Second Story

What Second Story does

Second Story is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization headquartered in Dunn Loring, Virginia, that delivers residential and community-based programs to youth in crisis, young mothers, homeless young adults, and underserved families across Northern Virginia and the greater Washington, D.C. metro area. Founded in the early 1970s (originally as The Abused and Homeless Children's Refuge, later Alternative House, rebranded to Second Story in 2017), the organization operates four core program verticals: Second Story for Teens in Crisis (the only short-term emergency home for youth ages 13-17 in Northern Virginia); Second Story for Young Mothers (transitional housing and support for pregnant or parenting mothers ages 16-24 and their children); Second Story for Homeless Youth (rental assistance, case management, counseling, and life skills for ages 18-24); and Second Story in the Community (Family Resource Centers in Culmore and Springfield, a Teen Center, and Safe Youth Projects serving 4th-12th graders). A 24/7 crisis hotline (1-800-SAY-TEEN) provides immediate regional access. The organization also produces the "Second Stories" podcast for mission-driven storytelling.

The underlying operating model is service-intensive and human-delivered, not technology-based. Program participants access services free of charge through direct outreach, school social worker referrals via the Fairfax County Public Schools partnership, a dedicated FCPS Homeless & Foster Care Liaison, community drop-in centers, and the crisis hotline. Support is provided by paid staff (11-50 employees including licensed therapists and program managers) supplemented by approximately 500 volunteers who contributed 16,772 hours in the most recently reported year. Notable operational outcomes include 100% of young mothers exiting to safe situations, 100% of community-program youth staying gang-free, 851 nights of safe shelter, and a 4-star Charity Navigator rating with a perfect 100% Charity Navigator score in October 2023.

Second Story's funding model is diversified across individual donations (approximately half of support), multi-year pledges (Beacon of Hope Society at $1,000-$25,000+/year for 5 years), a single annual fundraising event (Beacon of Hope Breakfast, sponsorship tiers $1,000-$20,000+), corporate partnerships (SEIA as Title Sponsor since 2017, DPR Construction for 7+ years of facility support, NAIOP, Fannie Mae), workplace giving (United Way #8893, CFC #41814), planned/legacy giving, the Virginia Neighborhood Assistance Program tax credit (up to 65% credit on $500-$125,000 donations), in-kind contributions, and grants (including a 2025 grant from The Community Foundation of Northern Virginia). The geographic footprint is intentionally regional, anchored in Fairfax County, with no disclosed international operations.

Name

Second Story

Legal name

Second Story

Website

https://second-story.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Second Story is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in the early 1970s that provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, counseling, and community-based programs to youth in crisis, young mothers, homeless young adults, and underserved families across Northern Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth and Family Social Services

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Child and Youth Services (62411), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK), Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

Keywords

• Youth shelter services
• Transitional housing programs
• Crisis intervention services
• Family resource centers
• Community social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Dunn Loring

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute financially through one-time gifts, recurring donations, and the Beacon of Hope Society multi-year pledge program. Approximately half of support comes from community members.
2. Annual Fundraising Event: Beacon of Hope Breakfast is the organization's only annual fundraising event, featuring sponsorship tiers from $1,000 to $20,000+. All funds raised go directly to supporting Second Story programs.
3. Planned/Legacy Giving: Donors can include Second Story in their wills, trusts, or estate plans. The Irene Pierce Scholarship was established through estate planning.
4. Workplace Giving: Donations through United Way (#8893), Combined Federal Campaign (CFC #41814), and corporate matching gift programs.
5. Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credit: Virginia NAP tax credit program where donors can receive up to 65% tax credit on donations of $500-$125,000.
6. In-Kind Donations: Community donates goods (food, clothing, hygiene supplies), gift cards, and volunteer hours rather than cash.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Second Story is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free residential and community-based programs for youth ages 13-24 and young mothers experiencing homelessness, crisis, or unsafe living situations across Northern Virginia. Core offerings include Second Story for Teens in Crisis (emergency short-term home for ages 13-17), Second Story for Young Mothers (transitional housing for ages 16-24), Second Story for Homeless Youth (rental assistance and case management for ages 18-24), and Second Story in the Community (Family Resource Centers, Teen Center, and after-school programs for families in Fairfax County). A 24/7 crisis hotline (1-800-SAY-TEEN) provides immediate support and referrals.

Product overview

Second Story is a nonprofit social services organization operating four core residential and community-based programs serving youth experiencing homelessness or crisis, young mothers, and families in Northern Virginia. The organization offers Second Story for Teens in Crisis (emergency shelter for ages 13-17), Second Story for Young Mothers (transitional housing for ages 16-24), Second Story for Homeless Youth (rental assistance for ages 18-24), and Second Story in the Community (Family Resource Centers, Teen Centers, and Safe Youth Projects). A 24/7 crisis hotline provides immediate support, and the Second Stories Podcast shares inspirational narratives. All programs are free to participants and focused on achieving lasting self-sufficiency through housing, counseling, education, and life skills support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Second Story for Young Mothers: Transitional Living Program helping pregnant or parenting moms ages 16 to 24 attain safety, stability, and independence through housing, counseling, and training.
• Second Story for Homeless Youth
• Second Story for Teens in Crisis
• Second Story in the Community

