What ASHA-Ray of Hope does

ASHA-Ray of Hope is a Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit organization founded in 2003 to address domestic violence affecting women and children in the South Asian community in Ohio. The organization describes itself as the only domestic violence agency in Ohio that primarily serves South Asian survivors, providing culturally sensitive crisis intervention, safety planning, court and legal advocacy, healthcare accompaniment, interpretation services, immigration legal assistance (VAWA, U-visa), survivor support groups, and case management. Services are delivered through a 24/7 helpline (614-565-2918), in-person advocacy, and a referral network spanning 30+ partner organizations, and are provided free of charge to clients regardless of ability to pay.

The organization operates with a small staff of 1–10 employees and is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Dr. Shantha Balaswamy. Its service model combines U.S. advocacy practices with culturally appropriate traditional techniques, delivered by multilingual staff proficient in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Nepali, and other South Asian languages. Distribution occurs via direct helpline intake, in-person advocacy, community outreach at festivals and events (Asian Festival, FIA Festival), Chai Chat community gatherings, and referrals through a partner ecosystem that includes the Ohio Domestic Violence Network, CHOICES, Legal Aid Society of Columbus, Nationwide Children's Hospital, the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, and several culturally-specific community organizations across Cincinnati and Cleveland.

Revenue is generated through four streams: annual memberships (Individual $25, Family $35, Corporate $100), individual and corporate donations, a major annual 5K fundraising event, and grants — principally the VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant administered by the Ohio Attorney General's Office. In-kind contributions include donated professional services from physicians, mental health counselors, lawyers, and employers. There is no proprietary technology platform, SaaS offering, or AI/ML capability; the organization is a service-delivery nonprofit. Geographic reach is concentrated in Ohio, with helpline calls received from across the United States and South Asian countries.

Name

ASHA-Ray of Hope

Legal name

ASHA-Ray of Hope

Website

https://asharayofhope.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ASHA-Ray of Hope is a Columbus, Ohio-based nonprofit, founded in 2003, providing culturally sensitive domestic violence crisis intervention, advocacy, legal support, and a 24/7 helpline to South Asian women and families in Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH), Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Victim advocacy
• Crisis helpline support
• Culturally sensitive outreach
• Survivor counseling

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual and Corporate Memberships: Annual individual memberships at $25, family memberships at $35, and corporate memberships at $100 provide recurring revenue support and engagement with supporters.
2. Donations and Fundraising: The organization receives donations from individuals, families, and corporate sponsors. Major annual fundraiser is the 5K race event. Also accepts donations via Kroger Community Rewards program and Amazon wish list.
3. Grants: ASHA-Ray of Hope is supported by VOCA (Victims of Crime Act) grant administered by the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
4. In-Kind Donations: Receives in-kind professional services from physicians, mental health counselors, lawyers, and employers who volunteer time to help clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ASHA-Ray of Hope provides free domestic violence victim assistance services to women and children from the South Asian community in Ohio, including a 24/7 crisis helpline, crisis intervention, safety planning, case management, court and legal advocacy, interpretation services, survivor support groups, and immigration legal assistance (VAWA, U-visa). The organization also conducts community education, cross-cultural trainings, and active bystander awareness campaigns, and operates as a nonprofit supported by grants, donations, and memberships.

Product overview

ASHA-Ray of Hope is a domestic violence victim assistance organization, not a technology product company. It does not offer a software platform, SaaS product, or technology-based products and services. Its services are social/humanitarian in nature, focused on providing direct support to domestic violence victims in the South Asian community, including a 24/7 helpline, crisis intervention, safety planning, court/legal advocacy, survivor support groups, interpretation services, community resources, and educational programs. No named product, module, or software offering is described in the source material.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 Crisis Helpline

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, regional, specialized, community, government, healthcare and minor.

