The Christian Center

What The Christian Center does

The Christian Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1955 in Anderson, Indiana, by Lloyd and Dorothy Lambert, who opened their 14-room home to men in need and grew the effort into a multi-service ministry now led by Executive Director Rob Spaulding and a 35-person staff. It operates as a comprehensive homeless-services platform for Madison County, delivering six coordinated programs: a 70-bed long-term men's recovery program (12–24 months), The Well (the county's only women-and-children emergency shelter), the Community Dining Room (151,000+ free meals annually), the Eleos Center (showers, laundry, clothing closet, hygiene kits), the Chapel (non-denominational worship), and Red Door Vintage & Thrift (mission-driven retail). Annual program output is approximately 2,000+ families served, 44,000+ clothing items distributed, 100+ women/children sheltered, and 300+ laundry loads processed per month.

The underlying operating model is human-delivered social services with no proprietary technology platform. There is no app, no public API, no AI/ML infrastructure, and no software integrations described in the data; all program execution is staffed and volunteer-driven from on-site facilities at 625 Main Street (headquarters/shelter/dining/chapel) and 625 Meridian Street (Red Door Vintage & Thrift), with a PO Box 1216 mailing address in Anderson.

Revenue is generated entirely outside the service-delivery surface: tax-deductible individual donations processed through GiveButter, in-kind contributions of goods and food, legacy/estate gifts, and retail proceeds from Red Door Vintage & Thrift. All shelter, meals, case management, and hygiene services are free of charge; the published per-meal donor ask is $8.69 per person per day. The go-to-market motion is community-led: walk-in access for those in need, referrals from local churches, shelters, first responders, and healthcare providers, and donor/funder engagement through the website, an active blog ("Word on the Street"), social media, and direct appeals including a current Madison County Community Foundation–matched Agency Endowment Fund campaign (goal $60,000).

Name

The Christian Center

Legal name

The Christian Center

Website

https://thechristiancenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Christian Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Anderson, Indiana, founded in 1955, operating homeless shelter, women's and children's shelter, community dining, hygiene, thrift retail, and chapel programs serving 2,000+ families annually across Madison County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Shelter and Social Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Community Food Services (62421), Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO)

Keywords

• Homeless shelter services
• Community meals program
• Addiction recovery housing
• Emergency shelter services
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting the mission. Online giving through GiveButter platform for one-time or recurring gifts. Donors can direct gifts to General Mission or specific programs like The Well women's shelter.
2. Thrift Store Revenue: Red Door Vintage & Thrift generates revenue through retail sales of donated goods. Proceeds directly fund shelter programs, meals, and support services for those in need.
3. In-Kind Donations: Accepts donations of clothing, household goods, hygiene items, and food from the community to support operations and direct assistance to clients.
4. Planned Giving & Estate Gifts: Legacy gifts, bequests, and planned giving arrangements for major donors interested in long-term support of the mission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Christian Center operates a comprehensive homeless shelter and community ministry in Anderson, Indiana, providing free shelter, meals, clothing, addiction recovery programs, and hygiene services to men, women, children, and food-insecure individuals across Madison County. Core programs include a 70-bed men's long-term residential recovery program, Madison County's only women and children's emergency shelter (The Well), a community dining room serving 150,000+ free meals annually, a hygiene and engagement center (Eleos Center), a mission-supported thrift store (Red Door Vintage & Thrift), and non-denominational chapel services.

Product overview

The Christian Center is a multi-service homeless shelter and community ministry offering a coordinated portfolio of programs serving individuals and families in Madison County, Indiana. The organization operates as a unified shelter system comprising: the Men's Program (a 70-bed long-term residential recovery program for adult men), The Well (Madison County's only women and children's emergency shelter), the Community Dining Room (serving 150,000+ free meals annually), The Eleos Center (a hygiene and engagement hub providing showers, laundry, and clothing), Red Door Vintage & Thrift (a thrift boutique supporting operations), and The Chapel (spiritual care services). These programs work together to provide shelter, meals, recovery support, and stability services to those in crisis.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Men's Program A long-term residential homeless shelter and recovery program for adult men (18+) offering safe shelter, three daily meals, chapel services, case management, work readiness training, and life skills education. The structured program typically lasts 12-24 months and serves men overcoming homelessness, addiction, or reentry from incarceration at a 70-bed facility.
• The Well – Women & Children's Emergency Shelter

Quantifiable outcome

• 151,000+ meals served annually through Community Dining Room
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Second Harvest Food BankcoreOthersFood bank partnership that helps supply the Community Dining Room with donations and resources to prepare nutritious, balanced meals for community members in need.
• Bethel HouseminorOthersLocal sober living community where Scott Bronner, Certified Supervisor of Peer Recovery at The Christian Center, teaches Relapse Prevention courses.
• House of ShiframinorOthersLocal sober living community where Scott Bronner, Certified Supervisor of Peer Recovery at The Christian Center, teaches Relapse Prevention courses.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army Indiana: National faith-based nonprofit operating shelter, dining, and recovery programs with a Central Indiana presence. Comparable in mission and service mix (shelter, meals, thrift, addiction recovery) but operates at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint than The Christian Center.
• Goodwill of Central and Southern Indiana: Large nonprofit combining retail thrift operations with workforce development and social services across central Indiana. Comparable to The Christian Center via its Red Door Vintage & Thrift subsidiary and its mission of supporting disadvantaged populations, though operates at significantly larger scale and broader scope.

Direct peers

• Dayspring Center: Indianapolis emergency shelter specifically serving families with children experiencing homelessness. Comparable to The Well program as a faith-informed family-focused emergency shelter operating in central Indiana with similar case management and referral services.
• Wheeler Mission Ministries: Indiana-based Christian homeless shelter and recovery ministry operating men's and women's shelters, community dining, and recovery programs across Indianapolis. Directly comparable as a faith-based multi-service homeless services nonprofit with shelter, meals, and long-term recovery programming similar to The Christian Center.
• Hope House of Indianapolis: Faith-based shelter and recovery program serving men experiencing homelessness and addiction in Indianapolis. Directly comparable to The Christian Center's men's recovery program in offering long-term residential recovery, faith-based programming, and reentry support.

Regional players

• Kokomo Rescue Mission: Faith-based homeless shelter and recovery ministry serving Kokomo and surrounding Howard County, Indiana. Comparable as a small-to-mid-size Christian mission offering shelter, meals, and recovery programming in a single-county service area similar to The Christian Center's Madison County focus.
• Muncie Mission: Faith-based shelter and recovery ministry serving Muncie and Delaware County, Indiana. Comparable as a regional Christian nonprofit offering emergency shelter, meals, and long-term recovery in a single-county footprint analogous to The Christian Center's Anderson/Madison County model.

Others

• Richmond State Hospital Foundation / Reid Health Community Care: Healthcare and community services provider in eastern Indiana addressing social determinants of health including housing and food insecurity. Comparable as a regional social services ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor; shares The Christian Center's geographic region and referral relationships.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-christian-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 The Christian Center