Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington

What Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington does

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1986 that provides casework, employment readiness, and adult education services to individuals facing poverty, homelessness, unemployment, addiction, and reentry challenges in Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia. The organization operates three core programs from three offices: the Next Step Program (one-on-one goal-setting and casework coaching), STRIVE Job Readiness Training (a three-week intensive curriculum with attitudinal training, occupational skills, and two-year follow-up), and Adult Basic Education (literacy, numeracy, GED preparation, and citizenship test prep). The STRIVE program is delivered as an affiliate of STRIVE International, which provides the curriculum and a national employer network with a stated 70% job placement rate.

The organization is funded through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, institutional grants, and planned giving, with a tiered Next Step Giving Society and major annual fundraising events including a Gala and Next Step Breakfast. It does not disclose revenue figures in the available source data. Service delivery is conducted in person at offices in Congress Heights (DC), Anacostia (DC), and Arlington (VA), with limited virtual appointments. The organization relies on a 60+ partner congregation network (Partner Council) for volunteer mobilization, referrals, and community support, and is governed by a volunteer board of directors. In December 2022, the organization merged with Southeast Ministry, adding Adult Basic Education and a new headquarters; in March 2026, Jennifer Longmire-Wright became Executive Director. The organization does not use proprietary technology or AI/ML capabilities; its core technology is standard nonprofit case management.

Name

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington

Legal name

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington

Website

https://samaritanministry.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington is a faith-based nonprofit founded in 1986 that delivers casework, job readiness training, and adult education to people facing poverty, homelessness, unemployment, and reentry challenges across Washington, DC and Northern Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services and Nonprofit Human Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE), Faith-Based Humanitarian Aid & Relief Ministries (BPAGAJAF), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)

Keywords

• Social services
• Case management
• Job readiness training
• Adult basic education
• Poverty alleviation

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, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through the Next Step Giving Society with tiered giving levels (Next Step Star $1,000/year, Leader $5,000/year, Champion $10,000+/year). Annual year-end appeals and regular donations.
2. Corporate Sponsorships and Events: Corporate sponsorships for annual Gala and Next Step Breakfast events, workplace giving programs, and corporate matching gifts.
3. Institutional Grants: Support from private foundations and government entities, federal grants, as documented in annual reports and Form 990 filings.
4. Planned Giving and Estate Gifts: Bequests and legacy giving through estate planning, gifts of appreciated stock, and planned giving programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington is a faith-based nonprofit that provides free social services to individuals facing poverty, homelessness, unemployment, incarceration reentry, addiction, and low literacy in the greater Washington DC metropolitan area. Its core offering is the Next Step program, a personalized casework and coaching model that helps participants set and achieve goals in housing, employment, education, and recovery, supplemented by STRIVE job readiness training and Adult Basic Education classes.

Product overview

Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington is a faith-based nonprofit that operates a multi-program service model centered on its core Next Step Program. The organization provides casework, coaching, and support services alongside two complementary programs: STRIVE Job Readiness Training for employment preparation and Adult Basic Education for educational advancement. Services are delivered at three locations across DC and Northern Virginia, with programs designed to address interconnected barriers to self-sufficiency including housing, employment, education, and healthcare access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Next Step Program Samaritan Ministry's core casework and coaching program that assists individuals in setting and achieving personalized goals related to housing, employment, education, addiction recovery, and other life challenges through one-on-one support and accountability. Services are free to participants and delivered without time limits across offices in Congress Heights (DC), Anacostia (DC), and Arlington (VA), with virtual appointments available.
• STRIVE Job Readiness Training A three-week intensive employment readiness training program covering attitudinal training, occupational skills, job placement, and two years of follow-up career counseling. Participants learn interview skills, resume writing, Microsoft TEAMS, and can earn certifications including OSHA, Food Handling, Home Healthcare, and Facilities Maintenance Management. Delivered as part of the Next Step program for public assistance recipients, veterans, homeless individuals, and those at the edge of poverty.
• Adult Basic Education (ABE) Program Educational program offering instruction in literacy, numeracy, English language learning, GED test preparation, CASAS testing, ASVAB prep, and citizenship/naturalization test preparation for adults functioning below grade level. Classes are free to all participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 84% goal success rate across all locations (2021)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• STRIVE InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTRIVE (Skills To Reinvest in a New Era) began in East Harlem in 1984 and has prepared over 80,000 people for work and life success. Samaritan Ministry operates as a STRIVE affiliate site, using the proven five-pillar model including attitudinal training, occupational skills, casework support, job placement, and two-year follow-up. The national network provides curriculum, employer connections, and peer support.
• Byte BackcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIT training partnership launched January 2023 combining STRIVE soft skills instruction with Byte Back's technology training. The integrated cohorts provide comprehensive employment preparation for participants.
• Clark ConstructionsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for OSHA certification training integrated into STRIVE DC program curriculum, expanding certification offerings for participants.
• Georgetown University Pivot ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege program for returning citizens offering baccalaureate degrees. STRIVE graduates including Charles Hopkins and Diego Cunningham have enrolled in this program after completing STRIVE training.
• Thompson HospitalitysecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEmployer partner providing job placement opportunities for STRIVE graduates.
• Lay Assistance Ministry (LAM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, Arlington, providing direct financial assistance to Next Step participants actively achieving their goals at the Arlington office.
• Goucher College Prison Undergraduate Studies PartnershipsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege education program for inmates; STRIVE trainer Dr. Cheryl Mercer previously served as college professor for inmates through this program.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Martha's Table: DC-based nonprofit addressing poverty through food, education, and family support services; comparable service portfolio and target population in the DC metro area.
• Community of Hope: DC nonprofit providing housing, family services, and early childhood education to families experiencing homelessness and poverty; comparable in integrated housing and casework service delivery.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington: Faith-based nonprofit serving DC metro with casework, employment, education, and emergency assistance programs; comparable faith-based community service model and broader scale.
• SOME (So Others Might Eat): DC-based nonprofit providing integrated services including case management, workforce development, housing, and meals for individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness; directly comparable mission and service model to Samaritan Ministry.
• Bread for the City: DC nonprofit providing food, clothing, medical care, and social services to low-income residents; directly comparable in mission, integrated casework/emergency assistance model, and DC focus.
• Salvation Army National Capital Area Command: Faith-based organization delivering social services, casework, and emergency assistance in the DC metro region; directly comparable in faith-based social services delivery, with broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• DC Central Kitchen: DC-based nonprofit addressing hunger and workforce development through culinary training; partially comparable as a DC workforce and food security peer with similar scale.
• N Street Village: DC-based nonprofit serving women experiencing homelessness with casework, housing, and workforce programs; comparable mission focus and DC operating area, though narrower population served.

Emerging players

• Byte Back: DC-based nonprofit providing IT training and career pathways; directly comparable as an integrated training partner with Samaritan Ministry's STRIVE program since 2023.
• STRIVE International: National nonprofit umbrella network for STRIVE job readiness training, of which Samaritan Ministry is a DC affiliate; directly comparable as the parent curriculum and job placement methodology provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/SamaritanMinistryDC
• Facebookfacebook.com/SamaritanMinistryDC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2470573
• Instagraminstagram.com/samaritanmindc
• Xx.com/samaritanmindc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Samaritan Ministry of Greater Washington