Hospitality Hub

What Hospitality Hub does

Hospitality Hub is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization founded in 2007 and headquartered at 590 Washington Ave in Memphis, Tennessee. It operates as Memphis' designated single point of entry into the Continuum of Care for individuals experiencing homelessness, delivering a coordinated suite of programs that span emergency shelter, transitional housing, street outreach, employment services, hygiene facilities, and case management. Programs include Hub Hotel (a 32-room barrier-free emergency shelter for women and children with trauma-informed design), Hub Hall (transitional housing for young adults aged 18-24), Hub Studios (one-bedroom micro-housing units), Hub Day Plaza (a 25,000 sq ft urban park with public restrooms, lockers, WiFi, and mail services), Hub Village and Hub North (community-based housing), Guest Services (central intake and referral), Work Local (stipend-based employment), Street Outreach, and a Warming/Cooling Center. K.I.N.D. Podcast, StorySpace, and an active blog are used for community storytelling and donor engagement.

Underlying technology and operations are service-delivery oriented rather than software-based; the organization explicitly is not positioned as a technology company. Service architecture relies on a campus model (6,000 sq ft central intake facility + 25,000 sq ft plaza) integrated with a network of nearly 200 partner organizations providing specialized services such as healthcare, legal aid, food assistance, and behavioral health. Operating model uses trauma-informed design principles (including architectural design by archimania and Dragonfly Collective, plus green spaces with Nature Sacred), and integrates clinical partners (Lakeside Behavioral Health, Campbell Clinic, University of Tennessee Health Science Center). Recognition includes a Fast Company 2021 Innovation by Design Honorable Mention (Cities category) for Hub Day Plaza and a 2022 COVID-19 Hero Award from the Community Alliance for the Homeless.

Revenue is generated entirely through donations, charitable contributions, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships; no fees are charged to clients. Funders include the City of Memphis, Shelby County Government, Kresge Foundation, Assisi Foundation, Hilton Global Foundation, IKEA Memphis, and individual recurring donors. Distribution is direct: walk-in Guest Services (Monday-Friday at the campus), proactive Street Outreach throughout Memphis parks, underpasses, and encampments, and referral flows through the 200+ partner ecosystem. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Executive Director Kelcey Johnson, with Ellen Roberds (Dragonfly Collective co-founder) playing a key strategic role in campus development.

Name

Hospitality Hub

Legal name

Hospitality Hub

Website

https://hospitalityhub.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hospitality Hub is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2007 in Memphis, Tennessee, operating as the city's single point of entry into the Continuum of Care and delivering barrier-free emergency shelter, transitional housing, street outreach, and employment services to individuals experiencing homelessness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Emergency shelter
• Transitional housing
• Community outreach
• Social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Memphis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Hospitality Hub operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded primarily through donations from individuals, foundations, government grants, and corporate sponsors. Revenue comes from monthly recurring donors, one-time donations, and major gifts from institutional funders.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Hospitality Hub operates as Memphis' single point of entry into the Continuum of Care for individuals experiencing homelessness, providing barrier-free emergency shelter, transitional housing, street outreach, employment support, case management, and weather refuge through a campus of programs (Hub Hotel, Hub Hall, Hub Studios, Hub Day Plaza, Work Local). All services are delivered free of charge to clients and funded primarily through donations, grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Hospitality Hub operates as Memphis' single point of entry into the Continuum of Care for individuals experiencing homelessness, offering a comprehensive suite of integrated programs. The core offerings include Hub Hotel (emergency barrier-free shelter for women), Hub Hall (transitional housing for young adults 18-24), Hub Studios (temporary non-congregate studio units), Hub Day Plaza (outdoor urban park with amenities), and Hub Village/Hub North (community-based housing). These are complemented by Guest Services (central intake and assessment), Work Local (employment program), Street Outreach, and Warming/Cooling Center services. The organization also produces the K.I.N.D. Podcast for community storytelling. Together, these programs provide a holistic, trauma-informed approach from emergency shelter through transitional housing to permanent placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hub Hotel: A barrier-free emergency shelter for women and children transitioning out of homelessness, offering 24/7 case management and wraparound social services
• Hub Studios
• Hub Hall
• Hub Day Plaza
• Work Local
• Hub North

