What Star House does

Star House is an independent nonprofit social service agency founded in October 2006 by Dr. Natasha Slesnick as a research project of The Ohio State University and spun out as a standalone entity in 2017. The organization operates Central Ohio's only drop-in center for youth ages 14-24 experiencing homelessness, providing 16-hour daily access 365 days per year to food, clothing, hygiene, showers, laundry, and connections to therapy, case management, housing, transportation, health care, employment, education, addiction services, legal aid, and government benefits. It is also the nation's only drop-in center hosting continuous best-practice research, with its proprietary 7-step trauma-informed service model validated through an ongoing partnership with The Ohio State University.

The organization's core program portfolio comprises three integrated offerings: (1) the Drop-in Center at 1220 Corrugated Way, Columbus; (2) Carol Stewart Village (CSV), a 62-unit affordable housing development jointly owned with Finance Fund and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority that opened in August 2020 with project-based vouchers supporting residents for up to seven years; and (3) Star Works, a workforce development program featuring social enterprise partnerships such as Wild Tiger Tees. The Opportunity Fund is a trust-based unrestricted fundraising campaign with giving levels from $10,000 to $1,000,000, while the CBusSeeUS campaign drives community awareness. Among youth accessing services for three months or more, reported outcomes include 55.8% obtaining housing, 70.5% obtaining ID cards, 80.1% receiving medical care, 56.3% receiving therapy, 63.8% obtaining employment, and 79.9% receiving case management.

Star House is funded through a combination of individual and corporate donations, federal/state/local government grants and contracts, and social enterprise revenue (Star Works projected to generate $1.3 million over five years through housing development). Major funding events include a $6.4 million NIH grant awarded to Ohio State in 2019 (HEAL Initiative, opioid use research) and a nearly $6.1 million grant awarded in 2018. The City of Columbus invested $1.6 million into Carol Stewart Village, and the organization maintains relationships with more than 100 service partners including Nationwide Children's Hospital, Legal Aid Society, Equitas Health, and the YMCA. Leadership comprises CEO Ann Bischoff (since 2016) and a management team including VPs of Operations & Programs, Community Development & Housing, and Development.

Name

Star House

Legal name

Star House

Website

https://starhouse.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Star House is an independent nonprofit operating Central Ohio's only drop-in center for youth ages 14-24 experiencing homelessness, providing 365-day basic-needs access, therapy, case management, and the 62-unit Carol Stewart Village transitional housing program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Homelessness Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Youth homelessness services
• Drop-in center
• Transitional housing
• Trauma-informed care
• Workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: Star House relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The Opportunity Fund campaign seeks trust-based unrestricted funds at various investment levels from $10,000 to $1,000,000 for general operations and social enterprise development.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and local government funding including project-based vouchers from Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority for Carol Stewart Village residents.
3. Social Enterprise Revenue: Star Works workforce development program generates revenue through transitional employment partnerships and social enterprise initiatives. Projected to create $1.3 million in revenue over five years through housing development social enterprise.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Star House operates Central Ohio's only drop-in center for youth ages 14-24 experiencing homelessness, providing free, immediate access to basic needs, clinical therapy, case management, and connections to housing, employment, education, health care, and legal aid. The organization jointly owns and operates Carol Stewart Village, a 62-unit affordable housing neighborhood for young adults ages 18-24, and runs the Star Works workforce development program, all delivered through a proprietary evidence-based, trauma-informed service model refined via ongoing research partnership with The Ohio State University.

Product overview

Star House operates as a single, integrated social services organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs for youth experiencing homelessness. The core offering is the Drop-in Center, a low-barrier facility open 365 days a year providing immediate access to basic needs and stabilizing resources. This connects to Carol Stewart Village, a 62-unit transitional housing program for young adults ages 18-24, which Star House co-operates with Finance Fund and CMHA. Star Works provides workforce development and transitional employment opportunities. The Opportunity Fund is a separate funding initiative supporting organizational sustainability. The CBusSeeUS Campaign raises community awareness. Together, these programs form an evidence-based, trauma-informed model designed to lift youth out of homelessness through basic needs access, housing, employment, health services, and supportive relationships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drop-in Center Central Ohio's only drop-in center for youth ages 14-24 experiencing homelessness. Open 10:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. (16 hours), 365 days a year with no appointment needed. Provides immediate access to food, clothing, hygiene items, laundry facilities, showers, a safe place to be, and connections to therapy, case management, housing, transportation, health care, employment, education, addiction services, legal aid, government benefits, and ID cards.
• Carol Stewart Village (CSV) Affordable housing neighborhood for young adults ages 18-24 exiting homelessness, offering 62 studio apartments with on-site access to transitional jobs, education, health care, mental health and addiction services, and social connections through mentorships, peer support, and community engagement. Jointly owned and operated with Finance Fund and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority.
• Star Works Workforce development program providing transitional employment and professional development for youth experiencing homelessness. Connects young people with paid on-site social enterprise work (e.g., T-shirt printing with Wild Tiger Tees at $10/hour for 2.5-hour shifts) and partners with workforce development employers, creating pathways to living-wage careers while addressing barriers to sustained employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55.8% of youth accessing services for 3+ months obtained housing
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and supporting.

