Houston Aphasia Recovery Center

What Houston Aphasia Recovery Center does

Houston Aphasia Recovery Center (HARC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered at 5005 Woodway Drive, Suite 110, in Houston, Texas. The organization provides community-based language recovery and therapeutic socialization programs for adults living with aphasia, typically resulting from stroke or acquired brain injury, and supports their caregivers through communication-partner training and peer support. Service delivery spans three primary modalities: in-person programs at the Woodway Drive campus (Tuesday–Thursday), virtual programs via Zoom, and the HARC ICAP, a four-week intensive program offering three hours of daily individual speech-language therapy plus group treatment.

The underlying clinical methodology is a Supported Communication approach for adults with aphasia, taught to caregivers, volunteers, and participants through an Introductory Program that includes individualized assessment. The clinical team is composed of CCC-SLP-certified Speech-Language Pathologists, supported by a program associate, an outreach coordinator, and an Executive Director with nonprofit management experience.

HARC's business model is donation-driven: contributions from individuals, foundations, and corporations (including gifts of appreciated stock and IRA rollovers), supplemented by annual fundraising events (a luncheon and a pickleball tournament called "Racquets"), YALL membership fees for a young-professionals support group, and modest program fees offset by a Federal-Poverty-Level-based sliding-scale scholarship. Participants are acquired primarily through referrals from Speech-Language Pathologists, neuropsychologists, and rehabilitation physicians in the Houston medical ecosystem, with secondary acquisition via direct intake, word-of-mouth, and social media. The organization holds no patents, has no funding rounds, and operates as an independent nonprofit without a parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Houston Aphasia Recovery Center

Legal name

Houston Aphasia Recovery Center

Website

https://harctx.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Houston Aphasia Recovery Center (HARC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Houston, Texas that delivers in-person, virtual, and intensive speech-language programs for adults with aphasia and supports their caregivers through Supported Communication training and peer networks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: HARC is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable organization that relies upon the generosity of individuals, foundations, and corporations. The organization accepts donations, gifts of appreciated stock, IRA rollovers (Qualified Charitable Distributions), and Donor Advised Fund contributions.
2. YALL Membership Fees: The Young Aphasia Leadership League (YALL) young professional group charges annual membership fees: $30 per person or $50 for two people, plus optional t-shirt purchases at $10 or $20.
3. Program Fees: Participants pay for programs and virtual sessions; financial assistance and scholarships based on Federal Poverty Level income guidelines are available for those who qualify.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

HARC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit wellness center providing language-based programs and supported communication services for individuals with aphasia resulting from stroke or acquired brain injury. The center delivers in-person programs at its Houston campus, virtual programs via Zoom, and an Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program (ICAP), complemented by caregiver training and community-based socialization activities.

Product overview

Houston Aphasia Recovery Center (HARC) is a nonprofit wellness center offering language-based programs for persons with aphasia. The organization operates a multi-format service model consisting of In-Person Programs at its Woodway Drive campus, Virtual Programs delivered via Zoom, and the intensive HARC ICAP (Intensive Comprehensive Aphasia Program). These core programs are supplemented by the Young Aphasia Leadership League (YALL) for young professionals, Supported Communication Training for volunteers and caregivers, a Scholarship Program with sliding scale fees, and annual fundraising events including the Racquets pickleball tournament and Luncheon. The organization creates a supportive environment for participants to engage in therapeutic socialization, recreation, and communication recovery through various activity-based programs including Book Club, Language Games, Brain Games, Creative Connection, and Music & Language.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• In-Person Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• Positive communication gains documented through pre/post testing in intensive programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Aphasia Association (NAA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009HARC founders Dr. Blair and Rita Justice joined the NAA Board in 2007, learning about the 2+ million people affected by aphasia and identifying the gap in Houston aphasia resources. This relationship led directly to HARC's founding as the Houston representative for NAA.
• University of Houston Department of Communication Sciences and DisorderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Lynn Maher, world-renowned aphasia expert and then-Chair of the Department, joined as one of five founding members. HARC's first conversation group began in spring 2009 at the University of Houston. The department continues as an advisory board partner.
• University of Texas School of Nursing Center on AgingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Sharon Ostwald, Director of the Center on Aging, suggested HARC find a home at the University of Houston Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, helping connect the founders with Dr. Lynn Maher.
• Texas Woman's University (TWU) Occupational Therapy ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTWU Occupational Therapy students assist with the Strength & Motion program as part of their clinical training at HARC.
• The Harrison Center of Music Therapy, LLCminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerA music therapist from The Harrison Center of Music Therapy facilitates the HARC Heralds choir program, leading weekly rehearsals and performances throughout the year.
• TIRR Memorial HermannminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmily Lewallen, M.S. CCC-SLP, previously worked at TIRR Memorial Hermann before joining HARC staff, bringing experience with cognitive-communication disorders, aphasia, and feeding/swallowing difficulties.
• Austin Speech LabsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMeagan Brittain's passion for supporting individuals with aphasia began during her volunteer work at Austin Speech Labs before joining HARC as a Speech-Language Pathologist.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• West Texas Aphasia Center: Aphasia-focused nonprofit in Midland, Texas; HARC SLP Cecile Thibodeaux previously volunteered there, indicating overlapping service model in a different Texas geography.

Broad incumbents

• National Aphasia Association: National umbrella and advocacy organization for aphasia; HARC founders joined the NAA Board in 2007 and HARC serves as Houston's NAA representative — overlapping mission and referral network.
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): National professional credentialing body for SLPs; HARC's CCC-SLP clinical staff operate within ASHA's certification framework and ASHA represents the broader professional ecosystem in which HARC competes for clinical talent.
• TIRR Memorial Hermann: Major Houston rehabilitation hospital providing inpatient/outpatient aphasia therapy. HARC draws referrals from TIRR and employs TIRR-trained SLPs, positioning TIRR as both upstream referrer and adjacent provider.

Emerging players

• Lingraphica: Device and software provider specializing in speech-generating devices and apps for people with aphasia — an adjacent digital therapy competitor and potential complement to HARC's group-based programs.
• Constant Therapy Health: Digital cognitive and speech therapy platform with aphasia exercises; represents a technology-enabled modality competing for the same patient population served by HARC's in-person and virtual programs.

Direct peers

• Aphasia Center of California: Community-based aphasia recovery center offering group programs, supported conversation, and caregiver training in the San Francisco Bay Area — the closest structural analogue to HARC's Houston model.
• Austin Speech Labs: Texas-based nonprofit speech therapy provider specifically focused on aphasia recovery; HARC explicitly references Austin Speech Labs as a volunteer/recruitment partner and target peer in the same state.
• Adler Aphasia Center: Nonprofit aphasia center in New Jersey providing group therapy programs, supported communication, and caregiver support — directly comparable service mix and mission to HARC.
• Stroke/Aphasia Recovery (STAR) Program: University-based aphasia rehabilitation program referenced as a prior employer/training ground for HARC SLPs, with overlapping intensive therapy and group program focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/harctx
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC1Lm5nDTfnH_u3SiyAWxJxQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HARCTX
• Instagraminstagram.com/harc_tx

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Houston Aphasia Recovery Center