Products and services

• Second Story for Teens in Crisis Emergency short-term crisis home for youth ages 13-17 in Northern Virginia, providing 24/7 care, individual and group counseling, educational support, and family reunification support. Located in Vienna, VA, it is the only safe haven of its kind in Northern Virginia and operates as a licensed youth residential facility.
• Second Story for Young Mothers Transitional Living Program for pregnant or parenting mothers ages 16-24, providing housing in townhomes for up to 18 months, counseling, parenting supplies and education, life skills training, childcare assistance, and job training to help participants attain safety, stability, and independence.
• Second Story for Homeless Youth Program for youth ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness or unstable housing, providing rental assistance, case management, counseling, life skills lessons, job readiness training, education support, and long-term support for independent living. Includes a Rapid Rehousing Program aligned with the Department of Housing and Urban Development's definition of homelessness.
• Second Story in the Community Community-based programs serving Fairfax County neighborhoods through Family Resource Centers in Culmore and Springfield, Culmore Teen Center for 7th-12th graders, Safe Youth Projects for 4th-6th graders, food distribution, tutoring, after-school programs, parenting classes, ESL classes, gang prevention, and legal/medical referrals.
• 24/7 Crisis Hotline Round-the-clock crisis hotline providing immediate support, referrals, and program eligibility screening for youth ages 13-24 in the Washington DC metro area. Accessible via phone (1-800-SAY-TEEN), text (TEENHELP to 855-11), and TTY (711).

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% of youth exited Second Story for Young Mothers to safe situations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 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

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SEIAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Title Sponsor for Beacon of Hope Breakfast since 2017. Provides financial support and educates youth on financial literacy. Their mission is to provide clients with partnerships that complement and exceed long-term goals.
• DPR ConstructioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company providing facility maintenance and renovation support for more than seven years. Projects include kitchen renovation at Teens in Crisis, painting at Young Mothers townhomes, and revamps of Family Resource Centers and Teen Center. Also provides career education activities for youth and team-building training for staff.
• NAIOP Northern VirginiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial real estate organization that has held annual snack pack drives for Second Story in the Community for nine years. Adapted to virtual fitness challenge during pandemic and donated over $13,500 in their biggest year yet.
• Fannie MaeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFormer board member Rabab Butti brought Fannie Mae as a volunteer group. Employees have volunteered at Second Story for Teens in Crisis organizing storage, shredding papers, and hosting field trips to Finance Park.
• Fairfax County Public SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor referral partner. FCPS Homeless & Foster Care Liaison Kathi Sheffel works closely with Second Story. School social workers refer students to programs. Estimates 2,000+ students experience homelessness annually.
• Opportunity Neighborhoods InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-wide effort for residents, community partners, Fairfax County, and schools. Second Story serves as lead agency for Crossroads area (Bailey's Crossroads region). Delivers accessible resources for vulnerable youth and families.
• Project Belong 'Don't Go Alone' ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership connecting Second Story for Homeless Youth clients with lifelong mentors for continued support after program completion.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Covenant House: National nonprofit operating a network of shelters and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness and trafficking. Comparable in serving Second Story's core population (transition-age youth and survivors) with residential and crisis services at greater scale.
• Sasha Bruce Youthwork: DC-based nonprofit providing shelter, counseling, and case management to at-risk youth and families. Direct peer because it operates residential and community programs for a near-identical youth population in the adjacent DC market, sharing referral sources and funder pools.
• Larkin Street Youth Services: San Francisco-based nonprofit providing housing, health, and education services to youth experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable in mission, residential service model, and target population (transition-age youth in crisis).
• Doorways for Women and Families: Northern Virginia nonprofit providing emergency shelter and supportive services for women and families fleeing domestic violence. Directly comparable given overlapping geography, residential service model, and target population of women/families in crisis.
• N Street Village: DC-based nonprofit providing housing and supportive services for women experiencing homelessness and poverty. Comparable in integrating emergency/transitional shelter with wraparound supportive services for women in the same DC metro region.
• SOME (So Others Might Eat): DC-based nonprofit delivering housing, healthcare, and job training to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Comparable in combining emergency/transitional shelter with wraparound supportive programming for low-income populations in the same region.
• New Hope Housing: Fairfax County-based nonprofit providing emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable given shared Fairfax County geography, residential housing model, and homeless-services focus.
• A-SPAN (Arlington Street People's Assistance Network): Arlington, VA-based nonprofit providing shelter and case management to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable as a Northern Virginia homelessness provider operating similar residential and case-management models for the same metro area.

Broad incumbents

• HomeAid America: National nonprofit developing housing capacity for the homeless through builder/developer partnerships. Adjacent comparable given overlap in mission and a builder/corporate partnership model closely mirroring Second Story's DPR Construction relationship.

Others

• National Network for Youth: National advocacy and capacity-building organization for youth-serving nonprofits. Ecosystem peer offering federal funding access, training, and policy support relevant to Second Story's programs and government grant positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/secondstoryorg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCOYgGQ9Ij3cLNbgcRcUb_sA?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/secondstoryorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/secondstoryorg/mycompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/secondstoryorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Second Story