Sierra House

Name

Sierra House

Legal name

Sierra House, Inc.

Website

https://sierrahouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social and Community Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (624110), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

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

SECONDARYBPAGALAC

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYBPAIANAC

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services

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

SECONDARYBPAGADAH

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Transitional housing services
• Homeless youth programs
• Developmental disabilities support
• Affordable housing development
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

East Orange

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: Sierra House relies heavily on charitable donations from individuals, groups, and organizations. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all donations are tax-deductible. The organization accepts online donations via PayPal, checks by mail, and in-kind donations of goods and services.
2. Grants and Foundation Support: The organization receives funding from various foundations and corporate donors including PNC Foundation, Investors Foundation, BioReference Laboratories, Home Depot Foundation, Novartis, Wells Fargo, and others.
3. Cookie Fundraiser: Sierra House sells cookie dough through a fundraising program where groups can earn up to $5 per box sold. The cookies are kosher dairy certified and come in four flavors.
4. Membership Program: Sierra House offers membership levels from $25-99 (Sierra Friend) up to $2,500+ (Sierra President's Circle), with benefits including event access, banquet tickets, and recognition.
5. Affordable Housing Rentals: Sierra House provides affordable housing units in East Orange and Maplewood, NJ. Renters pay 30% of gross income, with Project Based Vouchers covering the remainder up to Fair Market Rent.
6. Individual Support Services: The organization provides individual support services for children, youth, and young adults with developmental disabilities in Essex, Hudson, Union, Bergen, Ocean, Monmouth, and Passaic counties. Services include ABA therapy, IIC services, and daily living skills training.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Sierra House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers residential transitional housing, life-skills training, and supportive services to homeless youth ages 18-25 and their children, along with individual support services (ABA therapy and intensive in-community services) for children and young adults under 21 with developmental disabilities. It also operates a Neighborhood Improvement Program that develops affordable rental housing and leads community planning in the Greenwood section of East Orange, NJ, supplemented by a youth entrepreneurship program (SHELP) and a cookie-dough fundraising product line.

Product overview

Sierra House is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on housing, youth development, and community stabilization. The core offerings include the Transitional Program providing residential housing and life skills training for homeless youth, Individual and Family Support Services delivering ABA therapy and in-community services for youth with developmental disabilities, and the Neighborhood Improvement Program focused on affordable housing and community revitalization. Supporting programs include the SHELP entrepreneurship education program, a cookie fundraising initiative, and affordable housing units. The Greenwood Neighborhood Plan represents their community development planning effort. Together, these programs form a comprehensive approach to breaking the cycle of homelessness and building stable communities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sierra House Cookies: Cookie fundraising line featuring four cookie flavors (Hidden Treasure, Sierra Delight, Sierra Chip, Acadamia Nut) inspired by Sierra House residents.
• Sierra House Entrepreneur Leadership Program (SHELP)

