Salvation Army San Diego

What Salvation Army San Diego does

The Salvation Army San Diego is the San Diego County regional operating arm of The Salvation Army International, a 501(c) religious nonprofit that has continuously served the region since 1887. The organization delivers a comprehensive safety-net portfolio addressing homelessness, food insecurity, substance addiction, senior isolation, and youth development across nine Corps Community Centers (Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido, Oceanside, Centre City, Citadel, Kroc Center, and supporting sites), three Family Thrift Stores (Poway, Escondido, Chula Vista), and the Adult Rehabilitation Center in Otay Mesa. Core programs include emergency and transitional shelter (STEPS, Door of Hope/Rady Residence), food pantries serving 4,000+ families monthly, Club 60 senior nutrition at five locations, the no-fee Adult Rehabilitation Center for substance abuse treatment, Camp Daley youth summer camp in Malibu Canyon, and holiday programs including the Red Kettle Campaign, Angel Tree, and Toy N Joy.

The organization generates revenue from individual donations (online, cryptocurrency, planned giving, bequests), corporate partnerships (Walmart, Navy Federal Credit Union, Mission Federal Credit Union, Lucky Duck Foundation, Feeding San Diego, USS Midway Museum), foundation and government grants (Prebys Foundation, San Diego Foundation, Older Americans Act through County Aging and Independence Services), and thrift store proceeds that fund rehabilitation programs. It reports 82 cents of every donated dollar is used to serve those in need in San Diego. The organization's go-to-market is community-led, leveraging a network of volunteers, the Women's Auxiliary (since 1965), the Echelon young professional auxiliary, and signature fundraising events including the annual Women of Dedication luncheon (raising over $300,000 in 2023) and National Donut Day Festival on the USS Midway.

The organization is undertaking a major capital expansion: the $100 million Rady Center redevelopment in downtown San Diego, a 200,000-square-foot facility with over 100 beds, transitional and interim housing, a community health clinic, food pantry, and senior congregate meals, developed in partnership with Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation. Phase One breaks ground in fall 2026 with planned opening in 2028. The Rady family has contributed $70 million cumulatively, the largest benefactor commitment in the organization's regional history.

Name

Salvation Army San Diego

Legal name

The Salvation Army

Website

https://sandiego.salvationarmy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Salvation Army San Diego is a nonprofit social services organization operating nine Corps Community Centers across San Diego County, delivering homelessness services, food assistance, addiction rehabilitation, senior nutrition, youth camps, and holiday programs to 267,000+ individuals annually through donations, thrift stores, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

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

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Substance Use Disorder Prevention & Recovery Services (BPAGACAE)

Keywords

• Social services
• Homeless shelter
• Food assistance
• Addiction recovery
• Community outreach

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute money through online portals, checks, cryptocurrency, and in-person Red Kettle bell ringing campaigns. Donors can give specific amounts ($500, $250, $100, $50) or other custom amounts via the Salvation Army USA donation platform.
2. Thrift Store Proceeds: Donated goods (clothing, furniture, household items) are sold through Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores. Proceeds fund rehabilitation programs that heal addictions, change lives, and restore families.
3. Corporate Partnerships: Corporate partners (Walmart, Kiwanis Club, Lucky Duck Foundation, Navy Federal Credit Union, etc.) provide financial contributions, in-kind donations, and cause marketing support.
4. Grant Funding: The organization receives grants from foundations (e.g., Prebys Foundation, The San Diego Foundation) and government programs (Older Americans Act through County of Aging and Independence Services) to fund specific programs.
5. Planned Giving & Estate Gifts: Bequests in wills, living trusts, insurance designations, IRA rollovers, and charitable gift annuities provide long-term revenue.
6. Vehicle & Cryptocurrency Donations: Donors can contribute vehicles and cryptocurrency (Bitcoin, Ethereum) as alternative giving methods.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Salvation Army San Diego is a nonprofit regional social services organization delivering emergency shelter, transitional and supportive housing, food pantry distributions, no-fee residential substance abuse treatment, senior nutrition and affordable senior housing, youth summer camping, and holiday assistance programs through nine Corps Community Centers, thrift stores, and specialized facilities across San Diego County.

