Dylan’s House

What Dylan’s House does

Dylan's House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2022 and headquartered in Youngstown, Ohio, that develops and operates residential housing for adults with autism in the Mahoning Valley. The organization was established by co-founders Amy and Kevin Shope, lifelong Mahoning Valley residents, after their son Dylan — diagnosed with autism at age 2 — moved out at 17, exposing the family's firsthand experience with the shortage of appropriate housing options for adults on the spectrum. Dylan's House serves adults with autism transitioning from family homes into independent or supported living, caregivers of autistic individuals, and the broader local community through autism awareness programming.

The organization's core programs are the Housing Initiative (developing or renovating autism-appropriate residential homes), the Caregiver Grants Program (awarding $500 grants bi-annually to caregivers working in supported living environments), and the Education and Raising Awareness Program. Its portfolio currently consists of two homes in Ohio: a three-bedroom residence on Judith Lane in Struthers that opened in early May 2026, and an eight-resident duplex on Woodfield Court in Boardman under construction with a 2025 groundbreaking. The organization operates strictly as the landlord of its properties and routes all placements through the Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities via a needs-based, waiver-coordinated process; Purple Cat has been engaged to staff and manage the Boardman home.

Dylan's House is funded entirely through private donations, charitable contributions, fundraising events, corporate sponsorships, and foundation grants — it charges no fees to residents. The annual Sunday Funday at Penguin City Brewing Company is the largest single fundraising event, raising $100,000+ in 2025 and $150,000+ in 2026 with 500+ attendees. Donations are processed through Givebutter, and the organization is governed by a 13-member board that includes a clinical psychologist, the Youngstown City Health Commissioner, the Mahoning County Prosecutor, wealth management executives, and legal counsel. The organization has a multi-channel outreach presence across its website, blog, the "Navigating Autism Together" podcast, Facebook, and Instagram. A waitlist of over 30 families seeking housing placement indicates demand substantially exceeds current capacity.

Name

Dylan’s House

Legal name

Dylan's House

Website

https://dylanshouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dylan's House is a Youngstown, Ohio-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 that develops and operates residential housing for adults with autism in the Mahoning Valley, funded entirely through donations, fundraising events, and grants, and coordinating placements through the Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Housing Services

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability Facilities (623210), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAO

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Autism housing services
• Nonprofit residential support
• Caregiver grant programs
• Disability housing nonprofit
• Supported living services