Products and services

• Sierra House Transitional Program Residential program that provides homeless youth ages 18-25 with safe housing, life-skills training, job-readiness support, counseling, and educational support to help them transition to independent living. Operated at 70 Chestnut Street, East Orange.
• Sierra House Individual Support Services Outcome-driven individualized services for children, youth, and young adults under age 21 with challenging behaviors and developmental disabilities, including BADLs/IADLs skill building, Intensive In-Community (IIC) services, and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services delivered in-home or in community settings across Essex, Hudson, Union, Bergen, Ocean, Monmouth, and Passaic counties in New Jersey.
• Sierra House Neighborhood Improvement Program Community development initiative focused on reclaiming and stabilizing East Orange neighborhoods through affordable housing, homeownership opportunities, economic development, and resident-driven planning.
• Sierra House Family Support Services Individualized care for children, youth, adolescents, and young adults with moderate self-care and habilitation needs, designed to support youth while fostering family functioning.
• Sierra House Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (SHELP) Community-based volunteer program partnering with urban schools to teach students business ownership and managerial skills through real-life business scenarios, delivered as once-monthly sessions over six months to 11th-grade students.
• Sierra House Cookie Fundraiser Cookie and cookie-dough fundraising program offering four kosher-dairy certified flavors (Hidden Treasure, Sierra Delight, Sierra Chip, Acadamia Nut) inspired by Sierra House residents. Sold by third-party groups that earn up to $5 per box, with proceeds benefiting the Sierra House Transitional Program.
• Affordable Housing Units Income-based affordable rental units operated by Sierra House in East Orange (120 Greenwood Avenue, 3BR; 77 Eaton Place, 3BR and 4BR) and Maplewood, NJ (95 Tiffany Place, 2BR and 3BR). Renters pay 30% of gross income with Project Based Vouchers covering the remainder up to Fair Market Rent, subject to published Very Low / Low / Moderate income limits.
• Greenwood Neighborhood Plan Comprehensive neighborhood planning initiative for the Greenwood section of East Orange (0.147 square miles, 18 blocks), focused on creating sustainable communities through resident-driven planning, housing development, and economic revitalization in partnership with local stakeholders including the East Orange Housing Authority and East Orange Police Department.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 homeless young women and children successfully served
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• Millburn Inspire PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Nonprofit organization founded during COVID-19 pandemic, run by school-aged children, sponsoring 'Donate a Bed' drive for twin XL mattresses and bedding for Sierra House Transitional Program residents.
• Iota Phi Theta Fraternity (Kean University)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015University fraternity that purchased land in Newark for $1,000 through city program to build home for a homeless Sierra House family. Raising funds via GoFundMe for prefabricated home construction.
• City of East OrangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partner that approved Sierra House's application to become East Orange's Community Development Housing Organization (CHDO). Collaborates on neighborhood improvement programs and affordable housing initiatives.
• La Casa Don PedrominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMet with Sierra House community organizer to share housing counseling program information and other community resources available through this organization.
• East Orange Housing AuthoritymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing authority partner providing support for affordable housing programs and Section 8/PBV voucher coordination. Keely Freeman serves as Commissioner and Treasurer.
• East Orange Police DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Sierra House on neighborhood safety initiatives and crime reduction strategies. Part of Greenwood Neighborhood Plan steering committee.
• Junior League of The Oranges & Short HillsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization where Keely Freeman serves on Community Advisory Board, supporting Sierra House's mission.
• United WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMet with Sierra House to share information about United Way programs and resources available for community support.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• YWCA of Newark and Vicinity: YWCA Newark operates housing, youth development, and family services for women and children in the same Essex County geography. Sierra House's focus on homeless young women and their babies competes with YWCA for similar donor and government funding.
• The Children's Home Society of New Jersey: Children's Home Society of NJ provides residential programs, family support, and transitional services for at-risk youth in the same region. Sierra House's transitional program for youth aging out of foster care directly overlaps with CHSO's mission and county-level service area.
• Habitat for Humanity of Greater Newark: Habitat for Humanity affiliates provide affordable homeownership and neighborhood revitalization in Essex County. Sierra House's Neighborhood Improvement Program and affordable housing units in East Orange directly overlap with Habitat's CHDO-style work in the same geography.
• NJ Community Development Corporation (NJCDC): NJCDC is a Paterson-based community development nonprofit offering affordable housing, youth programs, and neighborhood revitalization. Its integrated housing-plus-youth-services model closely mirrors Sierra House's three-program structure and CHDO-style operations.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark: Catholic Charities Newark provides housing, family support, and disability services across Essex, Hudson, Union, and Bergen counties. Sierra House's Individual Support Services footprint and youth housing services compete for similar county and state contracts.
• Covenant House: Covenant House is a large national nonprofit providing shelter, transitional housing, and wraparound services for homeless and trafficked youth ages 18-24. It directly parallels Sierra House's Transitional Program but at much greater scale and geographic reach.
• Volunteers of America: Volunteers of America operates a broad portfolio of housing, behavioral health, and disability support programs nationwide. Sierra House's mix of transitional housing, individual support services (ABA/IIC), and affordable housing mirrors VOA's integrated service model.

Others

• Enterprise Community Partners: Enterprise Community Partners is a national nonprofit that invests in affordable housing development and community revitalization. Sierra House's Neighborhood Improvement Program and affordable housing work in East Orange operates in the same space and competes for similar state and federal housing dollars.
• Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) NJ: LISC is a national CDFI that finances affordable housing and community development. Sierra House's CHDO designation, Greenwood Neighborhood Plan, and affordable housing pipeline position it as both a peer and a potential financing partner of LISC's NJ office.

Regional players

• Project Live Inc. Project Live provides residential and community-based services for individuals with developmental disabilities and behavioral health needs across northern New Jersey. Its service model overlaps with Sierra House's Individual Support Services (ABA/IIC) and disability-focused offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sierrahouse2
• Facebookfacebook.com/SierraHouseNJ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sierra-house-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 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 Sierra House