New Connections

What New Connections does

New Connections is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 613 S. 15th Street in Tacoma, Washington, that delivers supportive housing and reentry services to previously incarcerated women in Pierce County. The organization operates two physical programs within Tacoma's Hilltop Urban Village: Irma's Place, a six-bedroom home that accommodates one resident manager and up to five women for transitional stays of up to six months, and Annie's Cottage, a two-bedroom home serving women with custody of minor children who face housing barriers due to criminal convictions. Both properties are owned by Tacoma Catholic Worker and provided to New Connections at no charge, and office space is supplied at no cost by Immanuel Presbyterian Church.

The organization runs a portfolio of wraparound services rather than a technology platform: intensive case management, advocacy, resource coaching, emergency services, family reunification support, parenting class navigation, visitation support, job training referrals, and counseling connections. Resident referrals enter through direct application, caseworkers and unit counselors, and a Jail In-Reach program launched in 2015 in which staff meet individuals upon release from Pierce County Jail (four blocks away) and run pre-release groups inside the facility. Coalition activities include co-founding Pierce CPTS (2012-13), fiscal sponsorship of Numbers 2 Names (2019), and membership in the Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness. Marketing and awareness are driven by the nctacoma.org website, a Facebook page, Issue Briefs on reentry-related policy topics, and re-entry simulation events.

There is no proprietary technology, mobile application, or AI component disclosed; the technology stack is essentially nil and the value proposition is built on relationships, lived-experience leadership, and in-kind community infrastructure. Revenue is generated exclusively through tax-deductible donations (PayPal, Venmo, check; Federal Tax ID 11-3703613) and in-kind contributions of goods, services, and volunteer labor, with all housing provided to qualifying residents at no charge. The staff is small, comprising an Executive Director (Jessica Means since 2024) and volunteer capacity, governed by a seven-member board with Chair Lydia Garcia-Dougherty and Co-Chair Chanel Rhymes.

Name

New Connections

Legal name

New Connections

Website

https://nctacoma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

New Connections is a Tacoma, Washington-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides transitional housing and reentry support, including case management and family reunification services, to previously incarcerated women through Irma's Place and Annie's Cottage in the Hilltop Urban Village.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services & Reentry Housing

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Transition & Supported Living Navigation (EDAKANAK)

Keywords

• Supportive housing services
• Reentry programs
• Transitional housing
• Community reintegration
• Case management services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tacoma

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Tax-deductible donations: The organization is funded through tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Donations can be made via PayPal, Venmo, or check. Federal Tax ID # 11-3703613.
2. In-kind goods and services: Programs are supported by in-kind goods or services and volunteers who provide essential human and material resources.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

New Connections is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides transitional housing and reentry support to previously incarcerated women in Tacoma, Washington. It operates two residential properties—six-bedroom Irma's Place for women transitioning out of correctional facilities (housing up to five residents plus a resident manager for up to six months) and two-bedroom Annie's Cottage for mothers with minor children facing housing barriers due to criminal records. The organization delivers intensive case management, advocacy, resource coaching, family reunification, parenting and visitation support, and connections to counseling and job training.

Product overview

New Connections is a nonprofit organization that operates a portfolio of supportive housing programs for previously incarcerated women. The organization offers two distinct housing programs: Irma's Place, a six-bedroom transitional housing facility accommodating one resident manager and five women for up to six months, and Annie's Cottage, a 2-bedroom home designed for mothers with minor children who face housing barriers due to criminal backgrounds. Both facilities are located in Tacoma's Hilltop Urban Village neighborhood and provide comprehensive reentry support services including case management, advocacy, resource coaching, family reunification, and connections to counseling and job training programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Irma's Place Supportive, clean, and sober transitional housing for women recently released from correctional facilities in Washington state, offering housing, emergency services, intensive case management, advocacy, and re-entry support for up to six months. The facility accommodates one resident manager and five women in a six-bedroom home.
• Annie's Cottage A 2-bedroom home for women with custody of minor children who face obstacles to housing due to a history of criminal convictions, located adjacent to Irma's Place in Tacoma's Hilltop Urban Village. Provides intensive services and support to mothers working toward independent living.

