City with Dwellings

What City with Dwellings does

City with Dwellings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2012 and incorporated in 2017, headquartered in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at the Hub at the Augsburg Community Center on 502 N. Broad Street. The organization serves people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, with an explicit focus on individuals living outside or in places not fit for human habitation. Its service portfolio covers the full homelessness intervention continuum: person-centered street outreach, day services at the Community First Center (resource navigation, computer/phone access, mail services), the HEART (Housing Emergency Assistance Response Team) Project for chronically homeless individuals, peer-based supportive housing services, and prevention/housing stability assistance (emergency financial assistance averaging $400 per household).

The organization operates without proprietary technology, depending instead on human relationships, volunteer networks, and direct service delivery. Its business model is donation-funded: revenue comes from individual donors (including 40 recurring 'Foundation Builders' in 2025), 16+ faith community partners, federal sources (HUD Continuum of Care, ESG), local government grants ($52,000 from the City of Winston-Salem, $50,000 from Forsyth County Opioid Settlement funds), corporate and foundation grants, and special events like the annual Bee the Change celebration. Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries. The staff of ~10 is led by Executive Director Ruth Cole Burcaw (since July 2021).

City with Dwellings is governed by a 9-member board including representatives from faith communities, local businesses, and individuals with lived experience of homelessness. The organization sits within the Forsyth STRONG coalition of 30+ civic institutions and coordinates with Healthcare, government, and faith partners including the DEAC Clinic at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Atrium, Novant, and the Coordinated Entry team of the Continuum of Care. 2025 program metrics include nearly 10,000 visits to the Community First Center, 2,100+ calls answered, 236 neighbors living outside connected with, 130+ households served with prevention assistance, and 54 neighbors in supportive housing.

Name

City with Dwellings

Legal name

City with Dwellings

Website

https://citywithdwellings.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Short description

City with Dwellings is a faith-rooted 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. It delivers street outreach, day services, peer-based supportive housing, and prevention assistance through the Community First Center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services & Supportive Housing

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Supportive housing
• Street outreach
• Housing stability
• Community nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Winston-Salem

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: Donations from individuals, including recurring monthly donors (40 Foundation Builders in 2025), one-time gifts, and peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns.
2. Faith Community Support: Financial and in-kind support from 16+ faith community partners including churches, congregations, and religious organizations.
3. Government Grants: Federal funding through HUD Continuum of Care and ESG funds, plus local government grants including $52,000 from the City of Winston-Salem and $50,000 in Opioid Settlement funds from the County.
4. Corporate and Foundation Grants: Support from corporations, special event fundraisers, and foundation grants.
5. Special Events: Fundraising events including the annual Bee the Change celebration and peer-to-peer campaigns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

City with Dwellings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides free, person-centered services to people experiencing homelessness in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County, North Carolina. Its core offerings include street outreach, day services at the Community First Center (resource navigation, computer and phone access, mail services), peer-based supportive housing, and prevention assistance (emergency financial help for back rent, deposits, and utility arrears).

Product overview

City with Dwellings is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of interconnected services to help people move from homelessness to housing stability. The core services include the Community First Center (day services with resource navigation, computer access, and mail services), Person-Centered Street Outreach, and Supportive Housing Services. Specialized programs include the HEART (Housing Emergency Assistance Response Team) Project for chronically homeless individuals, Prevention & Housing Stability for emergency financial assistance, and the DEAC Foot and Ankle Clinic (in partnership with Wake Forest University School of Medicine) for healthcare. Additional offerings include Overflow/Seasonal Shelter during winter months, Move-In Kits for newly housed neighbors, and The Hive blog for community engagement. The organization operates from The Hub at the Augsburg Community Center in Winston-Salem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community First Center Day services center offering resource navigation, computer and phone access, mail services, and community support for people experiencing homelessness. Open Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm.
• Person-Centered Street Outreach Trust-based street outreach program that builds relationships with people facing homelessness and connects vulnerable neighbors to essential resources such as shelter, food, and healthcare.
• Supportive Housing Services Peer-based supportive housing services that walk alongside newly housed neighbors, offering guidance and support as they transition into stable housing.
• HEART (Housing Emergency Assistance Response Team) Project Program combining housing with consistent, supportive services and resources for chronically homeless individuals, helping them develop and achieve short- and long-term goals for health and housing stability.
• Prevention & Housing Stability Emergency financial assistance and support to help families avoid homelessness before it starts, including back rent, deposits, and utility arrears assistance.
• DEAC Foot and Ankle Clinic Free clinic staffed by Wake Forest University School of Medicine volunteers providing foot care, podiatry services, new footwear, and socks for unsheltered neighbors. Serves more than 30 neighbors per clinic day.
• Overflow/Seasonal Shelter Winter shelter program operating through collaboration with congregations, providing emergency shelter in downtown church facilities.
• Move-In Kits Household item kits assembled by volunteers from Bethania Moravian Church to help newly housed neighbors establish a home with essential items like towels, dishes, cookware, cleaning supplies, and bedding.

