Hearts of Gold

What Hearts of Gold does

Hearts of Gold is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1994 by Deborah Koenigsberger and headquartered at 40 West 25th Street in New York City. The organization serves homeless mothers and their children living in NYC shelters, delivering support across three programmatic pillars: Stabilize (emergency assistance including Fresh Start Bags, Baby Shower-in-a-Bag, Emergency Food Bags, and seasonal coats), Support (financial literacy, parenting education, Fresh Start University workforce training, and the Virtual Learning Center for grades 2-12), and Sustain (back-to-school and holiday programming, alumni networks, and workwear consulting). Hearts of Gold reports impacting over 41,000 lives since inception, with stated outcomes of 83% of mothers completing Fresh Start University exiting shelter and remaining permanently housed, and 84% of children attending twice-weekly tutoring improving academic performance by at least one grade level.

The organization's revenue model combines individual and corporate donations processed through the Zeffy donation platform, grants from family foundations (Balsamo, Scheerer, George Link Jr Charitable Trust), and earned income from tth Vintage Boutique—a curated resale retail storefront co-located at the headquarters where 100% of net proceeds fund Hearts of Gold programs and where participants receive paid internships and job training. Corporate sponsors include MWM Financial, Century 21, Google, and The Copy Specialist, with additional support from the Noir et Blanc fashion boutique and the founder's affiliated styling business. The organization's technology stack is minimal and commodity: a Wix-hosted website, Zeffy for donations and ticketing, Zoom for the Virtual Learning Center, and standard social media properties for community engagement.

Hearts of Gold holds a perfect 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and Platinum transparency status from Candid (2024), and has been featured on NBC New York, Good Morning America, CBS News, the Tamron Hall Show, and the Diane Von Furstenberg profile series. The organization is governed by a Board chaired by Jack Gindi, with an Advisory Council that includes journalist Soledad O'Brien as Goodwill Ambassador and executives from CAC Specialty, Rubicon Project, and Metropolitan Wealth Management. The legal entity is Hearts of Gold Inc. (EIN 13-4194879), with no parent company, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no public revenue figure; reported employee count is in the 11-50 range and geographic operations are limited to New York City.

Name

Hearts of Gold

Legal name

Hearts of Gold Inc.

Website

https://heartsofgold.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hearts of Gold is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1994 in New York City that supports homeless mothers and their children in NYC shelters through emergency assistance, workforce development, and educational programs, funded by donations and its social enterprise tth Vintage Boutique.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services for Homeless Families

NAICS

Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Community Housing Services (62422), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cash & Voucher Assistance (CVA) and Emergency Livelihood Support (BPAGAAAJ)

Keywords

• Homeless family services
• Workforce development programs
• Emergency assistance support
• Social services nonprofit
• Social enterprise retail

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: Hearts of Gold relies on individual and corporate donations to fund programs and services. The organization accepts donations through their Zeffy platform and receives support from foundations and individual sponsors.
2. tth Vintage Boutique Sales: The social enterprise retail store generates revenue through sale of donated, gently used and vintage fashion, home decor and furnishings. 100% of net proceeds directly fund Hearts of Gold programs and services serving homeless mothers and children.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hearts of Gold is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports homeless mothers and their children in New York City through a three-pillar program framework: Stabilize (emergency basic-needs assistance such as food, clothing, hygiene kits, and MetroCards), Support (year-round life-skills, financial literacy, parenting workshops, virtual tutoring, and Fresh Start University workforce training), and Sustain (community gatherings, alumni networks, and workforce development through the tth Vintage Boutique social enterprise). 100% of net proceeds from tth Vintage Boutique fund program operations.

Product overview

Hearts of Gold offers a comprehensive suite of social programs organized around three pillars: Stabilize, Support, and Sustain. The Stabilize programs provide emergency assistance including Fresh Start Bags, Baby Shower-in-a-Bag, Emergency Food Bags, and Coats for Christmas. The Support programs offer year-round services including Financial Literacy classes, Fresh Start University workforce development, Virtual Learning Center tutoring for grades 2-12, and Parenting Education. The Sustain programs include Back-to-School Celebrations, Holiday Events, Community Gatherings, Education Workshops, and Alumni Support Groups. Additionally, the organization operates tth Vintage Boutique as a social enterprise retail store that combines curated resale with workforce development opportunities for mothers, with 100% of net proceeds funding all programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• tth Vintage Boutique: Mission-driven social enterprise that combines curated resale with hands-on workforce development, offering new, gently used, and vintage fashion along with home furnishings. 100% of net proceeds fund Hearts of Gold's programs and services.
• Fresh Start University (FSU)
• The HEARTS OF GOLD Learning Center