Headquarters

HQ city

Youngstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Private Donations & Charitable Contributions: The organization is operated entirely from private donations, charity, and fundraising. Individuals can donate through their website (givebutter.com platform). Donations support the housing initiative, home construction, and broader autism community programs.
2. Fundraising Events: Annual and recurring fundraising events such as Sunday Funday (annual event at Penguin City Brewing Company) generate significant revenue. The 2025 Sunday Funday raised over $100,000 and the 2026 event raised over $150,000.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Local businesses and organizations sponsor Dylan's House through financial contributions and in-kind support. Sponsors receive recognition on the organization's website and at events.
4. Grant Funding: Dylan's House receives grant funding from family foundations (Fibus/Hendricks Family Foundation) and other institutional donors to support operations and housing development.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dylan's House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates residential homes designed for adults with autism transitioning to independent or supported living, functioning as the landlord of these properties. Beyond housing, the organization runs a Caregiver Grants Program that awards $500 bi-annual grants to caregivers and an Education and Awareness Program that produces community events and resources explaining autism. All operations are funded through private donations, charity, fundraising events, sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Dylan's House is a nonprofit organization that offers a portfolio of programs focused on housing and support for adults with autism. The core offerings include the Housing Initiative (providing safe, affordable housing with a home repair program), the Education and Raising Awareness Program (educating the community about autism), and the Caregiver Grants Program (providing financial support to caregivers). The organization also offers content through its podcast 'Navigating Autism Together' and blog. The Housing Initiative works in partnership with Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities and local service providers for placement coordination. Dylan’s House operates entirely from private donations, charity, and fundraising.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Housing Initiative Provides safe, affordable, and accessible housing for adults with autism transitioning to independent or supported living. Homes are thoughtfully designed to meet the unique needs of autistic individuals. Includes a home repair program for emergency repairs including appliances, furnaces, and plumbing. The organization serves as the landlord of these homes and coordinates placements with the Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities.
• Education and Raising Awareness Program Educates individuals about autism spectrum disorder and raises awareness in the community through informational events and resources that help people understand autism and how to support individuals with the condition. Includes community events such as 'Autism: Transitioning to Adulthood' held during Autism Awareness Month.
• Caregiver Grants Program Grant program that supports and empowers caregivers providing essential care for individuals with autism. Bi-annual $500 awards are given to caregivers working with autistic individuals in supported living environments to reward, retain, and acknowledge the vital role caregivers play.
• Housing Application Service Application and coordination service for individuals seeking housing at Dylan's House properties. Works in partnership with the Mahoning County Board of Developmental Disabilities and local service providers for fair, needs-based placement; eligible individuals must connect with their Service and Support Administrator (SSA) through the county and have an appropriate waiver in place.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $250,000 raised through two consecutive annual Sunday Funday events (2025: $100,000+, 2026: $150,000+)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sam and Donna Boak (Boak & Sons)coreOthers · 22 October 2025Donated land for the first Dylan’s House home construction in Boardman. Boak & Sons is a family-owned business. Sam and Donna Boak are named sponsors of the organization and have been instrumental in supporting the housing initiative through land donation and construction services.
• Ramunno Builders (Custom Designed Homes by Mark Ramunno)coreOthers · 22 October 2025General contractor for the Boardman home construction project. Announced at October 2025 groundbreaking event. The home was designated as “Project of the Year” by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of the Valley.
• The Purple CatcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 October 2025Will staff and manage the first Dylan’s House home in Boardman. Purple Cat is a vocational and daily-living skills program for individuals with developmental disabilities. Their motto is “Work hard, be kind and have fun!” and they have an established reputation for person-centered care.
• Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries, InccoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 September 2025Host organization for Dylan’s House permanent office space. Both organizations share similar goals: Goodwill provides individuals with autism opportunities for independence in an inclusive work environment, while Dylan’s House focuses on helping individuals with autism live more independently with accommodations. The partnership demonstrates aligned missions in the Mahoning Valley autism community.
• Home Builders and Remodelers Association of the Valley (HBA)minorOthers · 10 October 2024Trisha Howe, Executive Director of HBA, announced the Boardman home location and designated it as “Project of the Year.” HBA supports the construction projects through industry recognition and professional network connections.
• Mahoning County Board of Developmental DisabilitiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner agency that coordinates housing placements with Dylan’s House. Individuals must connect with their SSA through the county and have an appropriate waiver in place before being considered for Dylan’s House housing. All placements are coordinated collaboratively with the county and provider teams to best support individuals with the greatest need. This is a needs-based, fair process managed jointly.
• Struthers (City Donation)minorOthersStruthers mayor Catherine Cercone Miller announced donation of land for construction of a Dylan’s House home in Struthers at the Fiesta for the Future fundraising event. This project was managed by Dawn Ochman of Dawn Incorporated.
• Dawn IncorporatedminorOthersConstruction management for the Struthers Dylan’s House home project.
• Alexander ConstructionminorOthersCo-managing construction of the Boardman home along with Custom Designed Homes by Mark Ramunno.
• Raphael's Beauty SchoolminorOthersLocal business sponsor of Dylan’s House, listed on current sponsors page.
• Lamar AdvertisingminorOthersAdvertising sponsor providing in-kind support through billboard/advertising space, listed on current sponsors page.
• Rudzik ExcavatingminorOthersConstruction industry sponsor of Dylan’s House, listed on current sponsors page.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• HMEA (Horace Mann Educational Associates): HMEA is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit providing residential, educational, and adult services for individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities. Its adult residential program is structurally similar to Dylan's House landlord-plus-care-partnership model, but it operates in a different region and serves a broader IDD population.
• AHRC New York City: AHRC NYC is one of the largest providers of residential, day-program, and family support services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New York City. It runs a portfolio of group homes and supported living arrangements comparable in function to Dylan's House, but serves a different geography and broader IDD population.

Broad incumbents

• The Arc of the United States: The Arc is the largest national nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including residential and supported-living programs through its state and local chapters. While much broader in scope (not autism-specific) and far larger in scale, The Arc's housing and family-support offerings are directly comparable to the population Dylan's House serves.
• Easterseals: Easterseals is a national disability services network providing housing, adult day services, employment support, and caregiver programs for individuals with autism and other disabilities. Comparable to Dylan's House as a multi-program disability nonprofit but operates at vastly greater scale and broader scope across all disability categories.

Direct peers

• Brightside Living: Brightside Living is a Colorado-based nonprofit that builds and operates residential homes for adults with autism, funded through donations and community partnerships. It is the closest direct comparable to Dylan's House: same population (adults with autism), same housing-as-landlord model, same reliance on community fundraising and volunteer builders.

Others

• Autism Society of America: Autism Society of America is a national autism advocacy and resource organization with local affiliates serving individuals across the spectrum. It is not a direct housing provider, but it functions as a peer organization in the autism nonprofit ecosystem, connecting families to housing resources and amplifying awareness for organizations like Dylan's House.
• National Autism Association: National Autism Association is a national autism advocacy nonprofit focused on safety, housing access, and family support for individuals with autism. While it does not directly operate housing, its housing-access mission and family support programs place it in the same ecosystem of nonprofits addressing the same unmet need Dylan's House targets.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dylanshouseohio
• Instagraminstagram.com/thisisdylanshouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dylan-s-house

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dylan’s House