Quantifiable outcome

• Residents typically move to more permanent housing within six months

Named customers2 records

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

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supportive.

• N2N (Numbers 2 Names)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019New Connections partnered with N2N and serves as fiscal sponsor for this initiative that supports incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people through civic engagement, participatory defense, and grassroots leadership. N2N established and produces the annual Unguarded Art event in Tacoma.
• Evergreen Empowerment GroupsupportiveStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partners with New Connections to assist people who face legal barriers to permanent housing at the stability site and in the broader community.
• Pierce CPTS (Community Partnership for Transition Services)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Coalition dedicated to leveraging resources and promoting policies that support successful community reintegration after incarceration. New Connections served as fiscal agent for this coalition and co-sponsored the 2013 Reentry Conference in partnership with Pierce CPTS and Puget Sound University's Race and Pedagogy Initiative.
• Tacoma Catholic WorkercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTacoma Catholic Worker owns properties including Irma's House and Annie's Cottage, which are provided to New Connections for use without charge. Founded in 1989, they manage multiple properties and welcome and support residents in their return to community life. They are an essential partner and ally.
• Immanuel Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides office space at no charge for New Connections staff and volunteers, supporting the organization's operations since 2016.
• St. Leo's Church: Gifts for the JourneysupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerFaith-based organization supporting New Connections and the Hilltop Urban Village community.
• Tacoma Housing AuthoritysupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter of New Connections organization.
• Greater Tacoma Community FoundationsupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter of New Connections organization.
• Seattle FoundationsupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a supporter of New Connections organization.
• Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End HomelessnesssupportiveStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Connections collaborates with other agencies as part of this coalition to address homelessness in the region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hour Children: New York-based nonprofit serving formerly incarcerated women and their children through housing, childcare, and reunification services. Closely mirrors New Connections' dual focus on women post-incarceration and family reunification.
• Safer Foundation: Chicago-based nonprofit providing comprehensive reentry services including housing, employment, and case management for formerly incarcerated individuals. Comparable in scope of reentry support services.
• Root & Rebound: California-based nonprofit providing legal and reentry support to people with arrest and conviction histories. Comparable as a justice-involved support nonprofit, though primarily legal-services-led rather than housing-led.
• Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR): Virginia-based nonprofit providing reentry support including housing assistance, employment readiness, and case management for justice-involved individuals. Comparable regional reentry nonprofit model.
• Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO): National nonprofit providing immediate employment, retention, and advancement support for people recently released from incarceration. Comparable as a reentry-services organization focused on post-release stabilization, though CEO is employment-rather-than-housing-led.
• Women's Prison Association: New York-based nonprofit offering housing, family reunification, and reentry services for women impacted by incarceration. Direct comparable on women-focused reentry housing and family-centered case management.
• Center for Community Alternatives (CCA): New York-based nonprofit offering alternatives to incarceration and reentry support, with programs specifically for women. Comparable as a justice-involved support organization with women-specific programming.
• A New Way of Life: Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing and reentry support specifically for women with justice involvement, including those reuniting with children. Closely mirrors New Connections' women-and-mothers-focused transitional housing model.
• The Fortune Society: New York-based nonprofit providing reentry housing, employment, and supportive services for people with justice involvement — including women-specific programs. Directly comparable as a reentry-services nonprofit with transitional housing and case management for formerly incarcerated individuals.

Regional players

• Fatherhood Initiative / Tacoma Housing Authority: Regional public housing authority serving the same Tacoma/Pierce County geography as New Connections, including housing assistance for justice-involved individuals. Listed as a supporter of New Connections; comparable as a regional housing-services player serving the same population.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/nctacoma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 New Connections