Products and services

• Stabilize Programs Emergency assistance programs that ease the trauma of entering shelter by providing families with MetroCards, school supplies, tutoring, food, clothing (including school uniforms and new coats each year through the Winter Giveaway with hats, scarves, and gloves), furniture, and other essential supplies. Targeted at homeless mothers and children in NYC shelters.
• Support Programs Year-round programs addressing basic life-skills gaps for homeless mothers, including Financial Literacy & Economic Empowerment courses, Parenting Skills workshops, Fresh Start University (workforce development and job training/placement), the Virtual Learning Center (free tutoring and homework help for grades 2-12, six days a week), and a summer enrichment camp for teens.
• Sustain Programs Long-term community support programs designed to create sustainable change, including Back-to-School Celebration with backpacks and supplies, Holiday & Christmas Celebrations, Community Gatherings, Education Workshops, Alumni Support Groups (mother mentorship), job training at tth Vintage Boutique, job interview workshops, and workwear consulting.
• tth Vintage Boutique Mission-driven social enterprise retail store at 40 West 25th Street in NYC, combining curated resale of new, gently used, and vintage fashion for men and women along with home decor and furnishings. Provides paid internships and on-the-job workforce development for Hearts of Gold mothers. 100% of net proceeds fund Hearts of Gold programs. Open Tue-Sat with extended hours on Thursdays.

Quantifiable outcome

• 83% of mothers who completed Fresh Start University program exited shelter and remain permanently housed
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Noir et BlanccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeborah Koenigsberger serves as Owner & Stylist at Noir et Blanc as well as Founder of Hearts of Gold, creating a direct connection between the fashion boutique and the nonprofit organization. Noir et Blanc appears on the Advisory Council and supports the mission.
• NYC Shelters and ProviderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHearts of Gold partners with local NYC shelters and service providers to deliver programs and services directly to homeless mothers and children. The organization registers shelter clients and coordinates with providers to administer support.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Henry Street Settlement: Henry Street Settlement is a Lower East Side NYC settlement house offering social services, education, and workforce programs to vulnerable families. Comparable to Hearts of Gold because of NYC geography, multi-generational family programming, workforce development, and long-standing neighborhood presence.
• The Bowery Mission: The Bowery Mission is a long-running NYC nonprofit serving homeless and hungry New Yorkers through emergency services, residential programs, and workforce training. Comparable to Hearts of Gold because of NYC focus, long operating history, integrated emergency-plus-sustainability programming, and faith-informed service model.
• WIN (Women In Need): WIN is NYC's largest provider of shelter and housing for homeless women and children, operating family residences and supportive services. Most directly comparable to Hearts of Gold because both serve homeless mothers and children in NYC through shelter-based programming, workforce support, and pathways to permanent housing.
• Partnership for the Homeless: Partnership for the Homeless is a NYC nonprofit focused on preventing family homelessness and rapidly re-housing families with children. Comparable to Hearts of Gold because both concentrate on families (particularly mothers with children) in NYC and emphasize stabilization pathways out of shelter.
• Coalition for the Homeless: Coalition for the Homeless is a NYC-based advocacy and direct-service organization serving homeless families and individuals, including family literacy, housing placement, and crisis intervention programs. Highly comparable to Hearts of Gold because of shared NYC geography, family homelessness focus, and integrated advocacy-plus-program delivery model.
• Project Renewal: Project Renewal runs NYC programs addressing homelessness through shelter, healthcare, employment, and housing placement. Directly comparable because both organizations deliver shelter-based services plus workforce development pathways to permanent housing within the same NYC market.
• Housing Works: Housing Works is a NYC nonprofit fighting homelessness and HIV/AIDS through housing, health, and advocacy, and notably operates thrift stores whose proceeds fund programs. Highly comparable to Hearts of Gold because both use a thrift/retail social enterprise to fund direct services for vulnerable populations.
• Sanctuary for Families: Sanctuary for Families is a NYC nonprofit providing shelter, counseling, and economic empowerment services to survivors of domestic violence and their children. Comparable to Hearts of Gold because both serve mothers and children in crisis housing situations and integrate economic empowerment / workforce development into family recovery.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of New York: Catholic Charities of New York is one of the largest NYC social service networks providing housing, emergency assistance, workforce, and family services across multiple programs. Comparable to Hearts of Gold because of NYC footprint and overlapping family-support services, but operates at much larger scale across broader service categories.

Emerging players

• Bottomless Closet: Bottomless Closet is a NYC nonprofit helping low-income women achieve economic self-sufficiency through workforce readiness, professional attire, and career support. Comparable to Hearts of Gold because both serve NYC women in transition with workforce development and a related retail/professional-attire component.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC3bZPWBU_tLnchF0T_UBbmg
• Facebookfacebook.com/heartsofgoldnyc
• Instagraminstagram.com/heartsofgoldnyc
• Xx.com/HeartsofGoldNYC
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hearts-of-gold-nyc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hearts of Gold