LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation

What LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation does

LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in La Plata, Maryland, that delivers a comprehensive suite of human services to underserved populations across Charles, Calvert, St. Mary's, and Prince George's counties in Southern Maryland. Its service portfolio spans homeless outreach and emergency shelter (Safe Nights, White Plains LifeStyles Center, street outreach), a continuum of transitional and permanent supportive housing (Robert J. Fuller House for Men, Martha's Place, Gayle's House for domestic violence survivors, Haven of Hope, and the 47–77-unit Southern Crossing community), human services (SNAP enrollment, emergency financial assistance, workforce development), health and wellness programs (Minority Outreach & Technical Assistance, behavioral health, vaccination coordination), transportation subsidies (partially funded by the Maryland Transportation Authority), and free tax preparation through the VITA program. The organization operates 8+ physical locations, employs 11–50 staff under a lean executive team (CEO Sandy Washington, COO Corae Young, CFO Cyndi Modlin, CPO Veronica Alexander), and relies on a large volunteer base.

The business model is a grant-and-donation-funded nonprofit. Revenue streams include Maryland Department of Health behavioral health grants, congressional appropriations (a $912,000 award from Maryland's delegation in 2024), major private foundation grants (most notably a $2.5M Day 1 Families Fund grant from Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez in December 2025), corporate awards (Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award, PepsiCo Smiles in Action Award, Amazon Neighborgood donation), and individual contributions processed through Network for Good. All services are provided free of charge to clients. Distribution occurs through direct service delivery at physical locations, weekly street outreach, scheduled community events, and referral partnerships with churches, local employers, healthcare providers, and government agencies. The organization holds the 2026 Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency, signaling the highest tier of nonprofit accountability.

Technology infrastructure is intentionally lean and consists of commodity SaaS tools — Volgistics for volunteer scheduling, JotForm for intake forms, AppointmentPlus for VITA tax appointment booking, Network for Good for donations, and Indeed for job board aggregation — with no proprietary platform or AI/ML systems. The organization's competitive position rests on its dense physical distribution network, deep community partnerships, regulatory compliance (Title VI, ADA), and established funder relationships rather than technology differentiation.

Name

LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation

Legal name

LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://lifestylesofmd.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating homeless services, transitional housing, food distribution, transportation, and health programs for underserved populations across four Southern Maryland counties, funded by government grants, foundation awards, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Plata

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Primary funding from government sources including Maryland Department of Health behavioral health grants, congressional funding from Maryland's congressional delegation, and Rural Maryland Council grants.
2. Foundation Grants: Private foundation grants including Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos Day 1 Families Fund ($2.5M), Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Award ($200K), PepsiCo Foundation Smiles in Action Award, and Bezos Congressional Funding.
3. Individual and Corporate Donations: Donations from individuals, businesses including Amazon ($20K), and community partners. Organization accepts donations through Network for Good platform and direct contributions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers free social services to underserved individuals and families in Southern Maryland. Its core offerings include emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing facilities, street outreach, SNAP/food assistance, free VITA tax preparation, transportation, financial assistance, and health and wellness programs, all delivered across multiple owned facilities in Charles, Calvert, St. Mary's, and Prince George's counties.

Product overview

LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of community assistance programs designed to meet the needs of underserved populations in Southern Maryland. The organization operates multiple integrated programs including Homeless Services (with street outreach, the Homeless Services Center, and Safe Nights seasonal shelter), Housing Services (with facilities including Robert J. Fuller Transitional House for Men, Martha's Place for women and children, Gayle's House for domestic violence survivors, Haven of Hope, Southern Crossing transitional housing, and the White Plains LifeStyles Center emergency shelter), Human Services (emergency financial assistance, benefits assistance, and workforce development), Health & Wellness (including the Minority Outreach & Technical Assistance/MOTA program), Supportive Services/Samaritan Project (food pantry, clothing closet, household items), SNAP Outreach Services, Transportation Services, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA), Financial Assistance, Community Partners Program, The Nanjemoy Initiative, and Point-in-Time Volunteer Training. The organization serves Charles, Calvert, St. Mary's, and Prince George's counties through multiple office locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Robert J. Fuller Transitional House: 16-bed facility providing emergency and transitional housing for homeless men in Charles County.
• Martha's Place
• Gayle's House
• Haven of Hope
• Southern Crossing
• Samaritan Project
• Charles County Cares Cabanas
• Safe Nights
• Rosemary's Closet
• Southern Maryland Food Connection

