The Open Hearth Association
The Open Hearth Association is a 140-year-old Hartford, Connecticut nonprofit providing emergency shelter, permanent housing, recovery, healthcare, education, and workforce development services to over 700 men experiencing homelessness annually in Greater Hartford and Connecticut.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1884
- HeadquartersHartford, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Open Hearth Association does
The Open Hearth Association is a nonprofit social services organization founded in 1884 and headquartered at 150 Charter Oak Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut. It is the oldest continually operating housing program for men on the East Coast, providing emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, recovery services, healthcare, education, and workforce development to men experiencing homelessness in Greater Hartford and Connecticut. The organization serves over 700 men annually through its shelter and rehousing program, operates a 40-bed re-entry program under contract with the Connecticut Department of Corrections, and provides approximately 140,000 meals per year through its on-site commercial kitchen. Its integrated service model spans emergency shelter beds, extended-stay supportive housing (including Catherine's Place in partnership with St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church), daily on-site recovery groups, individual addiction counseling, physical and behavioral healthcare, and case management with individualized action plans.
The Open Hearth generates revenue through a diversified nonprofit funding model comprising individual donations, signature annual fundraising events (The Open Hearth Celebrates dinner and the 34th Annual Benefit Golf Outing), workplace giving campaigns through United Way, corporate employee matching gift programs, and government contracts. It also operates Open Hearth Works, a social enterprise launched in 2016 that provides contract labor services — including maintenance, trash removal, parking, concessions, snow removal, and yard cleanup — to businesses and events in Greater Hartford, while creating paid employment and skill-building opportunities for program participants. In 2022, the organization expanded this social enterprise model through the Neighborhood Ambassadors program, a partnership with the City of Hartford in which participants provide part-time corridor beautification services.
The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, Corporators, and a full C-suite led by President & CEO Marilyn E. Rossetti, with approximately 20 staff members including a COO, CFO, VP of Workforce Initiatives, and dedicated program directors. Its healthcare and re-entry partnerships span Hartford HealthCare (which launched Connecticut's first mobile COVID-19 testing site at the facility in April 2020), St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, the City of Hartford, and Tilson for broadband infrastructure. The Open Hearth maintains PREA compliance certification under FDJJ policy 1919 and operates as a standalone 501(c)(3) without parent company, PE, or VC ownership.
The Open Hearth Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Open Hearth Association
- Legal name
- The Open Hearth Association
- Website
- https://theopenhearth.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1884
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Open Hearth Association is a 140-year-old Hartford, Connecticut nonprofit providing emergency shelter, permanent housing, recovery, healthcare, education, and workforce development services to over 700 men experiencing homelessness annually in Greater Hartford and Connecticut.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Open Hearth Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Homeless Shelter and Social Services
- NAICS
- Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Food Services (624210), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)
Keywords
Where The Open Hearth Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hartford
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Open Hearth Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute directly to support shelter, housing, recovery, and employment services for men experiencing homelessness.
- Annual Events: Signature events including The Open Hearth Celebrates annual dinner and 34th Annual Benefit Golf Outing generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and auction proceeds.
- Open Hearth Works Social Enterprise: Contract labor business providing maintenance, trash removal, parking, concessions, snow removal, and yard cleanup services to businesses and events, generating revenue while providing jobs for men in the program.
- Workplace Giving: United Way workplace giving campaigns, employee matching gift programs, and corporate workplace fundraising initiatives.
- Department of Corrections Contract: 40-bed program providing services for men re-entering the community directly from prison, likely funded through government contracts.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Open Hearth Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Open Hearth Association is a nonprofit social services organization founded in 1884 that provides emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, addiction recovery, on-site healthcare, workforce development, education, and case management services to men experiencing homelessness in Greater Hartford, Connecticut. It also operates Open Hearth Works, a social enterprise that supplies contract labor (maintenance, trash removal, parking, concessions, snow removal, yard cleanup) to businesses while creating paid employment opportunities for program participants.
Product overview
The Open Hearth Association is a nonprofit social services organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs designed to help men experiencing homelessness achieve self-sufficiency. The organization operates a shelter and rehousing program serving over 700 men annually, supplemented by the Department of Corrections Program (40 beds) and Extended Program for men on the path to permanent housing. The Working Man's Center provides workforce preparation through resume building, interview coaching, vocational training, and certifications. Open Hearth Works is a social enterprise providing contract labor services (maintenance, trash removal, parking, snow removal, yard cleanup) that creates employment opportunities for clients. The Neighborhood Ambassadors program, launched in 2022, provides part-time employment beautifying Hartford's corridors. The Open Hearth at Catherine's Place, opened in 2020-2021 in partnership with St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church, offers permanent housing. Support services include daily recovery groups, addiction counseling, physical and behavioral healthcare, and approximately 140,000 meals annually. Counseling and mentoring services help men develop individualized action plans for long-term independence.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Open Hearth Works: A social enterprise providing contract labor for businesses and events in Greater Hartford, including maintenance, trash removal, parking, concessions, snow removal, and yard cleanup.
