals with terminal illnesses and a prognosis of three months or less to live. The home-like setting surrounds residents with caregivers, staff, and volunteers serving as an extended family, accepting all residents regardless of faith, ethnicity, or ability to pay. The organization is supported by community donations, fundraising events, volunteer programs, and auxiliary groups.

Product overview

Francis House is a hospice and palliative care home in Syracuse, NY, providing compassionate end-of-life care for people with terminal illnesses. Founded in 1991, now in its 35th year of service, Francis House offers residential hospice care, volunteer programs, and educational initiatives including the Sister Kathleen Osbelt Center, Compassionate Heart Series workshops, and Tea & Talk book discussions. The organization hosts major fundraising events including the annual There's No Place Like Home event, Founder's Day celebrations, and auxiliary-organized programs. All services are provided regardless of faith, ethnicity, or ability to pay.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Francis House Auxiliary: A support organization that runs fundraising events and community outreach for Francis House.
• Youth Auxiliary
• Sister Kathleen Osbelt Center of Francis House

Products and services

• Hospice and Palliative Care Services Residential end-of-life care for individuals with terminal illnesses and a prognosis of three months or less, provided in a home-like setting with caregivers, staff, and volunteers. Care is offered regardless of faith, ethnicity, or ability to pay.
• Volunteer Program Program enabling community members to volunteer at Francis House, supporting residents and families through caregiving, companionship, and operational assistance roles.
• Sister Kathleen Osbelt Center of Francis House

Quantifiable outcome

• Has served hundreds of residents over 35+ years of operation
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Saint Marianne Cope Shrine & MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Compassionate Heart Series - a series of programs supporting values of presence, respect, and empathy to caregivers and patients. The partnership combines Franciscan values with holistic healthcare education.
• The Gingerbread HouseminorOthersFellow sponsor of Partners in Franciscan Ministries. Hosted Founder's Day 2025 event at their location at 3020 Court Street, Syracuse, NY.
• Omega Home NetworkcoreOthersFrancis House is a member of the Omega Home Network, which appears to be an organization connecting similar home-based care providers.
• Valley DesperadosminorOthersCommunity group that organizes donation drives for Francis House, collecting essential household supplies and raising funds to support the mission.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Omega Home Network: A national membership network of social-model residential hospice homes of which Francis House is a member. Directly comparable as it represents the same operating philosophy (home-like, donor-supported, end-of-life residential care) and provides benchmarking and shared advocacy.
• Garden State Hospice and Palliative Care Center: A New Jersey-based hospice offering both home-based and inpatient residential hospice services. Comparable as a multi-modality hospice operator with a residential hospice house model similar to Francis House's facility-based approach.

Broad incumbents

• VITAS Healthcare: The largest hospice provider in the United States, operating inpatient hospice houses and home hospice across the country. Comparable as a facility- and home-based hospice operator competing for referrals in the broader end-of-life care market.
• Amedisys Hospice: A large national hospice and home health provider with Medicare-reimbursed hospice services across many states. Comparable as a broad hospice incumbent operating at much greater scale and offering a competing reimbursement-funded model.
• Hospice of the Western Reserve: A large non-profit hospice in Ohio operating inpatient hospice houses, home hospice, and palliative care programs. Comparable as a long-established non-profit residential hospice with a community-funded operating model and educational programming.
• Capital Caring Health: A large non-profit hospice and palliative care organization serving the greater Washington, D.C. region with inpatient hospice houses and home-based services. Comparable as an established non-profit residential hospice operator with broader service scope.

Others

• Saint Marianne Cope Shrine & Museum: A Franciscan-sponsored ministry in Syracuse that co-runs the Compassionate Heart Series with Francis House. Comparable as a Franciscan mission-aligned partner organization and donor-base overlap, though not a direct care provider.

Regional players

• Hospice of Central New York: A Central New York hospice provider offering home-based and inpatient hospice services in the same Syracuse-area market. Comparable as a regional end-of-life care provider competing for referrals and community awareness.
• Hospice of the Finger Lakes: A community-based hospice serving the Finger Lakes region with similar mission-driven, donation-supported operations. Comparable as a regional New York hospice provider with overlapping geography and end-of-life care model.
• Hospicare & Palliative Care Services of Tompkins County: A community-based hospice serving the Finger Lakes region of New York, with a residential hospice house in Ithaca. Comparable as a non-profit, community-funded residential hospice model serving a similar Upstate New York population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Ffrancishouseny.org%2F

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Francis House