Product overview

The Salvation Army San Diego operates a portfolio of social service programs and facilities serving San Diego County. The organization provides a platform of interconnected services including: emergency shelter and transitional housing (The Rady Center, Door of Hope, STEPS Program, Silvercrest Senior Residences), food security programs (Food Pantries serving 4,000+ families monthly, Club 60 Senior Nutrition), addiction recovery (Adult Rehabilitation Center), youth development (Camp Daley summer camp), and community engagement (Echelon young adult auxiliary, Women's Auxiliary, Red Kettle Campaign, Angel Tree, Toy N Joy). The portfolio functions as a coordinated continuum of care addressing homelessness, hunger, addiction, senior isolation, and youth development across multiple Corps Community Center locations throughout the county.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rady Center: Downtown San Diego homeless services center development project providing housing, support services, and shelter for people experiencing homelessness
• Door of Hope
• Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC)
• Echelon San Diego
• Club 60
• Camp Daley

Products and services

• The Rady Center A major homeless services facility redevelopment in downtown San Diego providing transitional housing, interim housing, support services, and permanent housing for homeless individuals and families, with a community health clinic, food pantry, and youth programs.
• Door of Hope Transitional housing and rapid rehousing program for single women and families experiencing homelessness, providing case management and support services to help residents achieve stable housing.
• Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) No-fee residential substance abuse treatment program offering holistic work-therapy, counseling, spiritual direction, and life skills development for individuals overcoming alcohol and drug dependence.
• Food Pantries Food assistance program operating through Corps Community Center locations across San Diego County, providing nutritious groceries and vital supplies to over 4,000 families per month facing food insecurity.
• Club 60 Senior Nutrition Program Senior dining and social program providing nutritious meals, activities, fellowship, and community for seniors aged 60 and older at five Senior Dining & Social Centers across San Diego County.
• Camp Daley Youth Summer Camp Week-long residential summer camp program for youth aged 8-17 located in Malibu Canyon, California, offering themed camps including Adventure SAY Camp, Music Camp, Teen Wilderness, and Teen Camp with swimming, hiking, rock-climbing, and team sports.
• Silvercrest Senior Residences Affordable residential facilities for low-income older adults operated by The Salvation Army, providing housing with access to senior programs and services.
• STEPS Program Short-term and transitional housing program with employment services for single men experiencing homelessness, combining shelter with case management and vocational support.
• Salvation Army Thrift Stores Retail thrift stores accepting donated clothing, furniture, and household items, with proceeds funding rehabilitation programs and social services across San Diego County.