Products and services

• Homeless Services Connects homeless individuals and families in Southern Maryland with available resources, with the goal of leading them to permanent housing. Staff conduct weekly street outreach, oversee the Homeless Services Center, provide homeless certification so people can receive benefits and mail, and run the Safe Nights winter program.
• Street Outreach A mobile team canvasses the community, visits known homeless encampments, parking lots, and other public places to communicate with homeless individuals, provide needed items, and connect them to LifeStyles programs for permanent housing.
• Housing Services Provides a continuum of emergency, transitional, and permanent housing services for Southern Maryland residents in a structured environment where chores, budgeting, and life skills development are part of the program.
• Robert J. Fuller Transitional House for Men A 16-bed facility providing emergency and transitional housing for homeless men in Charles County, offering case management, two meals per day, and supportive services for up to a 12-month stay.
• Martha's Place A 5-bed facility for women and children providing emergency and transitional housing in Charles County, with case management and supportive services for up to a 12-month stay.
• Gayle's House An 8-bed safe house for women and family survivors of domestic violence serving Charles County and St. Mary's County residents, with case management, transportation, counseling referrals, and other supportive services.
• Haven of Hope A 5-bedroom, 3-bath home providing permanent supportive housing and emergency shelter for women and families fleeing domestic violence.
• Southern Crossing A 47-unit transitional housing community on U.S.-301 offering efficiency, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments for low- and moderate-income families seeking safe, stable housing. Maximum stay of 24 months with mandatory case management.
• White Plains LifeStyles Center Emergency shelter providing up to 30 days of safe haven for homeless families with children and elderly homeless individuals, with capacity for up to 25 people. Also offers a day program available to all in the homeless population.
• Human Services Provides a single point of access to services supporting a household's self-sufficiency, including emergency financial assistance, benefits assistance, workforce development, and gap-filling financial assistance.
• SNAP Outreach Services Helps households access the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to buy food they need for good health, with staff assisting with benefit applications.
• Health & Wellness Takes a holistic approach to health and wellness including the Minority Outreach & Technical Assistance (MOTA) program, pre-diabetes outreach and education, health screenings, vaccination coordination, and access to behavioral health services.
• Supportive Services (Samaritan Project) Provides basic safety net services including a food pantry offering emergency food, holiday baskets, household items for transitioning families, clothing closet, and SNAP assistance.
• Transportation Services Provides subsidized transportation for low-to-moderate income residents of Southern Maryland, partially funded through the Maryland Transportation Authority, available for medical appointments, community services, employment, and errands.
• Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Free Tax Prep Free federal and state tax preparation services for low- to moderate-income households (less than $69,000 annually) provided by IRS-certified tax preparers and scheduled via AppointmentPlus.
• Financial Assistance Emergency financial assistance for those struggling with rent or other primary expenses, including homeless prevention subsidies, rehousing subsidies, and gap-filling financial assistance.
• Community Partners Program Enlists volunteer support of local professionals to assist those in need in areas such as career development, chaplain services, educational services, employment services, legal services, mental and behavioral health, mentorship, re-entry services, and veterans services.
• The Nanjemoy Initiative Program helping families in Nanjemoy living in homes that don't meet basic human needs by providing clean water, healthy foods, heating and cooling, mentorship, and porta-potties through community adoption of families.
• Safe Nights Winter shelter program providing food and shelter to homeless individuals during the coldest months of the year, operated in partnership with local churches and organizations. Sheltered more than 100 people during winter months.
• Charles County Cares Cabanas Food distribution cabinets set up throughout Charles County where non-perishable meal bags and groceries are available several days each week, operated in partnership with End Hunger in Charles County.
• Rapid Rehousing Funding provided to assist homeless persons with obtaining more permanent housing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Safe Nights sheltered more than 100 people through winter
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Integration10 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Oasis Fresh Foods MarketcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal employer partner that hired client Kevin Hill and prepared housing as part of his path to stability. CEO Sandy Washington facilitated the connection.
• End Hunger in Charles CountycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate Charles County Cares Cabanas providing non-perishable meal bags and groceries throughout the county during pandemic and ongoing.
• Southern Maryland Food ConnectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of local nonprofits and food pantries creating one-stop food access resource for Southern Maryland. LifeStyles is a founding/participating member.
• Cheseldine Management ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProperty management firm handling Southern Crossing leasing and resident management. Contact: Lisa Cheseldine-Gass.
• Local Churches (Safe Nights Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with multiple local churches providing hypothermia shelter and support during winter months, sheltering 100+ people.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• So Others Might Eat (SOME): DC-based nonprofit delivering integrated services (shelter, housing, healthcare, workforce development) to people experiencing poverty. Highly comparable continuum-of-care service model, but operates in DC rather than Southern Maryland.
• Coalition for the Homeless (DC/MD): Regional advocacy and service organization focused on homelessness in the DC/Maryland region. Operates in adjacent geography and competes for similar government and foundation funding streams targeting homelessness outcomes.

Direct peers

• Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency: Nearby Maryland county-level anti-poverty agency delivering housing, utility, food, and case management services. Operates the same kind of publicly-funded, multi-program social services model that LifeStyles runs across Charles/Calvert/St. Mary's counties.
• Human Services Programs of Carroll County: Maryland-based community action nonprofit providing emergency assistance, housing, food, transportation, and DV services. Closely comparable program mix and small-team nonprofit operating model in a similar mid-Maryland jurisdiction.
• Community Action Council of Howard County: Maryland Community Action Agency providing emergency assistance, housing, food, and self-sufficiency programs. Same Community Services Block Grant-eligible nonprofit model and similar one-stop-shop service delivery, just in a neighboring county.
• Habitat for Humanity of Charles County: Local affordable housing nonprofit operating in Charles County, Maryland, focused on housing stability for low-income residents. Closest geographic peer with overlapping affordable housing mission and similar community-led fundraising model.
• United Way of Calvert County: Local United Way affiliate serving one of LifeStyles' core counties (Calvert), funding and convening human services nonprofits. Direct local counterpart in the same regional funding ecosystem with overlapping donor and partner networks.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army National Capital Area Command: National faith-based nonprofit delivering emergency shelter, transitional housing, food programs, and holiday assistance. Operates in Southern Maryland with overlapping services (shelter, food, seasonal programs) and significantly larger fundraising infrastructure.
• Catholic Charities of Maryland: Statewide faith-based nonprofit providing housing, homeless services, food assistance, and case management across Maryland. Operates at greater scale and with more geographic reach than LifeStyles, but with comparable program categories in Southern Maryland counties.

Others

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National nonprofit policy and advocacy organization focused on ending homelessness. Not a direct service peer but the leading sector convener and research/policy resource that shapes federal funding priorities affecting LifeStyles' grant pipeline.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCNBZeh86dhx1hvkuUvM1OxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/lifestylesofmaryland
• Instagraminstagram.com/lifestylesofmd
• Xx.com/lifestylesofmd

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries7 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 LifeStyles of Maryland Foundation