- Catherine's Place
- Neighborhood Ambassadors
- Working Man's Center
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 700 men served annually through shelter and rehousing programs
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use The Open Hearth Association
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Open Hearth Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Open Hearth Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.
- City of HartfordcoreNeighborhood Ambassadors workforce development and neighborhood beautification program. City partners with Open Hearth Works to provide part-time employment cleaning major city corridors, launched in 2022. Mayor has participated in volunteer activities with the program.
- St. Patrick-St. Anthony ChurchcorePartnership with St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church in downtown Hartford to provide permanent housing and ongoing support at the church's Catherine's Place facility. The Open Hearth serves as lead operator for this housing program. Opened during pandemic with official ribbon cutting July 2021.
- Wethersfield/Rocky Hill Rotary ClubminorCommunity service partnership providing donations of toiletries, clothing, and everyday essentials to support men at the shelter. The Rotary Club demonstrates ongoing commitment through meaningful support that provides dignity and care to residents.
- Hartford HealthCarecoreHealthcare partnership providing mobile vaccination clinics and healthcare outreach to underserved populations at the shelter. Hartford HealthCare launched CT's first mobile coronavirus testing site at The Open Hearth in April 2020.
- United WaymoderateWorkplace giving partnership allowing donors to designate The Open Hearth on United Way forms, which then forwards gifts directly to the organization.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Open Hearth Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Catholic Charities USA: National faith-based network providing shelter, housing, re-entry, and social services across hundreds of agencies. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping services, including partnerships with parishes (analogous to St. Patrick-St. Anthony partnership).
- Salvation Army (USA): National faith-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing, recovery, and workforce programs across the U.S. Comparable as a major incumbent in men's emergency shelter and addiction recovery services, with similar emphasis on pathway programs.
- Volunteers of America: National nonprofit operating housing, shelter, re-entry, and workforce programs across the U.S. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping services — including men's shelter and re-entry — but at a much larger scale and across many geographies.
Direct peers
- Compass Housing Alliance: Seattle-based nonprofit operating emergency shelter, housing, and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness. Comparable integrated model combining shelter, housing, recovery, and employment services for vulnerable adults.
- The Doe Fund: New York City-based nonprofit offering transitional housing, workforce development (Ready, Willing & Able), and re-entry programs for people experiencing homelessness and incarceration. Closely mirrors The Open Hearth's earn-while-you-learn contract labor model through Open Hearth Works.
- The Fortune Society: New York City-based nonprofit providing housing, workforce development, and re-entry support for formerly incarcerated individuals. Directly comparable to The Open Hearth's 40-bed DOC re-entry program and Working Man's Center.
- Pine Street Inn: Boston-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and workforce services for men and women experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable in mission scope and Northeast urban shelter model, with comparable emphasis on moving clients from shelter to housing and employment.
- St. Anthony's Foundation (St. Anthony's Dining Room): San Francisco-based nonprofit providing meals, shelter, recovery, and workforce programs. Comparable wraparound service model combining high-volume meal service (similar to Open Hearth's 140,000 meals annually) with shelter and employment services.
Emerging players
- Goodwill Industries International: Workforce development nonprofit network combining social enterprise (retail/contract labor) with job training for disadvantaged populations. Comparable in the integrated social-enterprise + workforce-development model, particularly the Open Hearth Works contract labor arm.
Regional players
- Alpha House of Pinellas: Florida-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing, and recovery services for men experiencing homelessness. Comparable mission and men's-only shelter focus, but operates in a different regional market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Open Hearth Association social profiles
Digital presenceThe Open Hearth Association compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
The Open Hearth Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Open Hearth Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The Open Hearth Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Open Hearth Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Open Hearth Association
What does The Open Hearth Association do?
The Open Hearth Association is a nonprofit social services organization founded in 1884 that provides emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, addiction recovery, on-site healthcare, workforce development, education, and case management services to men experiencing homelessness in Greater Hartford, Connecticut. It also operates Open Hearth Works, a social enterprise that supplies contract labor (maintenance, trash removal, parking, concessions, snow removal, yard cleanup) to businesses while creating paid employment opportunities for program participants.
Is The Open Hearth Association a public or private company?
The Open Hearth Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Open Hearth Association founded?
The Open Hearth Association was founded in 1884. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Open Hearth Association based?
The Open Hearth Association is headquartered in Hartford, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Open Hearth Association make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are annual Events, open Hearth Works Social Enterprise, workplace Giving and department of Corrections Contract.
Who are The Open Hearth Association's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Catholic Charities USA, Salvation Army (USA) and Volunteers of America. Direct peers are Compass Housing Alliance, The Doe Fund, The Fortune Society, Pine Street Inn and St. Anthony's Foundation (St. Anthony's Dining Room). Goodwill Industries International is listed as an emerging player. Alpha House of Pinellas is listed as a regional player.
Does The Open Hearth Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Open Hearth Association.
What industry is The Open Hearth Association in?
The Open Hearth Association's product category is Homeless Shelter and Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIANAC, Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services. Its NAICS code is 624221 and its SIC code is 7000.