Products and services

• Hub Hotel Trauma-informed emergency shelter for women and their children offering 24/7 housing with case workers facilitating wraparound social services. Features a salon, family room, quiet room, and outdoor space designed with trauma-informed care principles; barrier-free (no ID, no money, no intake schedule required).
• Hub Hall Transitional housing program for young adults aged 18-24 experiencing homelessness. Provides dorm-style rooms offering autonomy over personal space, paired with Youth Systems Navigators to equip guests with tools and resources for independence.
• Hub Studios One-bedroom studio units providing temporary non-congregate shelter for individuals or families whose needs are not met by other housing solutions, such as people with PTSD needing private space or those waiting for keys to permanent rapid rehousing.
• Hub Village Community-based response to ending homelessness featuring small studio units grouped together to build community among guests transitioning out of homelessness.
• Hub North Housing facility serving individuals experiencing homelessness in the Memphis area.
• Guest Services Central intake services providing assessment of individual needs and connection to stabilizing resources including emergency housing, permanent housing, work programs, social services, and benefits.
• Work Local Employment program that provides meaningful opportunities for guests to earn stipends for basic needs while engaging in community improvement work such as cleaning up blight around the city.
• Street Outreach Street outreach team that goes out daily to parks, abandoned buildings, underpasses, and parking lots to offer alternatives to individuals sleeping outside, building trust and connecting them to services.
• Warming/Cooling Center Emergency weather shelter providing safety during extreme temperatures, serving as the city's designated cooling center for unhoused individuals when temperatures are dangerously high and warming center during cold weather.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ individuals encountered weekly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of MemphiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2021City of Memphis is a key governmental partner providing funding, land (ground lease at 590 Washington Ave), and collaborative support for Hub's mission to end homelessness. Mayor Jim Strickland has publicly supported the Hub Campus expansion project.
• Shelby County GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShelby County Government partnered with the Hub on the new campus development, contributing funding and support for the barrier-free women's shelter and expanded operations center.
• Dragonfly CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDragonfly Collective led the Hub Plaza development project. Co-founders Ellen Roberds and Jarad Bingham serve as key partners in Hub's real estate development and organizational strategy.
• Nature SacredminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature Sacred partnered on creation of three Sacred Places at the new campus: women's interior gardens, staff courtyard, and expanded Day Plaza. Green spaces designed to foster mindful reflection, respite, and renewal.
• Downtown Memphis CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDowntown Memphis Commission supported the Hub Campus development at the former vehicle inspection station site.
• Memphis Medical District CollaborativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Medical District where the new Hub Campus is located.
• Zapstone Properties / Zapstone RealtyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew York-based real estate investors Stephen Zappala and Shaun Stone developed a housing model combining affordable rent, tenant support services, and long-term sustainability. They provide housing opportunities for individuals transitioning from homelessness, including those with past convictions.
• Lakeside Behavioral Health SystemminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLakeside partnered with Hospitality Hub for mental health support services. The Hub's inaugural in-service brought together Guest Services and Guest Reception teams to deepen understanding of mental health resources.
• Campbell ClinicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCampbell Clinic provided foot health services to Hub guests in collaboration with University of Tennessee medical students.
• University of Tennessee Health Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Tennessee medical students assisted Campbell Clinic with foot health care services for Hub guests.
• ShowerUpminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNashville-based nonprofit providing mobile shower units to Memphis. Partnership brings dignifying hygiene facilities to homeless individuals who lack access to regular bathing resources.
• IKEA MemphisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIKEA Memphis donated furniture and volunteer labor to decorate Hub Studios. 19 team members assembled furniture, working with Hub's in-house design consultant.
• Community Alliance for the HomelesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity Alliance partnered with Hub on Hub Hall transitional housing program for young adults aged 18-24. Also awards recognition to Hub for its work.
• Mid-South Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMid-South Food Bank representative Ms. Ladonnica visits Hub twice weekly to assist guests with food stamps enrollment.
• Pavo SalonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPavo Salon created and operates a volunteer-run hair salon at the Hub Hotel where guests receive free haircuts and feel seen, heard, and valued.
• archimaniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture firm archimania presented at Otherlands Coffee Bar about their design work with the Hub, including the new campus.
• Overton ParkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOverton Park staff contacted Hub about connecting with individuals living in the park's forests, leading to Kevin's story of transformation from homelessness.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Room in the Inn: Nashville-based nonprofit operating emergency shelter and supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness using a multi-program Continuum-of-Care model very similar to Hospitality Hub's; comparable scale and faith-rooted origin.
• Community Alliance for the Homeless (Memphis): Memphis-based coalition and direct partner of Hospitality Hub on the Hub Hall transitional housing program for youth 18-24; works at the systems/advocacy level to end homelessness in the same city and collaborates operationally with the Hub.
• Mary's Place: Seattle-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing, and wraparound services to families experiencing homelessness; operates a Continuum-of-Care model with barrier-free intake, family shelters, and employment services comparable to the Hub's offerings.

Broad incumbents

• PATH (People Assisting the Homeless): Los Angeles-based nonprofit providing housing and supportive services across interim/emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, and employment programs for people experiencing homelessness in LA County; comparable Continuum-of-Care model at much larger scale.
• The Salvation Army: Global nonprofit operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, feeding programs, and case management for people experiencing homelessness; broad incumbent competitor for philanthropic dollars and overlapping service lines with Hospitality Hub's shelter and outreach work.
• Pine Street Inn: Boston's largest nonprofit provider of homeless services, operating emergency shelter, permanent supportive housing, workforce development, and street outreach at a substantially larger scale; comparable Continuum-of-Care operating philosophy with broader portfolio.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, and supportive services (including veteran and youth homelessness programs) across many U.S. cities; broad incumbent with overlapping Continuum-of-Care service lines at much greater scale.

Others

• Mid-South Food Bank: Memphis-based nonprofit addressing food insecurity with weekly on-site presence at the Hub to assist guests with SNAP enrollment; a regional complement in the same social-services ecosystem rather than a direct competitor.
• National Alliance to End Homelessness: National nonprofit policy, research, and advocacy organization working to end homelessness in the U.S.; not a direct service peer but closely adjacent, providing frameworks (Continuum of Care) that Hospitality Hub implements and to which it aligns its data reporting.

Regional players

• ShelterHouse: Tennessee-based (Knoxville) emergency shelter and Continuum-of-Care operator serving people experiencing homelessness in a different Tennessee region; comparable social services nonprofit with emergency shelter, housing, and case management programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/hhubmemphis
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxgx87_H_3UVHjrj_2RJEYQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/HHubMemphis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-hospitality-hub
• Instagraminstagram.com/hhubmemphis
• TikToktiktok.com/@hospitalityhubmemphis

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Hospitality Hub