Faith Mission Homeless Shelter

What Faith Mission Homeless Shelter does

Faith Mission Homeless Shelter, operating under the legal entity Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded on February 6, 1966, that provides shelter, meals, and supportive services to adults experiencing homelessness in Columbus, Ohio. The organization operates emergency and transitional shelter facilities at 217 N Grant Ave. (relocated in 2017) and historically at 177 E. Long St. and 8th Ave., delivering a continuum of services that includes hot meals, on-site medical/dental/vision care through a volunteer-staffed clinic, a Resource Center for job search and housing navigation assistance, and the Second Chance transitional housing program. Specialized programs address distinct populations: Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF, launched 2013), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA, first enrolled 2019), and Medical Respite in partnership with OhioHealth (2020) for post-hospital recuperation.

The business model is donation-dependent rather than revenue-generating. Funding streams include individual donations via an online portal with preset amounts of $25, $50, $100, and $200, the 'Faithful Friends' recurring monthly giving program, United Way agency allocations, federal grants (SSVF, HOPWA), and volunteer labor that reduces operating costs. No fees are charged to service recipients. The organization has no proprietary technology products; its competitive positioning rests on 60 years of brand recognition, integration within the LSS Network of Hope (which spans 21 Ohio counties through six subsidiaries including food pantries, a health center, domestic violence services, affordable housing, and 211 referral services), and a strategic partnership with OhioHealth for the Medical Respite program. Leadership consists of Executive Director Jennifer Fralic (Columbus) and Kerry Dreyer (Fairfield County), reporting into the LSS parent organization led by President and CEO Rachel Lustig.

Name

Faith Mission Homeless Shelter

Legal name

Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio

Website

https://faithmissionofohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Faith Mission Homeless Shelter, part of Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio, provides emergency shelter, meals, and supportive services to adults experiencing homelessness in Central Ohio. Founded in 1966, it operates donation-funded programs including veteran services, HOPWA housing assistance, and OhioHealth-partnered Medical Respite care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (624210), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Faith-Based Healthcare Ministries (Hospitals, Clinics, Medical Missions) (BPAGAJAH)

Keywords

• Homeless shelter services
• Emergency shelter programs
• Transitional housing assistance
• Veteran housing programs
• Social services support

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus, OH

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Faith Mission relies on donations from individuals to fund operations. The website features a donation portal with preset amounts ($25, $50, $100, $200) and options for monthly giving.
2. Monthly Giving Programs: Recurring monthly donation program called 'Faithful Friends' allowing donors to set up ongoing contributions.
3. Volunteer Services: Volunteer support for kitchen, meal service, and other operations - providing essential labor without direct revenue but reducing operational costs.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Faith Mission Homeless Shelter is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides emergency shelter, meals, and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness in Columbus, Ohio. Operated under Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio as part of the LSS Network of Hope, the organization also runs transitional housing (Second Chance), a free health clinic, medical respite care, a Resource Center, and targeted federal programs including Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) and Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA). Founded in 1966, Faith Mission functions as a community safety-net provider delivering a continuum of housing, nutrition, health, and case-management services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Product overview

LSS Faith Mission is a homeless shelter operated by Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio, offering shelter and supportive services to adults experiencing homelessness in Columbus, Ohio. The organization provides a coordinated network of programs including emergency shelter for men and women, hot meals and food assistance, a medical respite program (partnered with OhioHealth), an on-site health clinic with medical, dental, and vision services, transitional housing through the Second Chance Program, a resource center for job and housing assistance, veteran-specific services (SSVF), and housing assistance for persons with HIV/AIDS (HOPWA). The broader LSS Network of Hope encompasses related programs including 211 Central Ohio referrals, food pantries, domestic violence services (CHOICES), affordable housing communities, and health centers across 21 Ohio counties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter Provides safe overnight emergency shelter beds to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Columbus, Ohio, as a walk-in, no-fee community service.
• Meal Services Provides regular meals to shelter residents and walk-in clients experiencing food insecurity as part of the shelter's basic-needs services.
• Second Chance Transitional Housing Provides transitional housing with supportive services for individuals moving out of emergency shelter toward stable, independent living.
• Medical Respite Care Provides recuperative care beds and support for homeless individuals recovering from illness or hospital discharge who need a stable place to heal.
• Faith Mission Health Clinic Provides free, on-site primary and basic health care services to people experiencing homelessness who otherwise lack access to medical care.
• Resource Center Provides walk-in housing navigation, case management, and connection to supportive services for individuals seeking assistance with homelessness and housing instability.
• Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Provides case management and temporary financial assistance to veteran families experiencing homelessness or housing instability to help them achieve or sustain stable housing.
• Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Provides housing assistance and supportive services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS who are homeless or unstably housed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Supporting individuals experiencing homelessness as they rebuild their lives and regain independence

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• OhioHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020OhioHealth partnered with Faith Mission to open the Medical Respite program in 2020, providing a place for people without housing who are exiting the hospital to rest and heal while working on finding permanent housing.
• United WaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLutheran Social Services is a United Way agency partner, providing credibility and community support through the United Way network.
• Lutheran Services in AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSS is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a national network of Lutheran social service agencies.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maryhaven: Central Ohio nonprofit focused on addiction and mental health services with housing components. Comparable client population (people experiencing homelessness often with co-occurring disorders) and regional footprint.
• Community Shelter Board: Columbus-based nonprofit that coordinates homeless services across Franklin County. Most directly comparable peer: operates in the same geography, funds and oversees shelter operations, and serves the same client population as Faith Mission.
• Catholic Social Services (Diocese of Columbus): Faith-based social services organization in Central Ohio offering housing, shelter, food, and family services. Comparable mission, geography, and funding model.
• The Salvation Army Central Ohio: Provides emergency shelter, meals, and supportive services in Columbus. Same faith-based shelter and meals service model and the same donor base in Central Ohio.
• Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio: Faith-based nonprofit operating shelter, housing, and supportive services across Ohio. Comparable service mix (emergency shelter, transitional housing, veteran services) and similar faith-affiliated, donation-funded model.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: National federation of faith-based social service agencies offering shelter, housing, food, and refugee services. Comparable mission and donor-funded model at massive national scale.
• The Salvation Army USA: National faith-based shelter, food, and disaster relief organization. Provides overlapping services at much larger scale and serves as a benchmark for national donation and brand-building infrastructure.

Emerging players

• National Health Care for the Homeless Council: National advocacy and training organization advancing health care for people experiencing homelessness. Relevant overlap through the Medical Respite model Faith Mission operates with OhioHealth.

Regional players

• Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO): Ohio-wide advocacy and training organization serving the same homeless services ecosystem. Comparable sector focus but primarily operates in policy/training/coordination rather than direct shelter delivery.
• City Mission (Cleveland): Faith-based homeless shelter in Cleveland, Ohio providing emergency shelter, meals, and recovery programs. Comparable faith-affiliated shelter and supportive-services model, but in a different Ohio metro.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCN3aaN06bjikpqiQu5iwooQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/lutheransocialservicesofcentralohio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/faith-mission-homeless-shelter
• Instagraminstagram.com/lsscentralohio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Faith Mission Homeless Shelter