Women's Daytime Drop-In Center

What Women's Daytime Drop-In Center does

Women's Daytime Drop-In Center (WDDC) is a private, Berkeley-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (Tax ID 94-3123986) founded in 1987 by a core group of women including Mary Rubach, Estelle Jelinek, and Louise Gourdine, establishing it as Berkeley's first and longest-running daytime program serving unhoused women and children. The organization operates a single physical site at 2218 Acton Street, Berkeley, with hospitality services delivered Mon/Wed/Fri from 9am-1pm and phone-based housing navigation Mon-Fri 9am-3pm. Service delivery is entirely free to beneficiaries.

The core offering is an integrated daytime service stack consisting of Hospitality Services (hot meals, groceries, hygiene products via a walk-up service window), Housing Resource Services (case management and navigation of government-assisted housing applications), the Bridget House Transitional Program (housing up to 5 women and their children for 6 months to 2 years, with 85 families graduated to permanent housing since 2004), Parenting Support Services (workshops and a supervised Kids' Playgroup for ages 0-5), Women's Empowerment Services (domestic abuse support groups), and Family Assessments by appointment. The organization is also the official Family Housing Resource Center for Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville families. At scale it serves 400-500+ women and children per month.

The business model is donation-funded with no fees charged to beneficiaries. Revenue streams comprise individual tax-deductible contributions (including a recurring Spring fundraiser hosted on Every.org), in-kind donations (Target/Safeway/Costco gift cards, hygiene supplies, groceries), and volunteer labor. Headcount is 1-10 employees, supplemented by a substantial volunteer base that supports meal preparation, hospitality, and administrative functions. Technology footprint is minimal: no proprietary platform, no mobile app, no API, and no integrations; the only digital surface consists of a Squarespace website (womensdropin.org), Facebook, Instagram, and an email newsletter. Current leadership comprises Executive Director Leslie Berkler (succeeding Linda Lazzareschi, who served 1990-2014), Operations and Donor Relations Director Dawn Sagorski, and Volunteer and Donation Coordinator Sofia Nnebe.

Name

Women's Daytime Drop-In Center

Legal name

Women's Daytime Drop-In Center

Website

https://womensdropin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Women's Daytime Drop-In Center is a Berkeley-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free daytime shelter, meals, hygiene items, housing navigation, and transitional housing to unhoused women and children across Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville, funded by donations and volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals, including one-time and recurring donations. The organization runs seasonal fundraisers (Spring fundraiser) and accepts donations via Every.org platform.
2. In-Kind Donations: Accepts gift cards (Target, Safeway, Costco), hygiene supplies, groceries, and other essential items. These donations support the hospitality services and client needs.
3. Volunteer Services: Community volunteers contribute significant operational capacity including meal preparation, hospitality services, and administrative support, reducing operational costs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Women's Daytime Drop-In Center provides free daytime hospitality (hot meals, groceries, hygiene products), housing navigation counseling, and case management to unhoused women and children in Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville. It operates as the designated Family Housing Resource Center for those communities and runs the Bridget House transitional housing program for formerly homeless women and their children.

Product overview

Women's Daytime Drop-In Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization offering a unified set of daytime support services for unhoused women and children. The core offerings include Hospitality Services (hot meals, groceries, hygiene products), Housing Resource Services (assessments, case management, referrals), the Bridget House Transitional Program, Parenting Support Services, and Women's Empowerment Services including domestic abuse support groups. Services are available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9am-1pm, with housing navigation by appointment only.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospitality Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 85 families have graduated into permanent housing since 2004 through Bridget House

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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.

• Untold RebelminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2019Sock company partnering with WDDC to donate 40 pairs of socks to the center every month, helping fulfill minimum sock requests for clients. Untold Rebel interviewed Center Coordinator Zenya Prowell as part of their 'Rebels With a Cause' community partnership initiative.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Abode Services: Bay Area nonprofit providing supportive housing and homelessness services across Alameda, Santa Clara, and other counties. Comparable housing-focused service model and case-management approach for families and individuals experiencing homelessness.
• Lifelong Medical Care: Berkeley-based community health organization with dedicated programs for people experiencing homelessness, including case management and supportive services. Comparable target population and integrated service-delivery model in the same Berkeley geography.
• Building Futures: Alameda County nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and supportive services specifically for women and children experiencing homelessness, operating programs in the same Bay Area geography as WDDC. Directly comparable mission, beneficiary base, and shelter/transitional housing model.
• Hope Solutions: Bay Area nonprofit operating permanent supportive housing and homelessness prevention programs across multiple East Bay counties. Comparable model combining case management, housing navigation, and on-site services for vulnerable populations.
• Dorothy Day House: Berkeley-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter and supportive services for women experiencing homelessness in the same North County geography. Comparable women's-focused shelter and case management model directly overlapping WDDC's service area.
• Shelter, Inc. Bay Area nonprofit providing shelter and housing programs for families, youth, and individuals experiencing homelessness or crisis. Comparable transitional housing and family-focused service model across the broader Bay Area.
• Berkeley Food and Housing Project: Berkeley-based nonprofit delivering meals, shelter, and housing services to people experiencing homelessness in the same North County geography. Directly comparable service mix (food, shelter, housing navigation) and beneficiary population.

Regional players

• Multi-Service Center of South San Francisco: Drop-in day center providing meals, hygiene items, case management, and housing resources to people experiencing homelessness in San Mateo County. Comparable drop-in service model and hospitality window structure, though serving a different Bay Area geography.
• YWCA Berkeley/Oakland: Regional YWCA affiliate serving Berkeley and Oakland with women's empowerment, domestic violence support, and housing programs. Comparable focus on women's services and domestic abuse support within overlapping East Bay geography.

Others

• St. Vincent de Paul Society of Alameda County: Large established nonprofit providing shelter, dining services, food pantries, and case management across Alameda County. Comparable service breadth and target population, though operates at significantly larger scale and serves a wider geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/wddc.berkeley
• Instagraminstagram.com/womensdaytimedropin
• Xx.com/wddc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/women-s-daytime-drop-in-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Women's Daytime Drop-In Center