City of Refuge Baltimore

What City of Refuge Baltimore does

City of Refuge Baltimore is a faith-based 501(c)-equivalent nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by Executive Director Billy Humphrey, operating from a 3501 7th Street campus in South Baltimore's 21225 zip code — one of Maryland's most economically distressed neighborhoods, where roughly 40% of residents live below the Federal Poverty Level. The organization delivers a wraparound, multi-program model branded 'The One Stop Shop' that simultaneously addresses food insecurity (15,000 meals served in 2025), housing instability (95 people housed), unemployment (108 jobs placed), youth vulnerability (300 youth served), and human trafficking (128 Rapha drop-in attendees). Core programs include Health & Wellness (food pantry, prepared meals, baby supplies, MedStar mobile medical), Workforce Development (GED, ESOL, IT, Culinary, Trades), Supportive Housing (bridge housing and Family Stability), Youth Empowerment (Level Up, Brooklyn City Life, H.Y.P.E. music, podcast studio), and RAPHA, a weekly Thursday drop-in for trafficking survivors. Supporting services include a Free Legal Aid Clinic via Good Samaritan Advocates.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; it relies on Squarespace for web presence, Breeze ChMS for donation processing and membership management, Airtable for volunteer coordination, RunSignUp for event registration, and Google Calendar for workforce appointments. A podcasting and music recording studio at 901 Pontiac Ave serves youth expression and skills development.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events rather than fees for services. Streams include individual donations processed through the City Lights monthly membership program at $25, $100, and $250 tiers; corporate and church sponsorship packages (with named sponsors including Rockefeller Foundation, Livingston Financial Group, Central Church, G&R Services, and The Good Feet Store); annual events headlined by The Gathering dinner auction (over $130,000 raised in 2025) and the Dash4Dignity 5K; and a 2025 $5 million Bank of America commitment to local hunger relief efforts in which City of Refuge participates. CORB Catering / CRUMB Culinary Arts operates as a small social enterprise that generates earned revenue while training job seekers. Headcount is approximately 17 staff and 5 board members, and the organization operates under faith-based nonprofit governance with a board including a MedStar Health executive, a Liberation Church Lead Pastor, and other community representatives.

Name

City of Refuge Baltimore

Legal name

City of Refuge Baltimore

Website

https://cityofrefugebaltimore.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

City of Refuge Baltimore is a faith-based nonprofit operating from South Baltimore's 21225 zip code, delivering a wraparound 'One Stop Shop' of free food, housing, workforce training, youth, and human trafficking survivor services to low-income individuals and families through donor and event funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Food Services (624210), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Social services nonprofit
• Food assistance programs
• Workforce development training
• Supportive housing services
• Human trafficking support

Headquarters

HQ city

Baltimore

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations & Monthly Memberships (City Lights): Individual donors contribute through the City Lights monthly membership program at tiers of $25, $100, and $250 per month, with all funds directed to programs. One-time donations are also accepted via an online portal.
2. Corporate & Church Sponsorships: Businesses, churches, and organizations sponsor programs through impact opportunity packages. Current sponsors include Livingston Financial Group, G&R Services, Good Feet Store, Rockefeller Foundation, and Central Church. Sponsorships fund food, housing, workforce development, and youth programs.
3. Annual Fundraising Events: Major annual fundraiser 'The Gathering' is a dinner auction with live music that raised over $130,000 in 2025. The Dash4Dignity 5K run/walk is a springtime annual event for awareness and fundraising.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

City of Refuge Baltimore is a faith-based nonprofit providing free wraparound social services in South Baltimore's 21225 zip code through five core programs: Health & Wellness (food pantry, prepared meals, MedStar mobile medical unit), Workforce Development (job training, GED, IT, Culinary Arts, Trades), Supportive Housing (bridge housing, Family Stability), Youth Empowerment (after-school, music/podcast studio), and RAPHA (human trafficking survivor support). All programs are provided at no cost to beneficiaries and funded through donations, sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Product overview

City of Refuge Baltimore is a faith-based nonprofit organization offering a multi-program, wraparound service model called 'The One Stop Shop' that addresses food insecurity, homelessness, unemployment, youth vulnerability, and human trafficking in South Baltimore's 21225 zip code. The organization's portfolio includes core programs in Health & Wellness (food pantry, prepared meals, Medstar mobile medical), Workforce Development (job training, GED, IT, culinary, trades), Supportive Housing (bridge housing, Family Stability), Youth Empowerment (after-school, H.Y.P.E. music, podcast studio), and RAPHA (human trafficking awareness and survivor support). Supporting services include a Free Legal Aid Clinic and social enterprises such as CORB Catering/CRUMB Culinary Arts. Annual events include the Dash4Dignity 5K and The Gathering fundraiser, while City Lights is a monthly donor membership program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RAPHA: Program working to raise awareness on human trafficking through weekly drop-in programs, facilitating relationships for individuals who have been or are currently being exploited.
• CORB Catering
• CRUMB
• City Lights
• The One Stop Shop