• Finance FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinance Fund is a joint owner and operator of Carol Stewart Village alongside Star House and Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority. Finance Fund acquired the former Motel 6 and Knights Inn property for $1,835,000 and is developing the 62-unit affordable housing project.
• Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMHA jointly owns and operates Carol Stewart Village with Star House and Finance Fund. Provides project-based vouchers enabling residents to live at CSV for up to seven years while acquiring credentials and experience for long-term housing stability.
• The Ohio State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSU partners with Star House on continuous best-practice research. Star House is the nation's only drop-in center hosting ongoing research. OSU researchers conduct studies on topics including opioid use, stress biomarkers, nutrition, and intervention effectiveness. A $6.4 million NIH grant (HEAL Initiative) studies the correlation between youth having a home and prevention of opioid addiction.
• Wild Tiger TeeskeyStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial enterprise T-shirt printing company that partners with Star House through Star Works workforce development program. Youth work 2.5-hour shifts printing customized T-shirts in an on-site art room at $10/hour. 50% of T-shirt sales proceeds go back to Star Works. Founded in 2018 with funding from GiveBackHack.
• Ohio Arts CouncilsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides funding support for Star House's art studio programs, including diverse offerings such as journal club, paint n' sip classes, drawing sessions, crochet workshops, mural painting, and beatboxing lessons.
• Grace FellowshipsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner supporting Star House's dedicated art studio programs and creative initiatives for youth experiencing homelessness.
• Columbia Gas of OhiosupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner recognized for helping Star House promote workforce skills. Named Corporate Citizenship Vanguard honoree by Columbus Business First for supporting Star Works program.
• 100+ Service PartnerssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerExtensive network of service partners providing on-site and community-based services including healthcare, legal aid, education, employment, housing, mental health, addiction services, and government benefits. Partners include Columbus Public Health, Ohio State University, Legal Aid Society, Equitas Health, YMCA, and many others.
• Nationwide Children's HospitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing services at Star House and Carol Stewart Village. One of 22 service partners and sponsors for the Carol Stewart Village community.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Larkin Street Youth Services: San Francisco nonprofit offering drop-in services, housing, education, and employment programs for youth ages 12-24 experiencing homelessness. Closely matched drop-in + housing + workforce model for the same youth demographic.
• Covenant House: National nonprofit operating drop-in centers, emergency shelters, and transitional housing for youth ages 16-24 experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable mission, target population, and integrated service model across multiple U.S. cities.
• Youth Villages: National nonprofit delivering residential programs, crisis services, and community-based interventions for at-risk youth and young adults. Comparable in delivering integrated housing + clinical + workforce support, though at significantly larger scale.
• Lighthouse Youth Services: Ohio-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness and at-risk young adults. Comparable operating model and overlapping regional footprint.
• Huckleberry House: Columbus-based nonprofit providing crisis shelter, transitional living, and youth development services for young people experiencing homelessness and trafficking in Central Ohio. Local peer with highly overlapping service lines and geography.

Others

• A Way Home America: National movement and coalition working to prevent and end homelessness among youth and young families. Functions as a coordinating body, funder convener, and policy advocate rather than a direct service operator.
• National Network for Youth: National membership and advocacy organization supporting youth-serving agencies and runaway/homeless youth programs. Operates as an industry association and capacity-builder, not a direct service provider.

Emerging players

• True Colors United: National organization focused specifically on preventing and ending homelessness among LGBTQ+ youth, a population Star House explicitly serves. Partial overlap in mission and target population but with a narrower programmatic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/StarHouseCbus
• Facebookfacebook.com/starhousecolumbus
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/star-house-columbus
• Instagraminstagram.com/starhousecolumbus/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Star House