Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community

What Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community does

Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community is a nonprofit residential community located in Morganton, North Carolina that serves deaf, deafblind, blind, and hard of hearing individuals. The community operates 21 purpose-built apartments that are reported to be consistently at full occupancy, with a Phase 2 expansion underway to add 26 additional units and an 8,000 square foot activity center. The organization is governed under the NCSD at Morganton Foundation (NCSDF), which was founded in 1991, with the Alder Springs building completed in 2015. It is supported by a volunteer board and a small paid staff (between 11 and 50 employees). Morganton's status as a deaf-friendly city since 1891, together with proximity to the North Carolina School for the Deaf, provides the institutional and cultural ecosystem that anchors the community.

The revenue model is a hybrid of three streams: (1) resident rent, with units priced in a $855-$1,075 per month band; (2) private donations from individuals, faith-based groups, and civic organizations; and (3) grants from private foundations. Notably, Alder Springs deliberately does not accept government funding, distinguishing its operating posture from many comparable disability-services providers and creating full dependency on philanthropic and earned-income flows. The current Phase 2 build has a total project cost of $8.4 million, financed through an active capital campaign targeting $3.0-$3.75 million in private contributions, with approximately $2 million raised as of April 2025. The remainder is assumed to come from additional philanthropy, reserves, and possibly debt.

There is no disclosed product or technology platform beyond the physical residential infrastructure and resident services. The value proposition is the residential community itself — accessible design, peer support from co-residents with shared lived experience, and integration into a long-established deaf cultural ecosystem — rather than a software, hardware, or service product sold to external buyers. As a small nonprofit operating in a narrow demographic niche, Alder Springs has limited revenue scale but high mission intensity and reported demand-side strength.

Name

Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community

Legal name

Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community, LLC

Website

https://aldersprings.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community is a nonprofit residential community in Morganton, North Carolina serving deaf, deafblind, blind, and hard of hearing individuals through 21 always-full apartments (expanding to 47), funded by resident rent and private donations without government support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessible Independent Living Housing

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Accessibility & Accommodations (ADA/Disability) (EDALACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialized Assisted Living for Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities (Adult) (HLADABAJ)

Keywords

• Accessible independent living
• Deaf blind housing
• Sensory technology apartments
• Nonprofit residential community
• Special needs housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Morganton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Apartment Rent: Monthly rental payments from 21 current apartments. Rent includes water, sewage, and trash. Residents pay additional for electricity, internet, and cable TV.
2. Capital Campaign Donations: Charitable gifts, pledges, and grants from individuals, families, businesses, and grant-makers to fund expansion construction
3. Foundation Grants: Private foundation grants supporting construction and operations
4. NCSDF Revenue Contribution: A portion of annual Alder Springs revenues support the NCSD at Morganton Foundation mission

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community operates an independent-living apartment community of 21 units in Morganton, NC, designed specifically for deaf, deafblind, blind, and hard of hearing adults. Residents receive barrier-free communication and multi-level security through proprietary sensory technologies including strobe-based fire/smoke alarms, a wireless DeafBlind belt pager, video/audio intercoms, key fob access, and 24-hour security cameras. The community is funded by rent, charitable gifts, and grants, with proceeds supporting deaf education through the NCSD at Morganton Foundation.

Product overview

Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community operates as an independent-living apartment community with a single primary product: residential apartments designed for deaf, deafblind, blind, and hard of hearing individuals. The community consists of a current three-story building with 21 units (1BR and 2BR layouts), plus an upcoming Phase 2 expansion adding a second 26-unit apartment building and an 8,000 sq ft Activity Center. Residents receive access to sensory technology packages including alert systems, security features, and communication technologies. The portfolio is unified around creating a communication-friendly, accessible living environment rather than separate modular products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Independent Living Apartments (Current Building)

Quantifiable outcome

• 21 apartments always occupied - immediate fill rate when units become available
• +2 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

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CoMPAS CablecoreTechnology or IntegrationCoMPAS Cable provides broadband services including fiber optic cable TV with customized closed captioning, high speed internet, and telephone services to Alder Springs residents.
• Deaf & Blind Pathways FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeaf & Blind Pathways Foundation is the parent organization and initiative behind Alder Springs. Alder Springs is an initiative of this foundation.
• NCSD at Morganton Foundation (NCSDF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlder Springs is owned and operated by NCSDF, an independent non-profit corporation established in 1991 with a mission to enhance the educational experience of NC School for the Deaf students. A portion of Alder Springs annual revenues support NCSDF mission. Neither organization receives state or federal money.
• Morganton Department of Public SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMorganton Department of Public Safety (fire and police) is located adjacent to Alder Springs campus, providing immediate emergency response capability for residents.
• North Carolina School for the Deaf (NCSD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNCSD located one mile from Alder Springs since 1891. Residents have volunteer and work experience opportunities at NCSD. Morganton's established deaf community stems from NCSD's presence. NCSD students benefit from supervised work opportunities at Alder Springs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• National Association of the Deaf: Largest US civil-rights organization serving the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. Comparable as a national anchor for the same population Alder Springs serves, but operating as an advocacy/policy organization rather than a residential provider.
• Brookdale Senior Living: Largest US senior living operator with accessible independent-living, assisted-living, and memory-care communities. Comparable as a scaled operator of accessible residential housing, but general-population rather than deaf/blind specialized.
• Sunrise Senior Living: National senior living operator with accessibility-focused independent living and reminiscence/neighborhood programs. Comparable as an established accessible-housing operator, though Sunrise serves the general senior population rather than sensory-disability adults.
• Hearing Loss Association of America: National consumer organization for people with hearing loss, focused on accessibility, advocacy, and support. Comparable because it serves a near-identical demographic and shares the mission of advancing independent living for people with hearing loss.

Others

• American Printing House for the Blind: Louisville-based nonprofit producing accessible educational and daily-living materials for people who are blind. Comparable on the blind-side demographic and assistive-product mission, though APH focuses on products rather than residential services.

Direct peers

• Gallaudet University: Deaf university with residential life and a surrounding deaf community in Washington, DC. Highly comparable because of its deaf-centric residential ecosystem, peer community, and integration of deaf culture into daily living.
• Florida School for the Deaf and Blind: Dual-sensory residential school in St. Augustine serving deaf, hard-of-hearing, blind, and visually impaired students. Closest US analog to the NCSD–Alder Springs ecosystem, combining deaf and blind residential services in one campus.
• Texas School for the Deaf: Statewide deaf residential school with an established Austin deaf community. Comparable because it offers residential deaf education and a surrounding deaf-friendly ecosystem similar to what NCSD provides Alder Springs in Morganton.
• Helen Keller National Center: Federally supported residential and training center for deafblind adults in Sands Point, NY. Direct comparable: same deafblind adult population, residential services model, and assistive-technology focus as Alder Springs.
• Lighthouse Guild: National nonprofit providing services, healthcare, and residential programs for people who are blind or visually impaired. Direct comparable on the blind-side population and on integrated assistive technology and independent living services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@aldersprings
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Alder Springs Deaf and Blind Community