Products and services

• Health & Wellness Program Provides individuals and families with access to fresh and healthy food through daily lunches, a weekly food pantry (averaging 50lbs per household per week), infant/toddler hygiene supplies, and on-site medical services via the MedStar Mobile Medical Unit. Free to community members in South Baltimore's 21225 zip code.
• Workforce Development Prepares unemployed or underemployed individuals with job training, soft skills, GED prep, IT/Networking, Culinary Arts, Trades (Plumbing, Electrician, Architecture), and Computer Literacy classes, plus resume building, job matching, and application support. Free for community members seeking employment.
• Supportive Housing Provides low-barrier assessment bridge housing with short- and long-term case management, plus the Family Stability program that guides families step-by-step toward self-sufficiency. Available to families with children enrolled in Baltimore City Public Schools.
• Youth Empowerment Year-round and after-school programs for high school-age students including Level Up Youth Group, Brooklyn City Life (in partnership with Youth For Christ), the H.Y.P.E. music program, and the Podcasting/Music Studio for youth expression and skills development. Free for community youth.
• RAPHA / The Resting Place Human trafficking awareness and survivor support program operating the Rapha Drop-in Center (The Resting Place) every Thursday at 901 Pontiac Ave from 10 AM to 2 PM, offering women a hot meal, hygiene products, showers, fellowship, and a safe space. Provides pathways to freedom from exploitation.
• Free Legal Aid Clinic Partnership with Good Samaritan Advocates providing a free legal aid/advice clinic on the third Thursday of every month by appointment, offering legal consultations to community members in need.
• CORB Catering / CRUMB Culinary Arts Social enterprise catering business that trains job seekers through the CRUMB Culinary Arts program, providing hands-on culinary experience to workforce development participants while generating revenue to support the organization's programs.
• City Lights Monthly Membership Program Monthly donor membership program supporting sustained funding for community programs at tiers of $25, $100, and $250 per month. Members receive exclusive benefits including welcome gifts, name recognition on the website, and behind-the-scenes stories and updates.
• The Gathering Annual Fundraiser Annual dinner auction fundraiser featuring live music, stories, and statistics about the organization's work. Celebrates community impact and takes place every fall. Raised over $130,000 in 2025.
• Dash4Dignity 5K Annual 5K run or walk event promoting awareness about individuals in crisis in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore City, and raising funds to support those in need. Takes place in the spring of each year.

Quantifiable outcome

• 15,000 meals served, 108 jobs placed, 95 people housed, 300 youth served, 128 Rapha Drop-in attendees in 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• MedStar Health (Mobile Medical Unit)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedStar Harbor Hospital Mobile Medical Unit is on site every Monday 9 AM–3 PM offering pharmacy services, medical advice, and general health services to community members at the City of Refuge campus.
• Youth For ChristsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerYouth For Christ hosts Brooklyn City Life youth group every Thursday night during the school year (7–9 PM) for youth ages 13–21 at City of Refuge's youth center.
• Good Samaritan AdvocatessecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGood Samaritan Advocates provides a Free Legal Aid/Advice Clinic at City of Refuge on the third Thursday of every month, offering legal consultations to community members in need.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Maryland Food Bank: Statewide food distribution nonprofit that supplies food pantries including City of Refuge Baltimore's. Comparable food-security focus at much larger scale; a key upstream partner rather than a direct competitor.
• Living Classrooms Foundation: Baltimore-based nonprofit providing youth workforce development, education, and community-based services — overlapping significantly with City of Refuge Baltimore's Youth Empowerment and workforce training programs.
• Project PLASE: Baltimore nonprofit providing permanent supportive housing and case management for individuals and families experiencing homelessness — directly comparable to City of Refuge Baltimore's Supportive Housing and Family Stability programs.
• Healthcare for the Homeless: Baltimore-based nonprofit providing health, housing, and case management services to people experiencing homelessness. Comparable wraparound model with a stronger health-services focus.

Broad incumbents

• Union Rescue Mission: Large faith-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, meals, workforce development, and recovery programs in Los Angeles. Closely analogous wraparound faith-based model at significantly larger scale.
• Denver Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit offering food, shelter, workforce development, and youth programs in Denver — a comparable wraparound community services model operating at larger scale than City of Refuge Baltimore.

Emerging players

• Youth For Christ: Faith-based youth organization that already partners with City of Refuge Baltimore (Brooklyn City Life youth group). Comparable youth-empowerment focus with broader national reach.

Direct peers

• Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake: Regional nonprofit operating workforce development, job placement, and training programs in Baltimore — directly comparable to City of Refuge Baltimore's workforce development and CRUMB culinary tracks.
• The Salvation Army Baltimore Area Command: Faith-based social services organization operating in Baltimore with food pantries, emergency shelter, workforce development, and youth programs — closely mirroring City of Refuge Baltimore's multi-program structure and beneficiary profile.
• Catholic Charities of Baltimore: Faith-based nonprofit providing emergency assistance, housing support, food, and workforce services across the Baltimore region. Operates a similar wraparound social services model and competes for the same donor and grant pools as City of Refuge Baltimore.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cityofrefugebaltimore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityofrefugebaltimore
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityofrefugebaltimore

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 City of Refuge Baltimore