Mary House

What Mary House does

Mary House, Inc. is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1981 by Bill and Sharon Murphy in Washington, DC, providing housing, youth education, and community services to immigrant and refugee families. It serves households earning 30% or less of area median income — a population that is often ineligible for government housing programs due to citizenship status — with a two-generational model that addresses both parents and children. The organization's core offerings are organized into three programs: Housing Support (Emergency Housing up to 2 years, Transitional Housing 2–4 years, and Long-Term Supportive Housing 4+ years for seniors and complex cases), Youth Education (a free After School Program for up to 20 children pre-K through 5th grade, a Summer Camp, one-on-one tutoring, IEP Advocacy, and School Navigation), and a Community Pantry & Essentials program with a Kids' Closet clothing exchange.

Mary House owns and operates 12 residential buildings with 56 apartments across Washington, DC and Takoma Park, Maryland, with rents capped at $800/month (roughly two-thirds below DC market rate) and adjusted further based on need. Each family is paired with a dedicated Family Advocate for long-term wraparound support spanning healthcare, legal, education, and employment navigation. The Community Pantry distributes 50,000+ pounds of food annually to over 100 households every two weeks and to nine partner organizations.

The business model is donation-funded: Mary House has never accepted federal funding and operates entirely on private contributions from individuals, businesses, faith communities, and foundations, processed via GiveDirect, check/money order, and the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #33369). In-kind donations of food, clothing, and household items are distributed directly to families. Programs are provided free of charge to families, with no public pricing. Leadership is multigenerational within the founding Murphy family, with Megan Murphy joining as Director of Development in February 2026 to professionalize fundraising.

Name

Mary House

Legal name

Mary House, Inc.

Website

https://maryhouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mary House is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit founded in 1981 that provides affordable housing, youth education, and wraparound family advocacy to low-income immigrant and refugee families earning 30% or less of area median income, operating 56 owned apartments across 12 properties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Affordable Housing and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Affordable housing services
• Refugee resettlement support
• Immigrant family services
• Community food pantry
• Youth education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Donations and Contributions: Mary House receives no federal government funding and is powered entirely by private support from individuals, businesses, faith communities, and foundations. Donations are accepted online via GiveDirect payment processing service and by check or money order. Federal employees can also contribute through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC number 33369).
2. In-Kind Donations: The organization accepts in-kind donations of food, clothing, household items, and personal care products which are distributed to families in their programs. These donations go directly to the families served rather than being converted to cash.
3. Volunteer Services: Volunteers contribute time to programs including after school support, summer camp, food and clothing sorting, and general program assistance. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Mary House provides affordable housing and wraparound support services to low-income immigrant and refugee families in the Washington, DC metro area. The organization owns and operates 12 residential buildings with 56 apartments, delivering emergency, transitional, and long-term supportive housing alongside youth education programs, a community food pantry, and family advocacy services. All services are provided at no cost or at deeply subsidized rates, funded entirely by private donations without any federal government support.

