The Shelter

What The Shelter does

The Shelter, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) faith-based nonprofit operating an emergency shelter and poverty-recovery program in Connersville, Indiana. Founded in 2017 and operational since January 11, 2020, the organization serves homeless and low-income men, women, and families through temporary housing, meals, showers, laundry, case management, and referrals to identification, medical insurance, addiction recovery, mental health, employment, transportation, SSI/disability, and housing services. Its service model centers on a 30-day program agreement with weekly individualized assessment and is integrated with Judge Freed's Drug Court, DCS, Reid Health, Meridian Health Services, and Centerstone. In its five years of operation it has served an average of 100 individuals per year against a previous capacity of 12 beds and an average waitlist of approximately 10.

The core technology footprint is minimal and consists of a Wix-hosted marketing website (shelterconnersville.org), a PayPal donation flow, and manual case management rather than any proprietary software. The organization has three full-time paid staff (one Resident Coordinator and two Shelter Monitors), supplemented by volunteers for bookkeeping, office duties, and fundraisers. Strategic capacity buildout was funded in part by a $152,000 two-year Accelerator Initiative grant awarded in 2023, which supported board development, strategic planning, additional grant pursuit, and the addition of the three full-time roles.

The revenue model is donation-driven rather than transactional: services are provided free of charge to residents, and operating income is sourced from individual donations, church contributions, corporate sponsorships (with a formal sponsorship packet and quarterly impact newsletter), and grants including the 2023 Accelerator Initiative award and a separate Union County Foundation grant. In May 2024 the organization relocated to a larger former Salvation Army building at 431 Western Ave. W to expand capacity to 44 individuals plus three families, with a quoted $236,192 renovation scope and a stated goal of $250,000 in sustainable annual income. The organization has explicitly positioned itself as transitioning from a grassroots entity to a growth-stage nonprofit requiring capital.

Name

The Shelter

Legal name

The Shelter, Inc.

Website

https://shelterconnersville.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Shelter, Inc. is a Connersville, Indiana-based 501(c)(3) Christ-centered nonprofit providing free emergency shelter, meals, case management, and recovery-program referrals to homeless and low-income men, women, and families in Fayette County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Shelter Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Homeless services
• Case management
• Faith-based ministry
• Life skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Connersville

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. Donations and Contributions: Funding from churches, private citizens, and individual donors. Contributions received through PayPal and other donation channels. Every contribution is described as a blessing that makes a difference.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship program with a sponsorship packet available for businesses. Quarterly newsletters provided to sponsors reporting impact. Goal of $250,000 sustainable income annually.
3. Grants: Grant funding including $152,000 Accelerator Initiative award in 2023 (two-year grant with coaching support). Organization applying for additional grants with strategic growth plan.
4. Building Fundraising Campaign: Capital campaign for building renovations and expansion. Specific fundraising goal tied to the new facility at former Salvation Army building.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Shelter provides emergency temporary housing for homeless men, women, and families, delivering a bed, meals, showers, laundry, and case management at no cost to residents. Services are integrated with referrals for identification documents, medical insurance, addiction recovery, mental health counseling, employment, transportation, SSI/disability, and stable housing, plus planned life skills training (budgeting, cooking, resume writing, job interview skills) and Christ-centered support groups.

