Association of Faith Communities

What Association of Faith Communities does

The Association of Faith Communities of Santa Cruz (AFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and interfaith coalition of nearly 40 local faith communities that delivers direct services to individuals experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County, California. Founded in 2012 and incorporated in 2017, AFC operates four core programs: the Faith Community Shelter (a nightly rotating transitional shelter at 15 host sites serving up to 20 individuals per evening, expanded in 2025 with a Watsonville rotating shelter), SafeSpaces (an overnight safe parking program for up to 70 people living in their vehicles at faith community and city lots), a Mobile Shower Trailer (delivering up to 120 hot showers weekly at shelters and camps), and SPIN (a sock distribution program that has supplied 60,000 pairs over 10 years). All services are provided free of charge to participants; AFC is not technology-focused and does not maintain a proprietary platform.

AFC's business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Roughly 80% of funds are directed to programs, sourced from individual and congregational donations across the faith coalition, a portion of proceeds from The Helpful Shop thrift store in Aptos, corporate and foundation sponsorships (Bombas, Rotary Club of Santa Cruz, 1440 Foundation, Community Foundation of Santa Cruz County), and government grants including HEAP (Homeless Emergency Aid Program) for 24/7 shelter operations and County of Santa Cruz funding for deposit and short-term rental assistance. AFC has 11-50 employees supported by more than 200 volunteers annually and is governed by a Board of Directors with congregational representation. Key leadership includes Executive Director Sam Altis (formerly FCS Manager), Program Managers Cristina Gomez-Hernandez (Safe Spaces) and Courtney Barrett (Faith Community Shelter), and Case Managers Xenia Garcia and others. AFC works in coordination with referral partners including Housing Matters, People First, Community Action Board, H-DAP, and Housing for Health Partnership to move participants into permanent housing.

Name

Association of Faith Communities

Legal name

Association of Faith Communities of Santa Cruz

Website

https://www.afcsantacruz.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Association of Faith Communities of Santa Cruz is a 501(c)(3) interfaith nonprofit coalition of nearly 40 faith communities delivering shelter, safe parking, mobile showers, and essential supplies to individuals experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz County, funded by donations, sponsorships, and government grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Religious Organizations (8131), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAJAG

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

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAIANAC

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Transitional shelter
• Safe parking
• Mobile showers
• Case management

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: AFC operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying primarily on donations from individuals, congregations, and community members. Nearly 80% of funds go directly toward shelter, safe parking, and shower programs.
2. Thrift Store Proceeds: The Helpful Shop thrift store in Aptos donates a portion of sales to AFC, providing ongoing revenue while volunteers staff the shop.
3. Grant Funding: AFC has received grants including HEAP (Homeless Emergency Aid Program) funding for 24/7 shelter operations. County funding supports deposit assistance and short-term rental assistance for participants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Association of Faith Communities operates an interfaith coalition of nearly 40 faith communities delivering free homeless services in Santa Cruz County through four core programs: a rotating Faith Community Shelter at 15 host sites, a SafeSpaces safe-parking program for up to 70 vehicle-dwellers, a mobile shower trailer providing 120 hot showers weekly, and SPIN sock distribution. All programs are accompanied by case management and housing navigation support aimed at transitioning participants into permanent housing.

Product overview

AFC is an interfaith coalition offering a portfolio of homeless services through four core programs: Faith Community Shelter (transitional shelter at 15 sites serving up to 20 nightly), SafeSpaces (safe parking for 70 vehicle-dwellers), Mobile Shower Trailer (up to 120 showers weekly), and SPIN (sock distribution). Services include case management, housing navigation, and meals. The organization also maintains a Resource Directory for connecting clients to additional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Faith Community Shelter (FCS): A nightly transitional shelter program rotating among faith communities, providing shelter, meals, and case management.
• SafeSpaces
• SPIN
• Mobile Showers

