HEARTS OF MERCY INC

What HEARTS OF MERCY INC does

Hearts of Mercy Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization founded in 2018 by Kristin Santorelli and headquartered at 364 N Main St. in Manahawkin, New Jersey. The organization delivers academic tutoring and mentoring (twice-weekly 60-minute sessions), sports and recreation participation, summer and art camps, youth group meetings, and family support services to at-risk and underserved children in the Barnegat and Manahawkin communities of Southern Ocean County. The mission is explicitly framed as breaking the poverty cycle through learning and enrichment programs; the organization covers all program fees, sports gear, and transportation so that participation is effectively free for beneficiary families.

The underlying technology stack is minimal: a WordPress-based public website (hearts-of-mercy.org) with PayPal-based donation processing and an external newsletter subscription via lglforms.com. There is no proprietary platform, no mobile applications, and no AI components. Program delivery relies on a network of partner venues — local schools, churches, sports organizations, Stockton University, Ocean County Artists Guild, and community centers — rather than owned infrastructure.

Revenue is generated through a mix of individual one-time donations ($20–$100), a monthly recurring giving program ($10–$500 tiers with named impact allocations), corporate sponsorship levels (Love in Action, Diamond, Gold), small program registration fees ($25–$500 for camps and tutoring), and proceeds from community fundraisers. The organization employs approximately 6 paid staff and is volunteer-powered, holds a 2025 GuideStar Gold Transparency rating, and reports no parent company, subsidiaries, or institutional investment. Operational scale is small and locally concentrated, with approximately 75 children attending the 2024 holiday Cookies and Treats event as a representative touchpoint.

Name

HEARTS OF MERCY INC

Legal name

Hearts of Mercy, Inc.

Website

https://hearts-of-mercy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Development Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

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

SECONDARYBPAGADAM

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits

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

Keywords

• Youth development programs
• Community youth services
• After-school tutoring
• Summer camp programs
• Youth enrichment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Manahawkin

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. Donations and Sponsorships: The organization relies on donations from individuals, monthly donors, and corporate sponsors. Sponsorship tiers include Love in Action, Diamond, Gold levels. The monthly donation program provides consistent income stream. GuideStar Gold Transparency rating demonstrates financial accountability to donors.
2. Program Fees: Summer camp, art camp, and tutoring programs charge registration fees ranging from $25 for basic programs to $500 for comprehensive summer camp packages. These fees help offset program delivery costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hearts of Mercy Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that delivers tutoring, mentoring, sports, summer camp, arts, music, and family support programs to at-risk children in the Barnegat and Manahawkin communities of Southern Ocean County, New Jersey. Programs are delivered directly to children and families, with fees, gear, and transportation provided at no cost to participants, funded by donations, sponsorships, and modest program registration fees.