Product overview

Mary House is a nonprofit social services organization offering an integrated suite of programs for immigrant and refugee families. Its housing portfolio spans three tiers: Emergency Housing (short-term crisis support up to 2 years), Transitional Housing (2-4 year stability program), and Long-Term Supportive Housing (ongoing affordable housing for seniors and complex cases). The Youth Education arm includes an After School Program (pre-K through 5th grade, free of charge), Summer Camp (creative arts programming), Tutoring (one-on-one academic support), IEP Advocacy, and School Navigation. The Community Pantry & Essentials Program operates twice monthly alongside the Kids' Closet clothing exchange. Family Advocates provide wraparound case management across all programs, serving families earning 30% or less of area median income. The organization operates 56 apartments across 12-13 properties in DC and Takoma Park, MD, with rents never exceeding $800/month.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Housing Short-term crisis housing providing immigrant and refugee families with a safe place to stay while they stabilize, with dedicated case management and wraparound support for up to two years.
• Transitional Housing Medium-term housing accompanying families for two to four years with comprehensive case management, legal support, employment resources, healthcare, and education services to build lasting independence.
• Long-Term Supportive Housing Permanent affordable housing for immigrant and refugee seniors and families navigating complex situations, providing ongoing access to legal advocacy, healthcare, case management, and community support for as long as needed, typically four years or more.
• After School Program Free educational enrichment program serving up to 20 children pre-K through 5th grade, Monday through Thursday from 3:30-6pm, including homework support, STEAM enrichment, reading support, and snacks.
• Summer Camp Annual summer creative arts programming welcoming up to 20 children from Mary House families and the broader community, with daily snacks included.
• Tutoring One-on-one academic support pairing volunteer tutors with children and youth of all ages, including at-home visits for families unable to come in person.
• IEP Advocacy and School Navigation Support service helping immigrant families navigate special education evaluations, IEP development, and implementation of accommodations, as well as charter school lotteries, private school financial aid, scholarship applications, and college recommendation letters.
• Community Pantry & Essentials Program Free pantry operating twice monthly stocked with pantry staples, fresh produce, and personal care items, serving over 100 families each month from nine community-based organizations.
• Kids' Closet Clothing exchange program running twice monthly where families can exchange children's outgrown clothes for new and gently loved items, from newborn to teenage sizes, with curated women's adult clothing also available.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 700 families served since 1981
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Nine Community-Based OrganizationscoreOthersMary House partners with nine community-based organizations across the DC area to distribute food through the Community Pantry program. These partner organizations serve families in the greater immigrant community, with a shared commitment to supporting the community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Centro de los Derechos del Migrante: National nonprofit focused on migrant workers' rights, legal support, and advocacy. Comparable in immigrant-services mission and DC-area presence but primarily focused on migrant labor issues rather than housing and education services.
• Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC): National nonprofit providing immigration legal services and capacity-building support to Catholic Charities agencies and other immigrant-serving organizations. Comparable in immigrant-focused mission but specialized in legal services rather than housing — adjacent rather than direct overlap.

Broad incumbents

• HIAS: International Jewish humanitarian organization focused on refugee resettlement and immigration services with active DC-area operations. Comparable in refugee services mission and immigrant-support programs, but at significantly larger institutional scale.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): Large international humanitarian organization with significant DC-area refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and workforce development programs. Comparable in refugee resettlement mission and core immigrant-services offerings, but operates at much greater scale and with broader geographic footprint.

Direct peers

• N Street Village: DC nonprofit operating transitional and permanent supportive housing with comprehensive services (case management, meals, behavioral health) for women experiencing homelessness. Comparable in owned-property affordable housing model plus wraparound services, though focused on a different subpopulation.
• Bread for the City: DC-based nonprofit offering food, clothing, medical care, dental care, and social services to low-income residents. Comparable in DC geographic focus, food distribution scale, and multi-service wraparound approach, though with a broader client base.
• Miriam's Kitchen: DC nonprofit providing meals, housing programs, and case management for individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Comparable in DC geographic focus and integrated housing-plus-support service model, though serves a different subpopulation (individual homeless adults vs. immigrant families).
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington: Largest faith-based social services provider in DC metro, offering immigrant resettlement, refugee services, affordable housing, and family support programs across the region. Directly comparable to Mary House in target population (immigrants, refugees, low-income families), geographic market (DC metro), and integrated service model.
• CASA (Community Action for a Safe and Affordable Maryland): Maryland/DC-based immigrant advocacy and services organization providing housing navigation, legal services, education, and workforce support to immigrant families. Closely comparable in immigrant-focused mission, DC/Maryland geography, and integration of housing with advocacy and education services.
• SOME (So Others Might Eat): DC-based nonprofit providing housing, workforce development, and wraparound support to low-income individuals and families. Directly comparable in integrated housing-plus-services approach serving extremely low-income DC residents, though SOME's client base is broader than Mary House's immigrant-focused population.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/maryhousedistrictofcolumbia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mary-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mary House