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bethania Moravian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBethania Moravian Church has been assembling move-in kits for newly housed neighbors for over 8 years. Each year they collect and assemble nearly 50 kits filled with basic household items including towels, dishes, cookware, cleaning supplies, and bedding. The work began under former pastor Russ May, one of CwD's original founders.
• DEAC (Delivering Equal Access to Care) Clinic at Wake Forest University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent-run free medical clinic providing foot care, podiatry services, new footwear, and socks for unsheltered neighbors. The clinic serves more than 30 neighbors per clinic day at the Community First Center. Includes telehealth appointments for those unable to visit in person.
• Forsyth STRONG (Industrial Areas Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonpartisan, multi-racial, multi-faith network of 30+ civic institutions committed to organized community action on shared priorities: housing and homelessness, mental health, and public education. CwD has been part of this effort for more than three years.
• Cycle RecycleminorOthersBicycle donation program in Winston-Salem that provides bicycles free of charge to underprivileged neighbors. CwD transports guests to their facility every Tuesday.
• First Presbyterian ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of CwD's earliest partners, having opened their building in 2012 when the overflow shelter was just an idea. Has continued to provide volunteers, meals, financial support, prayers, and personnel including longtime board member Scott Seawell and Danielle Lamphier who helped secure the Atrium Wellness Clinic partnership.
• Faith Community Partners (Ardmore Baptist, Ardmore United Methodist, Augsburg Lutheran, Calvary Moravian, Centenary United Methodist, First on Fifth, Highland Presbyterian, Home Moravian, Knollwood Baptist, New Philadelphia Moravian, Redeemer Presbyterian, St. Paul's Episcopal, St. Timothy's Episcopal, Unity Moravian)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner16 faith communities provide financial support, volunteers, meals, facilities for shelter, and in-kind donations. These partnerships form the foundation of CwD's community-based approach to serving neighbors experiencing homelessness.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Family Promise: National nonprofit network addressing family homelessness through shelter, prevention, and stabilization programs. Directly comparable as a faith-rooted, volunteer-driven model serving people experiencing homelessness with case management and housing support.
• Urban Ministries of Durham: Durham, NC-based nonprofit serving people experiencing homelessness and poverty through shelter, day services, food, and case management. Directly comparable as a North Carolina community-based nonprofit delivering a similar portfolio of outreach, day services, and housing support.
• Crisis Assistance Ministry: Charlotte, NC-based nonprofit providing emergency assistance (rent, utilities, clothing) and supportive services to prevent homelessness. Directly comparable as a North Carolina antipoverty nonprofit operating emergency financial assistance and homelessness prevention programs similar to CWD's Prevention & Housing Stability work.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National nonprofit policy and research organization advancing evidence-based solutions to homelessness. Comparable as a sector leader operating in the same Continuum of Care / HUD-funded ecosystem that City with Dwellings participates in.
• Coalition for the Homeless: New York City-based nonprofit providing outreach, shelter, housing, and advocacy for people experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a direct peer operating street outreach, day services, and supportive housing programs in a major U.S. metro area.

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army: Large national faith-based organization operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and social services across the U.S. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering overlapping emergency shelter and supportive services, though operating at much greater scale and geographic breadth than City with Dwellings.
• Catholic Charities USA: National network of Catholic Charities agencies providing housing, shelter, and social services including homelessness prevention. Comparable as a broader incumbent offering emergency assistance, case management, and housing services across many U.S. markets.
• Volunteers of America: National faith-inspired nonprofit operating housing, supportive services, and reentry programs across the U.S. Comparable as a broader incumbent delivering supportive housing, homeless services, and outreach programs with a similar community-based service philosophy.

Others

• Community Action Partnership: National network of Community Action Agencies delivering antipoverty programs including housing assistance. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem participant funding and coordinating similar homelessness prevention and emergency assistance programs through the federal Community Services Block Grant and related streams.

Regional players

• Bethesda Center for the Homeless: Greensboro, NC-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, day services, and supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. Comparable as a regional peer operating the same portfolio of shelter, day, and housing services in an adjacent North Carolina city.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/citywithdwellings
• Instagraminstagram.com/citywithdwellings

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 with Dwellings