• Ohio Domestic Violence NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level coalition providing training, resources, and advocacy coordination for domestic violence organizations across Ohio.
• CHOICEScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal domestic violence organization in Columbus providing 24-hour hotline and shelter services; co-referral partner.
• The Center for Family Safety and Healing at Nationwide Children's HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner providing medical and trauma services for DV survivors and their children.
• Asian American Community Services (AACS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAsian American community organization providing additional support and referrals for South Asian clients.
• Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network coordinating response to sexual assault cases, with SARNCO training required for ASHA advocates.
• Legal Aid Society of ColumbuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides free legal assistance; collaborated on Naturalization and Citizenship Free Clinic for clients needing immigration help.
• Muslim Family Services of OhiomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on Chai Chat community events to discuss domestic violence awareness and prevention in the Muslim South Asian community.
• Capital University Law School Family Advocacy ClinicmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw school clinic providing legal services and support for family law matters affecting DV survivors.
• OSU College of Social WorkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership for cross-cultural training, OSU job fair participation, and research collaboration.
• Asian Community Alliance, CincinnatiregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in Cincinnati extending ASHA's reach to Asian communities in southwestern Ohio.
• Asian Services in Action, Inc., ClevelandregionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional partner in Cleveland providing Asian community services in northeastern Ohio.
• Buckeye Region Antiviolence Organization (BRAVO)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLGBTQ+ antiviolence organization addressing violence in LGBTQ+ communities.
• Columbus City Attorney's Domestic Violence NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity-level coordination on domestic violence prosecution and victim services.
• Deaf World Against Violence Everywhere (DWAVE)specializedStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization providing services and advocacy for deaf survivors of violence.
• Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS)communityStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial services organization supporting Ethiopian community members.
• Franklin County Prosecutor's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw enforcement partnership for criminal case coordination in DV prosecutions.
• Community Shares of Mid Ohio (COSMO)communityStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit workplace giving organization supporting Mid Ohio nonprofits.
• Franklin County Office of Homeland Security and Justice ProgramsgovernmentStrategic or Co-development PartnerCounty-level coordination on justice programs affecting DV survivors.
• Ohio Alliance against Sexual ViolencemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState coalition addressing sexual violence alongside domestic violence services.
• Mt. Carmel's Crime and Trauma Assistance ProgramhealthcareStrategic or Co-development PartnerHospital-based program providing crime and trauma assistance services.
• Asian American Physicians of Indian OriginhealthcareStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization connecting South Asian physicians with community health initiatives.
• Asian American Commerce GroupcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness networking organization for Asian American commerce.
• Asian Indian American Business GroupcommunityGTM or Marketing PartnerBusiness group supporting Asian Indian American business community.
• Central Ohio Bengali Cultural AssociationcommunityStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural organization serving Bengali community members in Central Ohio.
• Federation of Indian AssociationcommunityStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbrella organization for Indian associations across the region.
• The Bhutanese Nepali Community of Columbus (BNCC)communityStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization for Bhutanese Nepali refugees and immigrants.
• Community Association of Pakistani Americans of Ohio (CAPA-OHIO)communityStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization serving Pakistani American community members.
• KrogerminorOthersCorporate sponsor; participates in Kroger Community Rewards program allowing customers to donate to ASHA through grocery purchases.
• WalmartminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing financial or in-kind support.
• Sam's ClubminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing financial or in-kind support.
• Kohl'sminorOthersCorporate sponsor providing financial or in-kind support.
• VerizoncoreOthersMajor corporate sponsor that donated 35 phones with 3000 free minutes each through Verizon Wireless Hopeline program to help clients communicate with law enforcement and service providers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Manavi: New Jersey nonprofit providing culturally specific DV services, advocacy, and support groups for South Asian women; directly comparable niche specialization and service mix.
• Asian Women's Shelter: San Francisco organization providing DV services for Asian women and children; cultural-linguistic service model and multilingual advocacy directly parallel ASHA's approach.
• Womankind: New York Asian DV services provider with multilingual helpline and case management; strong overlap with ASHA on refugee/immigrant survivors and cultural competency.
• Saheli: Massachusetts-based South Asian women's DV support and advocacy organization; closely comparable niche, multilingual services, and community-education orientation.
• Narika: Bay Area organization supporting South Asian survivors of DV and human trafficking with helpline, advocacy, and counseling; comparable cultural-linguistic model.
• Sakhi for South Asian Women: New York-based nonprofit serving South Asian survivors of domestic violence with crisis intervention, legal advocacy, and case management — the closest geographic/cultural analog to ASHA, though larger in scale and metro focus.
• Apna Ghar: Chicago nonprofit offering shelter, DV support, and advocacy for South Asian and other immigrant women; overlaps with ASHA on cultural DV niche and referral-based service model.

Emerging players

• Korean American Family Service Center (KAFSC): Chicago-based nonprofit serving Asian American families with DV, mental health, and youth services; adjacent niche provider demonstrating Asian-immigrant DV service model at a larger scale.

Regional players

• CHOICES for Victims of Domestic Violence: Columbus-area DV organization running a 24-hour hotline and shelter; ASHA's listed co-referral partner and adjacent generalist DV peer within the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• Ohio Domestic Violence Network: Statewide coalition providing training, resources, and advocacy for Ohio DV organizations; ASHA's listed state-level partner, serving an enabling/coordination role across the network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asha-ray-of-hope-inc

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 ASHA-Ray of Hope