Product overview

Hearts of Mercy Inc is a nonprofit youth development organization that provides a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on education, enrichment, and empowerment for at-risk children in underserved communities. The core offerings include a Tutoring and Mentoring Program (meeting twice weekly for academic support), Summer Camp (with specialized tracks including Art Camp, STEAM/Science Camp, and Performing Arts Camp), Sports and Enrichment activities, Family Support Services, Youth Group meetings, and Outreach Activities. The organization also operates a Monthly Donation Program for sustained funding. Programs are designed to break the poverty cycle by exposing children to new people, places, and experiences that aid positive growth and development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tutoring and Mentoring Program Twice-weekly 60-minute individual tutoring and mentoring sessions (virtual or in-person) where tutors help children complete homework, read together, and build trusting relationships. Maintains contact with teachers and administrators to track academic progress.
• Summer Camp A comprehensive summer camp program offering activities that build confidence, relationships, good habits, nature exploration, new skills, and diverse experiences. Includes Performing Arts, STEAM/Science, Art, and general camp offerings. Registration fees start at $25.
• STEAM/Science Camp A specialized camp focusing on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. Features an engineering study of Rube Goldberg's approach with team-based design, hands-on building, and testing, culminating in a project presentation.
• Art Camp Art-focused camp providing a community for youth to learn, grow, and explore as artists. Previously offered as a week-long program from Monday to Friday.
• Performing Arts Camp A performing arts camp offering youth opportunities to explore performing arts.
• Sports and Enrichment Program providing opportunities for children to participate in school and community sport teams, dance, gymnastics, arts classes, and other enrichment activities. Supports participation by covering fees, transportation, uniforms, and gear.
• Family Support Services Service maintaining close connections with local school administrators, guidance counselors, teachers, churches, counselors, and social workers to build on family strengths and provide appropriate support during challenges.
• Youth Group Weekly youth group meetings supported by area churches, encouraging participation of students in community youth activities.
• Outreach Activities Community outreach activities including trips to area beaches, family picnics in the park, and other enrichment experiences exposing students to new people, places, and experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves children in Barnegat and Manahawkin communities with tutoring, mentoring, sports, enrichment, and summer camp programs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Maximillian FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 September 2025Co-hosting the Tim Atwood Grand Ole Opry Legend concert on September 14, 2025 at Ocean Acres Community Center. Joint fundraising effort benefiting both Hearts of Mercy and The Maximillian Foundation. Event includes pasta dinner and concert with tickets at $35 for adults, $15 for children 12 and under.
• Ocean County Artists GuildcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides art instruction and classes for Hearts of Mercy students. Students attend art classes at the Guild facility as part of enrichment programming.
• Local Schools (Elementary, Middle, High)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHearts of Mercy maintains close relationships with local school administrators, guidance counselors, and teachers to identify at-risk children, track academic progress, and coordinate support services. Schools include those in Barnegat and Manahawkin districts.
• Stockton UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStockton University students participate in field day activities with Hearts of Mercy children, providing mentorship and educational engagement opportunities.
• Local Churches and Religious OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArea churches support Hearts of Mercy by encouraging youth group participation, hosting events, and providing community connections. Manahawkin Baptist Church and other local congregations support the organization.
• Queen City Marina & KitchenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHost venue for the Summer Bash Celebration event on August 1, featuring live music by The Pickles, food, and drinks with a bayside sunset view.
• Zano's Bros. of BrooklynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerItalian restaurant hosting Dine & Donate Night fundraiser on July 9, 2026. A percentage of sales during the event support Hearts of Mercy programs.
• Tuckerton Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHearts of Mercy is a proud member of the Tuckerton Chamber of Commerce, providing networking and community visibility.
• Southern Ocean Chamber of CommerceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHearts of Mercy is a proud member of the Southern Ocean Chamber of Commerce, participating in events like Chowderfest and community initiatives.
• Local Sports OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local sports organizations allows Hearts of Mercy to sponsor children in community sports teams, dance, and gymnastics. Organization covers all fees, gear, and transportation for participation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• 4-H: Youth development organization delivering mentoring, STEM education, arts, and civic engagement programming. Comparable program model and at-risk-youth mission, structured as a national network of local clubs rather than a single-site nonprofit.
• Junior Achievement USA: Youth education nonprofit delivering work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programs in schools and summer settings. Comparable education-and-enrichment mission serving school-aged youth, though more curriculum- and volunteer-led than Hearts of Mercy's wraparound model.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: Mentoring-focused nonprofit pairing at-risk youth with adult mentors for academic and personal development. Directly comparable to Hearts of Mercy's tutoring and mentoring program, with a national footprint versus Hearts of Mercy's local NJ focus.
• Communities In Schools: Nonprofit that places student-support coordinators inside schools to deliver tutoring, mentoring, and case management for at-risk youth. Highly comparable school-embedded delivery model and beneficiary profile to Hearts of Mercy.

Broad incumbents

• United Way Worldwide: Federated nonprofit funding and convening local social-services programs including youth development. Comparable in mobilizing corporate sponsorships, workplace giving, and donor dollars for at-risk community members, but operates at much greater scale and scope.
• YMCA of the USA: Community-based nonprofit offering youth development programs including sports, summer camps, tutoring, and family services. Overlaps significantly with Hearts of Mercy's program portfolio, but operates as a broad multi-service incumbent.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit offering academic support, mentoring, sports, and arts programming to at-risk youth. Highly comparable mission and program mix to Hearts of Mercy, but operates at far greater scale and through an affiliate club network.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit providing community-based services including youth and family support, mentoring, and at-risk-youth programs. Overlaps with Hearts of Mercy's family-support and youth-development programming but at a substantially larger scale.

Others

• Habitat for Humanity International: Nonprofit leveraging volunteer labor and donor funding to deliver community benefit programs. Comparable as a volunteer-powered, donation-funded nonprofit with strong local-affiliate structure and GuideStar transparency focus, though operating in housing rather than youth services.

Emerging players

• KIPP Foundation: Nonprofit network of public charter schools focused on college preparation for underserved students. Comparable beneficiary population and education-outcomes mission, though KIPP's direct service model (schools) differs from Hearts of Mercy's supplementary tutoring/mentoring model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NJHeartsOfMercy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hearts-of-mercy-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/njheartsofmercy

Compliance1 record

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 HEARTS OF MERCY INC