Women's Center

What Women's Center does

Women's Center, Inc. is a Marquette, Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1977 that provides free, confidential, trauma-informed programs and services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence across Marquette and Alger Counties in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The organization delivers its work under the P.E.A.C.E. framework — Protect, Educate, Advocate, Counsel, Empower — through an integrated suite of programs: Harbor House emergency shelter operating 24/7 with an average 30-day length of stay; the Assault Response Team for hospital-based crisis response; therapy, advocacy, and support groups (including children); Personal Protection Order legal assistance; and the Sasawin Safe Haven pet foster care program that addresses the link between animal welfare concerns and survivors' hesitation to leave abusive situations. Specialized roles include Legal Advocate, Resource Advocate, Sexual Assault Therapist, Sexual Assault Advocate, Resident Advocates, and Domestic Violence Therapist, supported by a volunteer cadre and an active Board of Directors chaired by President Reed Benton.

The underlying technology and operating model are service-delivery oriented rather than software-driven. The proprietary element is the trauma-informed, survivor-centered service model itself, executed across five physical locations (Marquette S. Front Street headquarters and Pak Ratz Thrift Shop, Harbor House, Alger County/Munising, K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum in Gwinn, and Ishpeming) and supplemented by 24/7 crisis hotlines and the Women's Center Chat Connect online platform. There is no proprietary software, patent, or third-party AI integration disclosed.

Women's Center is a grant-dependent nonprofit rather than a commercial enterprise. It generates no client revenue because all survivor services are provided free of charge. State and federal government funding covers approximately two-thirds of annual operating costs, including direct client services and program staff. The remaining one-third is funded through individual and corporate donations, community grants, annual fundraisers, third-party fundraisers, and revenue from the wholly owned Pak Ratz Thrift Shop, a social enterprise established in 1995 that sells donated goods to the public and issues vouchers to shelter residents. Distribution occurs via direct service delivery, 24/7 hotlines, online chat, and the public thrift retail storefront; marketing is community-based (newsletter, Facebook, community events, and referral networks with law enforcement, schools, and medical providers).

Name

Women's Center

Legal name

Women's Center, Inc.

Website

https://wcmqt.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Women's Center, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1977 in Marquette, Michigan, providing free, trauma-informed services — emergency shelter, crisis hotlines, counseling, legal advocacy, and pet foster care — to survivors of domestic and sexual violence across Marquette and Alger Counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Sexual assault support
• Emergency shelter services
• Victim advocacy programs
• Trauma-informed counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Marquette

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: State and federal funding covers two-thirds of annual operating costs including all programs and staff who provide direct client services.
2. Individual and Corporate Donations: Individual and corporate donations support Harbor House, marketing, educational materials, and office operations in Marquette and Munising.
3. Community Grants: Community grants provide additional funding for programs and services.
4. Thrift Shop Revenue: Pak Ratz Thrift Shop generates revenue to support Women Center programs. Created in 1995 for shelter residents, now open to public with proceeds supporting programs.
5. Annual Fundraisers: Women's Center, Inc. annual fundraisers support operational costs not covered by government funding.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Women's Center provides free, confidential, trauma-informed programs and services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence in Marquette and Alger Counties. Core offerings include Harbor House 24/7 emergency shelter, an Assault Response Team, therapy and counseling, Personal Protection Order legal advocacy, and a 24/7 Help Line, with supplemental services including the Sasawin Safe Haven pet foster program and the Pak Ratz Thrift Shop social enterprise.