Product overview

The Shelter, Inc. is a non-profit Christ-centered ministry offering a unified emergency shelter program with integrated support services. The core offering is temporary housing providing bed, meals, showers, and laundry, supported by intake and assessment programs. The organization complements shelter services with life skills training (budgeting, cooking, job readiness) and support groups (parenting, grandparents, Bible studies). A major facility expansion is planned to increase capacity from 12 to 44 individuals plus three families.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter Temporary emergency housing providing a bed, meals, shower, laundry, and access to clean clothing for homeless men, women, and families. Operates 24/7 for residents and serves the Connersville, Indiana area.
• Intake and Assessment Program Intake assessment of an individual's current situation and history leading to homelessness, determination of necessary steps, explanation of shelter rules, and signing of a 30-day program agreement guaranteeing a bed for residents needing additional resources.
• Essentials Assistance and Referral Services Helps residents obtain identification documents, medical insurance, substance abuse rehab, mental health services, cell phones, income sources (employment, SSI, disability), and permanent or transitional housing through coordinated referrals.
• Life Skills Training Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Served on average 100 individuals per year over five years of operation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Soldiers in the Army of the LordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister ministry through which The Shelter continues to help those in need while renovations are completed at the new building. Provides overflow support and continued service delivery.
• Judge Freed's Drug Court ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrug Court program helps offenders with Substance Abuse Disorder succeed in gaining back control of their lives. The Shelter works with program participants providing shelter and support services.
• Cardboard Box MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry founded by Bobby Hayden who travels around the country ministering to the homeless. Bobby Hayden serves on the board of The Shelter, Inc.
• Reid HealthcoreOthersLocal health system partner. Residents are referred to Reid Health for medical care needs as part of the comprehensive service coordination.
• Alquina United Methodist ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch supporter providing donations and community support to The Shelter.
• Applied Industrial TechnologiesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter listed as a donor to The Shelter.
• Bott Mechanical CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter listed as a donor to The Shelter.
• CK Fasteners LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter listed as a donor to The Shelter.
• Community Solutions Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity organization listed as a supporter and donor to The Shelter.
• Connersville Baptist TempleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch supporter providing donations and community support to The Shelter.
• Cross of Grace Lutheran ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch supporter providing donations and community support to The Shelter.
• First Baptist Church Community OutreachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch with community outreach program supporting The Shelter.
• First Merchants CorporationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFinancial institution listed as a corporate supporter and donor to The Shelter.
• First Presbyterian ChurchminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch supporter providing donations and community support to The Shelter. Also provides community meals (Sunday 5-6pm).
• Granco ClarkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter listed as a donor to The Shelter.
• Hahn GraphixminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter listed as a donor to The Shelter.
• Higher Praise Worship CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerChurch supporter providing donations and community support to The Shelter. Also provides community meals (Tuesday 10am-Noon).
• Hopkins Insurance AgencyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInsurance agency listed as a corporate supporter and donor to The Shelter.
• Refractory Engineers Inc.minorGTM or Marketing PartnerEngineering company listed as a corporate supporter and donor to The Shelter.
• Meridian Health ServicescoreOthersMental health service provider. Residents with mental health needs are referred to become clients of Meridian for services.
• CenterstonecoreOthersMental health service provider. Residents with mental health needs are referred to become clients of Centerstone for services.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wheeler Mission: Faith-based rescue mission in Indianapolis, Indiana providing emergency shelter, meals, and recovery programming to homeless men, women, and families. Directly comparable operating model with a Christ-centered ministry approach and case-management-driven rehousing, scaled to a much larger urban footprint.
• Kokomo Rescue Mission: Christian mission in Kokomo, Indiana providing emergency shelter, food, clothing, and recovery services. Comparable faith-based small-city shelter serving a similar demographic with a roughly equivalent bed-count scale.
• Family Promise of Whitewater Valley: Faith-based family shelter network serving homeless families with children in the Whitewater Valley region of Indiana. Directly comparable in mission and geographic area, with emphasis on family housing that aligns with The Shelter's planned family-room expansion.
• Richmond Rescue Mission: Faith-based homeless shelter in Richmond, Indiana (within ~30 miles of Connersville) offering emergency shelter, meals, addiction recovery, and life-skills programs. Most geographically direct peer for The Shelter, Inc. with a comparable small-city Indiana footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Union Gospel Mission: Network of regional faith-based rescue missions serving homeless populations with shelter, meals, addiction recovery, and job training. Comparable Christ-centered model with multi-city presence illustrating the franchise/scale path available to The Shelter, Inc.
• The Salvation Army (Indiana): National faith-based social services organization operating emergency shelters and social services across Indiana. Notably the previous owner of the building The Shelter, Inc. acquired in 2024, making them a structurally relevant incumbent in the same space.

Regional players

• Habitat for Humanity of Fayette County: Local Fayette County affiliate of national affordable housing nonprofit; complementary (not substitutable) since Habitat builds permanent housing rather than operating emergency shelter, but shares the donor base and rehousing referral pipeline relevant to The Shelter's residents.

Emerging players

• Blessing Boxes / Community Food Network (Cardboard Box Ministries): Ministry founded by Bobby Hayden that travels the U.S. ministering to homeless individuals; Hayden serves on The Shelter's board. Directly adjacent grassroots faith-based operator with overlapping audience and partnership potential.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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 The Shelter