Name

Watered Gardens

Legal name

Watered Gardens Ministries

Website

https://wateredgardens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Joplin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: Primary revenue stream from individual donors making one-time, monthly, or recurring donations. Three-year pledges available for major gifts. EIN 20-2586821 registered 501(c)(3)
2. Donated Goods: Accepts donated goods for use in Worth Shop and distribution to those in need. Supports the exchange-model philosophy where recipients earn items through service
3. Volunteer Labor: Over 11,000 volunteer shifts annually providing significant in-kind support across all ministry areas

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Watered Gardens Ministries provides faith-based shelter, recovery, and poverty-relief services across the Four-States region, including emergency shelter, men's long-term recovery, family housing, thrift-store-based work programs, case management, community volunteer matching, and church training via the True Charity Initiative. Its core service is direct, relationship-driven care for homeless individuals and families, delivered free of charge and funded by donations and volunteer labor.

Product overview

Watered Gardens Ministries operates as a faith-based homeless shelter and poverty relief organization offering an integrated network of programs. Core offerings include the Outreach Center (emergency/respite shelter), Forge (long-term residential recovery program for men), Washington Family Hope Center (family shelter for mothers and children), Worth Shop (thrift/recycling program with exchange-based model), Care Coordination (case management), Neighbor Connect (community volunteer matching), WG Marketplace (retail shop), and True Charity Initiative (training/education for churches). Major capital projects include the Take Courage Campaign for permanent supportive housing. The organization produces quarterly Flourish newsletters and Stories of Hope video testimonials as content offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Forge: Long-term recovery program for men addressing addiction and homelessness through faith-based transformation and work programs.
• Worth Shop
• Washington Family Hope Center
• Neighbor Connect
• True Charity Initiative
• WG Marketplace

Products and services

• Outreach Center Emergency and respite shelter providing beds, meals, basic-needs support, breathalyzer testing, and resident tracking for homeless individuals in the Four-States region.
• Forge Long-term residential recovery program for men addressing addiction and life skills, structured across Service, Education, and Work phases with spiritual development, career counseling, and GED classes.
• Washington Family Hope Center Family shelter for mothers and children with six family rooms, indoor/outdoor playground, daycare, and learning center serving families experiencing homelessness or domestic crisis.
• Worth Shop / Project Worth Thrift store and recycling program offering an exchange-based model in which participants earn goods through work rather than receiving handouts, with food pantry and donated-goods distribution.
• Care Coordination Case management services helping individuals develop budgets, set goals, and connect to community resources for long-term stability and independence.
• Neighbor Connect Community ministry platform connecting neighbors in need with volunteer skills and resources, including meal delivery, home maintenance assistance, and transportation support.
• WG Marketplace Online retail shop offering goods and merchandise operated through the Square e-commerce platform.
• True Charity Initiative Training, education, and certification program teaching churches and other missions effective, dignity-preserving poverty-relief methods through workshops, consultations, online learning, the annual True Charity Summit, and a 200+ member network.
• Rescue Teams Outreach teams that visit homeless camps providing supplies, education, prayer, and connections to Watered Gardens services.
• Hospital Respite Unit Six-bed recovery unit operated in partnership with Mercy Hospital to provide restful recovery space for homeless individuals too ill to return directly to shelter after hospital discharge.

Quantifiable outcome

• 34,093 needs met annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mercy HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to operate a 6-bed respite unit for homeless individuals discharging from hospital care. Provides extended recovery space for those too ill to return immediately to shelter. Serves both hospital system and vulnerable patients.
• Citygate NetworkcoreOthersAffiliate membership in Citygate Network, a association of Christian ministries and rescue missions serving the poor
• True Charity NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWatered Gardens founded and leads the True Charity Initiative and Network, which has grown to exceed 200 member organizations. Provides education, training, and certification for churches and ministries practicing effective poverty relief.
• Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA)coreOthersECFA accreditation ensures Watered Gardens meets standards for financial integrity, governance, and accountability
• Missouri Southern State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for annual True Charity Summit conference on restorative, biblical justice
• Joplin Family Worship CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for annual Evening of Hope banquet. Key partner church in the Four-States area providing volunteers and support.
• Hope for the HungryminorOthersAffiliated Christian ministry network providing additional resources and connection for Watered Gardens

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Denver Rescue Mission: Large faith-based rescue mission operating shelters, recovery programs, and community outreach in Denver. Comparable model and a fellow Citygate Network affiliate with broader scale.
• Phoenix Rescue Mission: Faith-based rescue mission providing emergency shelter, addiction recovery, and meal programs. Operates with a similar Christ-centered, dignity-preserving model and is a fellow Citygate Network affiliate.
• Kansas City Rescue Mission: Faith-based homeless rescue mission in Kansas City offering emergency shelter, recovery programs, and food services. Highly comparable in model, faith-based funding philosophy, and multi-program structure to Watered Gardens, and serves an adjacent Midwestern market.
• Nashville Rescue Mission: Faith-based homeless services organization in Nashville providing emergency shelter, recovery, and meal programs. Directly comparable operating model, including a faith-based funding approach similar to Watered Gardens' True Charity philosophy.
• Open Door Mission: Omaha faith-based homeless mission providing shelter, addiction recovery, job training, and food services. Comparable scope of programs and faith-based, dignity-focused operating model.
• Stewpot Community Services: Faith-affiliated community services organization in Jackson, MS providing meals, shelter, and case management to homeless and poor populations. Comparable mix of food distribution, shelter, and dignity-focused programming.
• City Union Mission: Kansas City-based Christian rescue mission offering shelter, transitional housing, and family programs. Highly comparable programmatic mix and faith-based operating philosophy to Watered Gardens, with a longer urban footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Union Rescue Mission (Los Angeles): One of the largest faith-based rescue missions in the U.S., operating shelter, recovery, and job training programs in downtown LA. Comparable faith-based model but at materially greater scale and urban density than Watered Gardens.
• The Bowery Mission: Historic New York faith-based homeless services organization providing shelter, meals, and residential recovery. Comparable programmatic scope and faith-based approach, but operating at a significantly larger urban scale than Watered Gardens.

Others

• True Charity Network: Industry network of 200+ churches and ministries practicing effective, dignity-preserving poverty relief. Watered Gardens is the founder/convener of this network, making it both a peer organization and an ecosystem affiliation.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Watered Gardens