St. Francis House

What St. Francis House does

St. Francis House is a Gainesville, Florida-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1980 that provides emergency shelter, daily meals, case management, and support services to women and families with children experiencing homelessness. Its core service stack comprises an Emergency Shelter program offering safe housing, three daily meals, housing location assistance, and referrals; a Case Management function paired with education, career, and health resources; and a Day Services Program that provided daily meals from 9am-12pm. In 2013 the organization acquired Arbor House, a 15-room transitional housing program offering income-based affordable communal living (rent capped at 30% of resident income) for low-income single women and single mothers with children. All services are provided free of charge to eligible beneficiaries.

The organization operates as a traditional community-services provider with no proprietary technology platform, and its go-to-market is community-led: beneficiaries are reached through referrals from social service agencies, healthcare providers, schools, and word-of-mouth, while funding is sourced from individual and corporate donations (including a website donate page, Amazon Wishlist, Gainesville Regional Airport donation box, and direct mail), government and foundation grants, and modest Arbor House rental income. The organization reports cumulative impact of 5,500+ guests assisted, 600,000+ meals served, and 1,000,000+ services provided since 2016, with a stated 97% success rate transitioning former shelter families into permanent affordable housing.

In March 2026, citing current economic conditions and decreased funding levels, St. Francis House announced the closure of its Day Services Program (effective March 20, 2026), the conclusion of Emergency Shelter Services (by April 16, 2026), and the permanent closure of its downtown Main Street facility, while retaining the Arbor House transitional housing program. The organization employed approximately 9 staff at the time of the source data and is governed by a community board led by Executive Director Lauri Schiffbauer.

Name

St. Francis House

Legal name

St. Francis House, Inc.

Website

https://stfrancishousegnv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

St. Francis House is a Gainesville, Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1980 that provides emergency shelter, daily meals, case management, and transitional housing through its Arbor House program for women and families with children experiencing homelessness in Alachua County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Shelter and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Other Residential Care Facilities (6239)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

Keywords

• Homeless shelter services
• Transitional housing programs
• Case management support
• Nonprofit social services
• Affordable housing programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Donations: The organization relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and community members. Donation collection occurs through the website, Amazon Wishlist, at the Gainesville Regional Airport donation box, and direct mail contributions.
2. Government and Foundation Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, St. Francis House receives funding through government grants and foundation support. The organization has received CARES Act funding for infrastructure improvements.
3. Affordable Housing Rent: Arbor House residents pay rent that cannot exceed 30% of their total earned and unearned income, providing income-based affordable housing while generating modest revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

St. Francis House provides emergency shelter, three daily meals, individualized case management, and transitional housing for women and families with children experiencing homelessness in Gainesville, Florida. The organization also provides education, career, and health resource referrals. Arbor House, acquired in 2013, offers affordable communal housing with 15 rooms where residents work with case managers on individualized self-sufficiency plans. All shelter and supportive services are provided free of charge to eligible beneficiaries.

Product overview

St. Francis House is a nonprofit organization offering a coordinated suite of shelter and support services for women and families with children experiencing homelessness. The core program includes Emergency Shelter Services providing safe shelter, three daily meals, case management, and housing assistance. The organization also operates Arbor House (acquired in 2013), a 15-room transitional housing program where residents live in a communal setting while working with case managers on individualized self-sufficiency plans. Additional services include Education Resources, Career Resources, and Health Resources, all designed to help families achieve permanent housing and stability. The Day Services Program is scheduled to close in 2026. Since 2016, the organization has assisted over 5,500 guests, served more than 600,000 meals, and provided over 1,000,000 services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arbor House: Transitional housing program providing affordable housing in a communal setting to single women and single mothers with children. 15 rooms available for rent with shared amenities. Case management services help families design individualized plans to move to self-sufficiency.

