Alternative House

What Alternative House does

Alternative House is a private nonprofit organization founded and incorporated in 1978 in Lowell, Massachusetts, delivering comprehensive domestic violence services across the Greater Lowell and Merrimack Valley region. Its core service portfolio comprises emergency shelter and permanent affordable housing, a 24/7 (365-day) crisis hotline with access to over 200 languages, community-based advocacy including safety planning, legal advocacy, court accompaniment, support groups, and domestic violence counseling, a supervised children's visitation center, and ancillary programs such as the Jennifer T. Kalicki Angel Fund (pet assistance) and the Fresh Start Free Store (referral-based distribution of clothing, personal care items, and food).

Service delivery is structured around a hotline-anchored, partner-referral community-led model; all survivor-facing services are provided free of charge. The technology layer is minimal and commodity-based, consisting of a Wix-hosted website, JotForm intake forms for volunteer/board/Pet Assistance applications, and Cloudflare email obfuscation. No proprietary software, AI/ML tooling, or dedicated mobile application is in evidence.

Revenue is diversified across government contracts (Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice STOP Formula Grant, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and Massachusetts Office for Grants and Research), foundation grants (notably the Cummings Foundation), corporate support (DCU, UKG), event fundraising (annual Golf Classic), recurring individual giving (Legacy Builders Program), and in-kind donations (Amazon Wishlist, food and supply drives). The organization is led by Executive Director Maria Crooker-Capone with a small (1-10) staff team, governed by a Board of Directors, and embedded in the regional ecosystem as a founding agency of GLEAN and the founder of the Lowell City Manager's Task Force Against Domestic Violence.

Name

Alternative House

Legal name

Alternative House

Website

https://alternative-house.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alternative House is a 1978-founded Lowell, Massachusetts nonprofit providing free, comprehensive domestic violence services — including 24/7 hotline, emergency shelter, housing assistance, legal advocacy, supervised visitation, and pet support — to survivors and families across the Greater Lowell and Merrimack Valley region, funded primarily by government contracts and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Emergency shelter
• Crisis hotline support
• Survivor advocacy
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Lowell, Massachusetts

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Contracts: Funded by contracts with Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Massachusetts Office for Grants and Research through Violence Against Women (STOP) Formula Grant from U.S. Department of Justice, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
2. Foundation Grants and Donations: Funding from foundations including Cummings Foundation. Donations from individuals and corporate supporters through online donation platform (Givebutter).
3. Event Fundraising: Annual Golf Classic event generates sponsorship revenue and participant fees. 30th Annual Golf Classic scheduled for September 14, 2026 at Trull Brook Golf Course.
4. Legacy Builders Program: Recurring giving program for businesses, community partners, and individuals who invest in supporting survivors. Monthly or ongoing giving option.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Alternative House provides free, comprehensive domestic violence services to survivors and their families in the Greater Lowell and Merrimack Valley region. Core offerings include a 24-hour multilingual crisis hotline, emergency shelter, permanent affordable housing, rental assistance, legal advocacy and court accompaniment, supervised children's visitation, support groups, counseling, pet assistance, and community outreach.

Product overview

Alternative House is a nonprofit domestic violence service organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs for survivors and families. The organization operates on a multi-service model consisting of: emergency shelter and 24-hour crisis hotline; residential programming with permanent affordable housing and rental assistance; community-based services including legal advocacy, court accompaniment, support groups, and counseling; a supervised children's visitation center; pet assistance through the Jennifer T. Kalicki Angel Fund; a Fresh Start Free Store providing essential goods via referral; and community outreach and education programs. Supporting programs include volunteer and internship opportunities, board governance, annual fundraising events (Golf Classic), food/supply drives, and the Legacy Builders donor recognition program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jennifer T. Kalicki Angel Fund: A pet assistance program that supports survivors of domestic violence with financial support for emergency pet boarding, food, supplies, veterinary care, and transportation assistance. Named in memory of Jennifer T. Kalicki.
• Legacy Builders Program

