Safe Place (National Program)

What Safe Place (National Program) does

National Safe Place Network (NSPN) is a 501(c)-class national nonprofit founded in 1983 in Louisville, Kentucky, that operates the Safe Place program — a community-anchored youth-crisis response network. Its core service consists of two integrated access channels: a physical network of more than 22,000 designated Safe Place sites across 40 states (including schools, fire stations, libraries, transit systems, businesses, and community centers, each displaying a trademarked yellow diamond sign), and TXT 4 HELP, a free, confidential 24/7/365 SMS service (texting SAFE plus location to 44357) that connects youth to the nearest Safe Place site or, via the 2Chat keyword, to a trained mental health professional. Targeted beneficiaries are youth under 18 (and up to 21 in some communities) experiencing homelessness, abuse, neglect, family conflict, trafficking, exploitation, or mental health crises, along with their families.

The business model combines four revenue streams: individual donations (one-time and recurring "Diamond Donor" gifts), corporate giving and sponsorship (payroll deductions, matching gifts, percentage-of-sale, round-ups), licensing fees paid by local youth-serving agencies to become authorized Safe Place providers, and NSP Week fundraising appeals. Go-to-market is community-led: NSPN recruits and licenses local youth-serving agencies, which in turn recruit community sites and deliver training, while TXT 4 HELP and the partner portal (portal.nspnetwork.org) extend centralized infrastructure to licensees. Pricing to end users is freemium — all youth-facing services are free, confidential, and available without parental authorization.

Complementing the core program are three trademarked product extensions: Operation Angel Summit (since 2019, an exploitation-prevention intervention partnered with the US Secret Service), Journey to Safety (a national awareness campaign), and NSP Week (an annual observance held the third full week of March, with 2026 set for March 15-21). NSPN also operates the Safe Place Site Training & Certification System (geo-light.org), a YouTube educational channel, and reporting integration with the NCMEC CyberTipline. Governance is provided by a multi-sector Board of Directors including CBRE, Republic Bank, Discover/Capital One, NACS, Papa Johns, QuikTrip, Children's Aid Society, and Sea Haven for Youth.

Name

Safe Place (National Program)

Legal name

National Safe Place Network

Website

https://nationalsafeplace.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Safe Place Network operates Safe Place, a community-based youth safety program providing more than 22,000 designated sites and TXT 4 HELP (text to 44357) in 40 states, delivering free, confidential 24/7 crisis support to youth under 21.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Crisis and Safety Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Student Support Hotlines & Digital Wellbeing Tools (EDAJAIAL), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF)

Keywords

• Youth crisis services
• Runaway youth support
• Text-based crisis support
• Community safety network
• Homeless youth services

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute one-time or monthly (Diamond Donor) gifts to support Safe Place outreach, TXT 4 HELP access, and youth safety initiatives nationwide. Donations can be made via the website, in honor of loved ones, or on behalf of an organization.
2. Corporate Giving & Sponsorship: Businesses and organizations support Safe Place through corporate giving, sponsorships, employee payroll deductions, round-up campaigns, percentage-of-sales promotions, event hosting, and matching employee donations. Sponsorship opportunities exist for NSP Week and community initiatives.
3. Licensing Fees from Licensed Agencies: Local youth-serving agencies pay licensing fees to become official Safe Place providers, which includes access to national program standards, training, branding, TXT 4 HELP integration, and ongoing technical assistance from NSPN.
4. Safe Place Week Fundraising: NSP Week annual campaign includes specific fundraising appeals (e.g., $50 NSP Week donation) to support youth safety outreach, TXT 4 HELP, and expansion into new communities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Safe Place is a national network of more than 22,000 community locations — including schools, fire stations, libraries, transit systems, and businesses — where youth in crisis can walk in and ask for help. Youth also access the program through TXT 4 HELP, a free, confidential, 24/7 nationwide text-for-support service that locates the nearest Safe Place site or connects them to a trained mental health professional. All services are free to youth under 18 (and up to age 21 in some communities).

Product overview

Safe Place is a national community-based youth safety program operated by the National Safe Place Network (NSPN). The core offering consists of two integrated pathways for youth to access help: the Safe Place® network of designated physical locations (schools, fire stations, libraries, transit systems, businesses, community centers) and TXT 4 HELP™, a 24/7 nationwide text-for-support service that locates the nearest Safe Place site and connects youth to trained mental health professionals. These two products operate as a unified safety net — youth can walk into any Safe Place site in person or text for immediate remote support. Complementing the core program are specialized initiatives including Operation Angel Summit™ (exploitation and trafficking prevention education), the Journey to Safety™ awareness campaign, Youth Safety Education resources, NSP Week annual events, and a partner-facing Safe Place Support Center portal with training videos and compliance materials. Safe Place serves youth under 18 (up to 21 in some communities) in 40 states through more than 22,000 designated locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TXT 4 HELP: A free, confidential, 24/7 text-for-support service for young people who need help, feel unsafe, or just need someone to talk to.
• Journey to Safety
• Operation Angel Summit

Products and services

• Safe Place® (Core Program) A national network of more than 22,000 community locations (schools, fire stations, libraries, transit, businesses) where youth in crisis can find immediate help and be connected to trained professionals and local youth-serving agencies. Operates in 40 states.
• TXT 4 HELP™