Products and services

• Faith Community Shelter (FCS) A nightly transitional shelter program rotating among 15 faith-community host sites throughout Santa Cruz County (from Santa Cruz to Aptos, plus a Watsonville rotation as of 2025), providing shelter for up to 20 individuals each evening along with volunteer-cooked meals, case management, and housing navigation services. Free to participants experiencing homelessness.
• SafeSpaces A safe parking program allowing up to 70 participants living in their vehicles to park overnight at faith community and city parking lots, with access to sanitary facilities, Wi-Fi, case management, and housing navigation support. Free to participants.
• Mobile Showers A trailer-based mobile shower service providing up to 120 hot showers weekly to unhoused residents at shelters and camps throughout Santa Cruz County (currently available Mondays and Thursdays at the Watsonville Health Center). Free to participants.
• SPIN (Socks for People in Need) A distribution program that collects and distributes new pairs of socks to people experiencing homelessness through faith-based clothing and food distribution points. Over 60,000 pairs have been distributed in 10 years.
• Resource Directory A guide connecting individuals experiencing homelessness to immediate-need services throughout Santa Cruz County, created in partnership with People First.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50 people receive shelter or safe parking each evening
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Community Foundation of Santa Cruz CountymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsor of AFC programs. Listed prominently on the Our Sponsors section of the website alongside other community organizations.
• County of Santa CruzmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment sponsor providing funding and support. County offered deposit assistance and short-term rental assistance for shelter participants moving into housing.
• City of Santa CruzmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal sponsor listed on website. Provided parking lot for Safe Spaces program at one city location.
• BombasminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSock company sponsor that has donated socks for distribution through the SPIN program.
• Rotary Club of Santa CruzminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity service organization listed as sponsor supporting AFC operations.
• 1440 FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPhilanthropic foundation listed as sponsor supporting AFC programs.
• People FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that composed a resource directory document for people sleeping outdoors. AFC refers participants to People First for additional services and coordinated care.
• Housing MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner that connected participant Matt to AFC's Faith Community Shelter. AFC works with Housing Matters to help unhoused residents find shelter and housing options.
• Community Action Board (CAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided deposit assistance and short-term rental assistance to help AFC participant Matt move into housing at Palomar Inn.
• Housing for Health PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty program that offers small amounts toward home furnishings for housed individuals. Connected to AFC for coordinated entry and housing navigation services.
• Wings AdvocacyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvided welcome home baskets for AFC participants moving into permanent housing.
• H-DAP (Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty/city program that subsidized rent and helped participant Jeanne attain Section 8 voucher for permanent housing. AFC case managers coordinate with H-DAP staff.
• Homeless Garden ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization where Jeannie's partner Eric found work while supporting her housing search from the shelter.
• Downtown Streets TeamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolunteer program participant Sandy mentioned as example of homeless individuals giving back to the community through volunteer work.
• Homeless Person's Health Project (HPHP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth services program in Santa Cruz that participant Adam Henderson referenced as a service he accessed while homeless.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Family Promise: National interfaith nonprofit network addressing family homelessness through volunteer congregations that provide shelter, meals, and housing support. Highly comparable to AFC's rotating interfaith model, though Family Promise focuses on families with children rather than individuals.
• Catholic Charities of Santa Cruz County: Faith-based social services agency serving the same Santa Cruz County geography with comparable programs for unhoused individuals and families. Operates shelter and case-management services in direct geographic overlap with AFC.
• Salvation Army Santa Cruz Corps: Religious-affiliated nonprofit providing shelter, transitional housing, and social services across the U.S., including Santa Cruz. Comparable in faith-rooted service delivery and reliance on community donations.
• Housing Matters: Santa Cruz County's largest provider of homeless and housing services; operates the River Street Shelter. Listed as an AFC referral partner and serves the same target population with overlapping case-management services.
• Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County: Local anti-poverty nonprofit providing homelessness prevention, deposit assistance, and rental support. Listed as an AFC partner providing housing subsidies to AFC participants.

Broad incumbents

• Abode Services: Large Bay Area nonprofit operating supportive and affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness. Comparable mission and case-management model at significantly larger scale.
• PATH (People Assisting the Homeless): California-wide nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and services for homeless individuals. Comparable service portfolio and housing-navigation model, but operates at much larger regional scale.
• HomeAid America: National nonprofit that builds and renovates housing for homeless service providers; partners with building industry. Thematically adjacent to AFC's housing-navigation work but focused on infrastructure rather than direct service.

Regional players

• Bill Wilson Center: Santa Clara County-based nonprofit serving homeless and at-risk youth with shelter and supportive services. Comparable mission and case-management approach but focused on youth in a neighboring county.
• Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay: Affordable housing nonprofit operating in adjacent Monterey Bay region. Comparable affordable-housing and community-development mission with overlapping volunteer-driven model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=caVIVMXz1JQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-of-faith-communities

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Association of Faith Communities