Product overview

Women's Center is a non-profit social services organization offering a coordinated suite of trauma-informed programs for domestic and sexual violence survivors. The core offerings include Harbor House emergency shelter, the Assault Response Team, therapy and counseling services, Personal Protection Order assistance, and the 24/7 Help Line. The organization operates Sasawin Safe Haven for pet foster care and Pak Ratz Thrift Shop as a social enterprise revenue source. All services are free and confidential, with specialized staff including legal advocates, sexual assault therapists, and housing advocates working together under the P.E.A.C.E. framework (Protect, Educate, Advocate, Counsel, Empower).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Harbor House 24/7 emergency shelter for victims of intimate partner and non-intimate partner violence, providing safety planning, crisis intervention, transportation, housing assistance, and advocacy services. Average length of stay is 30 days for a client and their family.
• Assault Response Team Provides immediate support to sexual assault survivors at emergency rooms through specially-trained crisis counseling staff, advocacy services, and support groups for women, teens, men, and family members.
• Therapy, Advocacy & Support Groups Therapeutic interventions and supportive advocacy services for adult and youth survivors of domestic and sexual violence, including crisis intervention, safety planning, individual counseling, and peer support groups.
• Personal Protection Orders Assistance Legal advocacy assisting survivors with petitioning for Personal Protection Orders, including form completion, filing assistance, court proceedings information, and enforcement guidance.
• Sasawin Safe Haven Pet foster care program providing safe placement for pets of domestic violence survivors while they seek housing, including veterinary care, kennels, food, collars, leashes, and supplies.
• Pak Ratz Thrift Shop Retail thrift store at 1310 S. Front Street, Marquette, providing gently used clothing, furniture, and household items. Generates revenue supporting Women's Center programs and offers vouchers to shelter residents and non-residential clients.
• 24/7 Help Line Round-the-clock crisis hotline providing immediate assistance, information, and referrals for domestic and sexual violence survivors. Local: (906) 226-6611; Long distance: (800) 455-6611.
• Women's Center Chat Connect Online chat platform enabling survivors to connect safely with Women's Center advocates for support and resources.

Named customers3 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

One partnership is on record.

• GuideStar (Candid)coreOthers · 1 January 2025GuideStar Gold Seal certification provider. The Women Center maintains GuideStar profile (38-2340624) demonstrating organizational transparency and commitment to accountability standards.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Largest national anti-sexual-violence organization operating the National Sexual Assault Hotline and providing resources, training, and public policy leadership. Broader-incumbent peer in sexual assault response and survivor services.
• Futures Without Violence: National organization focused on domestic violence prevention, policy, and health-sector training. Broader-incumbent peer shaping federal funding priorities and best-practice frameworks relevant to the Women's Center's services.

Direct peers

• Safe Horizon: New York City-based nonprofit providing domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking services including emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and 24/7 hotlines. Most directly comparable peer in terms of integrated service suite for survivors.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Operates a 24/7 national hotline and referral network for domestic violence survivors. Comparable in operating a 24/7 first-contact crisis service and resource/referral infrastructure for survivors.
• Sanctuary for Families: New York-based nonprofit providing shelter, counseling, and legal services for survivors of domestic violence and trafficking. Closely comparable integrated service approach including residential and non-residential programs.
• Turning Point Domestic Violence Services: Michigan-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, counseling, advocacy, and PPO assistance for survivors in mid-Michigan. Closest geographic and operational peer with directly overlapping service model.
• YWCA Metropolitan Chicago: Operates a domestic violence shelter, sexual assault response, and counseling programs under a YWCA umbrella. Directly comparable in combining residential shelter, advocacy, and 24/7 crisis access, though at a much larger urban scale.
• House of Ruth (Maryland): Mid-Atlantic nonprofit providing shelter, counseling, advocacy, and child and family services for survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. Comparable mid-sized nonprofit operating an integrated survivor service model.

Regional players

• Domestic Violence Network of Michigan: Michigan state-level coalition coordinating domestic violence service providers and policy advocacy. State-level peer operating in the same regulatory/funding environment as the Women's Center.

Emerging players

• WomensLaw.org: Provides online legal information and self-help tools for domestic violence survivors, including Personal Protection Order guidance. Comparable in addressing the legal-advocacy component of survivor support through a digital-first model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/womenscenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Women's Center