Products and services

• Residential Programming Provides emergency shelter, permanent affordable housing, and rental assistance for survivors of domestic violence and their families.
• 24-Hour Hotline Trained domestic violence advocates available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to provide crisis support; hotline has access to over 200 languages.
• Community Based Services Safety planning, legal advocacy, court accompaniment, support groups, domestic violence counseling, and relocation support for survivors.
• Supervised Children's Visitation Center Provides supervised visits, semi-supervised visits, and monitored exchanges for children in a safe environment.
• Community Outreach & Education Workshops, trainings, speaking engagements, and school-based curricula to educate the community about domestic violence.
• Jennifer T. Kalicki Angel Fund (Pet Assistance) Supports survivors of domestic violence with financial assistance for emergency pet boarding, food, supplies, veterinary care, and transportation for their pets.
• Fresh Start Free Store A referral-based free store providing clothing, personal care items, and non-perishable food to survivors of domestic violence through partner agency referrals.
• Housing Support/Rental Assistance Offers one-time assistance for utilities, rent, and other bills; short-term rental assistance for up to six months; and referrals for various housing needs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24/7 hotline availability, 365 days per year
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Office on Violence Against Women (OVW)coreOthersFederal government contract providing funding support for domestic violence services through the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
• Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)coreOthersState government contract providing funding support for domestic violence prevention and intervention services.
• Massachusetts Office for Grants and ResearchcoreOthersState government entity providing Violence Against Women (STOP) Formula Grant funding from U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreOthersFederal housing funding supporting rental assistance and housing programs for domestic violence survivors.
• Jane Doe Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud member of Jane Doe Inc., the Massachusetts Coalition Against Domestic Violence, providing state-level advocacy and coordination.
• Greater Lowell Evaluation and Advocacy Network (GLEAN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh-risk assessment/rapid response team. Alternative House is one of three founding agencies of GLEAN.
• Lowell City Manager's Task Force Against Domestic ViolencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlternative House founded this task force to coordinate city-wide domestic violence prevention and response efforts.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: National 24/7 crisis hotline and resource hub for domestic violence survivors; directly comparable crisis-response and multilingual hotline capability to Alternative House's 24-hour hotline.
• Women Against Abuse: Philadelphia-based domestic violence nonprofit operating an emergency shelter, legal center, and community education programs; directly comparable as a regional DV service organization with similar service mix.
• A New Way of Life: California-based nonprofit providing housing, advocacy, and reentry support for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking; comparable comprehensive housing-plus-advocacy model serving DV survivors.
• Jane Doe Inc. Massachusetts statewide coalition against domestic violence that Alternative House is a member of; both operate DV advocacy and survivor services in Massachusetts with overlapping funder and policy relationships.
• Safe Horizons: One of the largest nonprofit victim services organizations in the U.S., offering domestic violence hotlines, shelters, legal advocacy, and counseling; highly comparable multi-service DV model to Alternative House.

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army: International charitable organization operating domestic violence shelters and family services alongside broader social services; comparable multi-service nonprofit model with significant DV programming.
• Catholic Charities USA: Large national network providing social services including domestic violence shelter and counseling programs; comparable as a multi-service social services provider with DV programming, though DV is not its sole focus.
• YWCA USA: National umbrella organization with many local affiliates operating domestic violence shelters, sexual violence services, and racial justice programs; comparable in service breadth and DV focus, but at significantly greater scale.

Others

• Greater Lowell Health Alliance: Regional coalition of health and social service organizations in the Greater Lowell area; comparable as a local coalition partner that supports community-based service coordination where Alternative House operates.

Regional players

• REACH (Resources for Eliminating Abuse in Community Homes): Massachusetts-based domestic violence service agency providing shelter, advocacy, and education on the North Shore; comparable regional DV shelter and advocacy nonprofit serving a different Massachusetts geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AlternativeHouseSupport
• Instagraminstagram.com/alternativehousema
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alternative-house-lowell

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Alternative House