Quantifiable outcome

• 267,000+ individuals served in San Diego County in one year
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Wakeland Housing and Development CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2022Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation serves as the lead developer for the Rady Center project, managing the entitlement phase, financing, design, and construction. Wakeland will also provide ongoing asset management at the property once open, and will seek tax credits and other public and private funding for the $100 million project. Since 1998, Wakeland has created and preserved more than 7,900 affordable homes at 57 properties throughout California.
• Lucky Duck FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLucky Duck Foundation partners with Feeding San Diego and The Salvation Army in a food rescue and job placement collaboration that has rescued 500,000 lbs of food. Lucky Duck also invested $1 million for a job placement and training initiative for those experiencing homelessness. All program graduates have been employed and remain housed.
• Feeding San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeeding San Diego partners with The Salvation Army and Lucky Duck Foundation to salvage food, feed food-insecure San Diegans, and create jobs. The collaboration includes large-scale community food distributions that occur seasonally and increase proportionally to community need.
• WalmartmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerWalmart partners with The Salvation Army for annual Stuff the Bus school supply drives, Angel Tree holiday gift campaigns, and holiday giving initiatives. Walmart provides financial support and in-kind donations to help families in need.
• Kiwanis Club of La JollaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKiwanis Club of La Jolla partners with The Salvation Army for backpack drives, school supply donations, and Ukraine humanitarian aid efforts.
• Navy Federal Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNavy Federal Credit Union adopted families in need with local Salvation Army for the holiday season, providing financial contributions and volunteer support.
• Toyota of PowayminorGTM or Marketing PartnerToyota of Poway partnered with The Salvation Army to host free food distribution events providing inflation relief to San Diego families.
• USS Midway MuseummajorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe USS Midway Museum hosts the annual National Donut Day Festival benefiting The Salvation Army, featuring the World Donut Eating Championship. This is a signature annual event generating significant media coverage and community engagement.
• San Diego GullsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSan Diego Gulls hockey team volunteers at Salvation Army downtown centre, serving dinner to those in need and raising awareness of hunger issues in San Diego.
• La Pastaia RestaurantminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLa Pastaia hosted a holiday fundraiser for The Salvation Army, creating a special Christmas menu to help families in need during the holiday season.
• Peterson's Donut CornerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPeterson's Donut Corner partnered with The Salvation Army for the Giving Tuesday Bucket Blitz 2024, hosting events to increase donations during the giving season.
• County of San Diego Aging and Independence ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Salvation Army Senior Dining Program is partially funded by the Older Americans Act through the County of San Diego Aging and Independence Services (AIS), providing senior nutrition services.
• Manchester Grand Hyatt San DiegominorGTM or Marketing PartnerManchester Grand Hyatt San Diego served free Christmas dinner to those in need during the holiday season.

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alpha Project for the Homeless: San Diego-based nonprofit delivering shelter, housing, and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness. Competes for the same county contracts, foundation grants, and donor base as Salvation Army San Diego.
• San Diego Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit providing shelter, food, addiction recovery, and children's programs across San Diego. Operates similar continuum of care (meals, shelter, recovery) targeting the same populations as Salvation Army San Diego's corps centers and ARC.
• Jewish Family Service of San Diego: Faith-affiliated social services nonprofit serving refugees, seniors, and families in San Diego County. Comparable geographic footprint and service breadth (senior support, food, refugee resettlement) as a regional social safety net provider.
• St. Vincent de Paul Village (Father Joe's): Now part of Father Joe's Villages, this is the historic downtown San Diego shelter and services campus. Direct peer to Salvation Army San Diego's Centre City Corps and Rady Center programs in serving single adults experiencing homelessness.
• Father Joe's Villages: San Diego's largest homeless services provider operating shelter, transitional housing, and comprehensive supportive services downtown. Directly comparable to Salvation Army San Diego's Rady Center/Door of Hope programs in mission, service mix, and San Diego geography.
• Volunteers of America Southwest California: National faith-affiliated nonprofit with San Diego presence providing housing, addiction recovery, and veteran services. Comparable multi-program service model and target population (homeless, veterans, recovering individuals) to Salvation Army San Diego.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of San Diego: Faith-affiliated social services nonprofit operating shelter, food, immigration, and family programs across San Diego County. Comparable scale, religious affiliation, and service portfolio, including refugee resettlement adjacent to Salvation Army programs.

Emerging players

• Feeding San Diego: San Diego County's leading food bank distributing millions of pounds of food annually. Active partner of Salvation Army San Diego through the Lucky Duck Foundation food-rescue initiative; overlaps in food pantry service delivery but specializes in food distribution rather than shelter/addiction.
• Goodwill Industries of San Diego County: Nonprofit social enterprise operating thrift retail stores and workforce development programs across San Diego. Comparable thrift-store retail model (donated goods sold to fund mission) and employment-services overlap with Salvation Army's ARC work-therapy and STEPS employment program.

Others

• Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation: Nonprofit affordable housing developer serving as lead developer for Salvation Army San Diego's Rady Center. Comparable in California affordable housing development focus and tax-credit finance expertise, but acts as a development partner rather than direct service peer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SalvationArmyUSA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/salvation-army-san-diego-regional-office

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries12 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 Salvation Army San Diego