Quantifiable outcome

• Safe Place agencies report significant reductions in youth victimization and unsafe situations due to early intervention and rapid connection to services.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• United States Secret ServiceflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The United States Secret Service leads a national initiative to combat the sexual exploitation of children, of which Operation Angel Summit is a key component. Secret Service participates in live Operation Angel Summit events alongside NSPN and local agencies. This federal law enforcement partnership strengthens the credibility and reach of Safe Place's exploitation prevention work and enables coordinated identification and apprehension of individuals exploiting minors.
• NCMEC CyberTiplinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's CyberTipline is referenced as the reporting mechanism for exploitation or unsafe behavior. Safe Place directs youth and community members to report through this channel as part of Operation Angel Summit's coordinated response framework.
• National Network for YouthcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013NSPN's President & CEO Laurie Padilla serves on the Board of Directors for the National Network for Youth and Florida Network, which are dedicated to strengthening national responses that keep youth safe, supported, and connected to caring adults. This cross-board leadership creates a strategic alignment that strengthens Safe Place's national positioning.
• King County Library SystemcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004King County Library System (KCLS) in Seattle, Washington has operated 48 Safe Place locations since 2004. Libraries serve as trusted, accessible community spaces where youth can seek help confidentially. KCLS reports measurable positive impact for youth in crisis served through their locations.
• White CastlecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004White Castle, a family-owned quick-service restaurant chain, partners with Safe Place as a corporate community partner. White Castle shares Safe Place's commitment to youth safety and recognizes the dignity of each young person, actively supporting youth in crisis through their restaurant locations.
• National Runaway SafelinecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004The National Runaway Safeline (NRS) operates the 1-800-RUNAWAY crisis hotline as an alternative access point for youth in crisis. Safe Place refers youth who prefer phone contact to NRS, and NRS refers youth to Safe Place. NRS believes in the importance of Safe Place as an option to keep youth safe and off the street.
• Youth In NeedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2004Youth In Need is a local youth-serving nonprofit that operates as a licensed Safe Place agency in its community. As a Safe Place agency, Youth In Need provides crisis response, trained staff, shelter connections, and follow-up support for youth who access Safe Place sites in their service area.
• QuikTrip CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1989QuikTrip Corporation has partnered with Safe Place since 1989, providing Safe Place sites at their convenience store locations nationwide. This partnership allows QT employees to give back to communities and provides youth with accessible Safe Place locations in urban and suburban areas.
• CBREcoreOthers · 1 January 1988CBRE, a globally recognized commercial real estate services firm, is represented on the NSPN Board of Directors. Board members provide governance, accountability, strategic direction, and fiscal oversight to ensure Safe Place remains effective, sustainable, and responsive to youth and community needs.
• Republic BankcoreOthers · 1 January 1988Republic Bank is represented on the NSPN Board of Directors, providing governance and fiscal oversight for the Safe Place national program.
• Discover Financial Services / Capital OnecoreOthers · 1 January 1988Discover Financial Services, a division of Capital One, is represented on the NSPN Board of Directors, contributing financial services industry expertise and governance oversight to Safe Place.
• National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS)coreOthers · 1 January 1988NACS represents the convenience and fuel retailing industry on the NSPN Board of Directors, connecting Safe Place with the retail sector and contributing governance oversight.
• Papa Johns InternationalcoreOthers · 1 January 1988Papa Johns International, a major pizza restaurant company, is represented on the NSPN Board of Directors, contributing to governance and strategic direction.
• Childrens Aid SocietycoreOthers · 1 January 1988Children's Aid Society, a nationally recognized youth services organization, is represented on the NSPN Board of Directors, providing expertise in child welfare and youth services.
• Sea Haven for YouthcoreOthers · 1 January 1988Sea Haven for Youth, a youth services organization, is represented on the NSPN Board of Directors, contributing expertise in youth welfare and community-based services.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Trevor Project: Provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth via phone, text, and chat. Operates a 24/7 text/chat crisis channel (comparable to TXT 4 HELP) for a youth-in-crisis population and competes for the same youth mental health funding and awareness.
• Childhelp: National nonprofit focused on child abuse prevention and treatment, operating a national child abuse hotline (1-800-4-A-CHILD) and advocacy programs. Directly comparable to Safe Place's child protection and crisis hotline services for at-risk youth.
• Youth Villages: National nonprofit providing residential treatment, crisis services, and community-based programs for at-risk youth and families. Comparable youth-in-crisis service model (residential, in-home, and community-based intervention) and youth homelessness/family-conflict focus.
• National Runaway Safeline: Operates the 1-800-RUNAWAY youth crisis hotline and is explicitly named as a referral partner for Safe Place. Serves the same youth-in-crisis population with crisis intervention, shelter referrals, and message-home services, operating as a phone-based complement to Safe Place's physical and SMS channels.
• National Network for Youth: National membership and advocacy organization for youth and family services providers serving runaway, homeless, and disconnected youth. NSPN's CEO serves on its board; comparable mission and federal advocacy footprint in the Runaway and Homeless Youth space.
• Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and supportive services to youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking. Operates crisis shelters and outreach programs in 34+ cities — directly overlapping with Safe Place's youth homelessness, exploitation, and runaway youth populations.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National youth development nonprofit with a physical site network of 5,000+ clubs offering safe spaces, mentoring, and crisis support for youth. Comparable mission of providing safe, accessible youth locations and serving at-risk youth in communities.

Broad incumbents

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (SAMHSA-administered): National 24/7 crisis line for mental health and suicide prevention, serving youth and adults. Comparable as a federally-backed, nationwide crisis intervention service but broader in scope (mental health/suicide vs. youth safety specifically) and newer (launched 2022).
• National Children's Alliance: National accrediting body and membership organization for Child Advocacy Centers coordinating multidisciplinary responses to child abuse. Comparable on child protection/welfare mission and federal funding exposure, though more focused on abuse investigation than crisis intervention.
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC): Operates the CyberTipline and leads national missing-children and child-exploitation prevention work, including Operation Safe Online and prevention education. Comparable on exploitation-prevention mission and federal alignment, but broader in scope (missing vs. at-risk youth).

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/nationalsafeplace
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-safe-place

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Safe Place (National Program)