Products and services

• Emergency Shelter Services Emergency shelter providing safe and supportive housing for women and families with children in crisis, including three daily meals, case management, housing location assistance, and referrals to additional support resources. Scheduled to conclude by April 16, 2026.
• Arbor House Transitional Housing Transitional housing program acquired by St. Francis House in 2013, providing affordable communal living for low-income and extremely low-income single women and women with children. Features 15 rooms where residents receive their own room but share bathrooms, kitchen, and living room. Each family works with a case manager on an individualized plan to achieve self-sufficiency. Income-based rent capped at 30% of total household income.
• Case Management Services Individualized case management services helping women and families with children experiencing homelessness design plans to achieve permanent housing, stability, and self-sufficiency. Includes connections to education, career, and health resources.
• Day Services Program Daily services including meals and support for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Operated from 9am-12pm daily. Scheduled to close on March 20, 2026 due to economic conditions and decreased funding.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of former shelter families successfully transition into permanent, affordable housing upon program completion
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 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.

• CBS4coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCBS4 partnered with St. Francis House to empower impoverished, hungry residents. The media partnership featured stories highlighting client success, such as Michelle C. who regained custody of her children with St. Francis House support. CBS4 provides visibility and community awareness for the organization's mission.
• Gainesville Regional AirportminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGainesville Regional Airport hosts a plexiglass donation box near baggage claim for unused toiletries donations to benefit St. Francis House. Provides convenient donation drop-off location for travelers and community members.
• Russell Hollander & FamilyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRussell Hollander & Family collaborated with Gainesville Regional Airport to set up the toiletries donation box benefiting St. Francis House, enabling convenient community contributions.
• The Veterinary Center at Hunter's CrossingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Vet Center at Hunter's Crossing is a community sponsor of St. Francis House, participating in Tremendous Give Tuesday events and offering spa service discounts to donors who bring pantry items.
• The Ilene Silverman ShowcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Ilene Silverman Show featured St. Francis House staff (Katelyn Drummet, Nancy Short, Charles Cockrell) discussing vital services from emergency shelter to individualized support for women and families experiencing homelessness. Original air date June 14, 2025.
• WUFTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWUFT's Greater Good segment covered St. Francis House, providing local media coverage and community awareness for homeless services and outreach efforts.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Family Promise: National nonprofit network specifically focused on shelter, stabilization, and permanent housing for families with children experiencing homelessness. Highly comparable to St. Francis House's core mission and case management model, though Family Promise operates through a broader affiliate network.
• Mercy House: Transitional housing nonprofit providing residential programs and supportive services for women and families experiencing homelessness. Closely aligned residential model with case management and self-sufficiency planning.
• Coalition for the Homeless: Nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and advocacy services for people experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable operating model with emergency shelter and case management components serving similar populations.
• Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Catholic-affiliated nonprofit providing shelter, transitional housing, case management, and food services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Closely comparable operating model, target population, and case management approach.

Others

• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National advocacy and policy organization focused on preventing and ending homelessness in the U.S. Operates in the same issue space and serves as a thought leader and funder convener relevant to St. Francis House's mission.
• Habitat for Humanity International: Large nonprofit focused on affordable homeownership and housing stability for low-income families. Related thematically through affordable housing focus, though operating model (homebuilding/ownership) differs from emergency shelter and transitional housing.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Large national nonprofit network delivering shelter, housing assistance, and case management services across a wide portfolio of social programs. Similar nonprofit structure and service offering but at significantly greater scale.
• The Salvation Army USA: Large established nonprofit operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and social services across the country. Provides overlapping emergency shelter and case management services, though it serves broader populations beyond women and families.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit providing affordable housing, emergency shelter, and family support services including programs for families with children. Offers comparable services at materially larger scale across multiple states.

Regional players

• Grace Marketplace: Gainesville, Florida-based nonprofit providing day services, meals, and case management to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable service mix operating in the same local market.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=rsWd6Pi5Zbo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sfhgnv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries1 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 St. Francis House