ROOTS Young Adult Shelter

What ROOTS Young Adult Shelter does

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1999 (originally named Rising Out of the Shadows) that operates a single-site, low-barrier emergency overnight shelter for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness. Its single physical facility is an 18,000-square-foot former fraternity house at 4541 19th Ave NE in Seattle's University District, purchased in 2019 and fully paid off by 2025; the building currently accommodates 45 nightly beds and is undergoing major life-safety and infrastructure renovations. The core service model combines overnight shelter with dinner and breakfast, case management (added in 2017), on-site medical care through a UW Harborview Youth Clinic partnership three Tuesdays per month, mental health counseling through Ryther therapists, and meals via the all-ages Friday Feast program (which has served more than 125,000 meals since 1996) plus Saturday Lunch.

Name

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter

Legal name

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter

Website

https://rootsinfo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates a low-barrier 45-bed emergency overnight shelter and wraparound services — including case management, on-site medical and mental health care — for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Shelter Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Youth homelessness support
• Case management services
• Community meal programs
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

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, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, including online giving through the website, PayPal, employer gift matching, gifts of stock, vehicle donations, and mail-in checks. Unrestricted gifts allow ROOTS to respond quickly to urgent needs.
2. In-Kind Donations: Physical goods including tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, socks, underwear, sweatpants, hoodies, and travel-size hygiene items donated through Amazon Wishlist and direct coordination.
3. Volunteer Contributions: Volunteers provide essential daily shelter operations support including meal preparation, space setup, and community building with guests.
4. Capital Campaign Donations: Major gifts and campaign contributions supporting the permanent home purchase, renovation, and life safety infrastructure upgrades. The campaign was 85% funded as of the most recent report.
5. Government Grants: Support from the City of Seattle for capital improvements and operations, with financial disclosures available for 2020-2024.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter provides low-barrier emergency overnight shelter for up to 45 young adults ages 18-25 each night in Seattle's University District, with no ID, income, or proof required to access services. The offering includes safe sleep, meals, showers, laundry, clothing, case management, housing navigation, on-site medical and mental health services via partner clinics, and connections to employment and community resources.

Product overview

ROOTS Young Adult Shelter is a non-profit social services organization offering a single integrated service model focused on emergency shelter and supportive services for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness. The core offering is overnight shelter with 45 beds, complemented by case management, on-site medical care (via Harborview Medical Center partnership), mental health counseling (via Ryther partnership), and meal programs including Friday Feast and Saturday Lunch. The organization also operates volunteer and donation programs to sustain operations. Services are provided at their permanent facility in Seattle's University District.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Emergency Overnight Shelter Safe, low-barrier overnight shelter providing 45 nightly beds for young adults ages 18-25 experiencing homelessness. Open 9 PM to 8 AM daily with no ID, income, or proof required, including dinner, breakfast, clean bedding, showers, laundry, clothing, toiletries, computers, and lockers.
• Case Management On-site case management available Monday through Friday for ROOTS guests, supporting housing navigation, employment, education, healthcare referrals, ID assistance, and connection to public benefits. Each case manager supports up to 30 young adults with individualized, ongoing relationships.
• Harborview Youth Clinic On-Site Medical Care Free medical clinic operated by University of Washington Harborview Medical Center three Tuesdays per month from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM at ROOTS. Services include wound care, sexual health and wellness care, basic medications, mental health referrals, medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder (Suboxone and buprenorphine), lice/bed bug treatment, and general non-emergency medical care for young adults ages 18-26. No appointment needed.
• Ryther Mental Health Counseling Free, confidential one-on-one mental health counseling provided on-site by licensed therapists from Ryther, available Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM for ROOTS guests. Additional therapy hours offered at the University District Youth Center building.
• Friday Feast Meal Program All-ages community meal program serving dinner every Friday from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Chapel on the Ave (alleyway behind church at 42nd and University Way). To-go style only, open to anyone in the community experiencing food insecurity, free of charge. Has served over 125,000 restaurant-quality meals since 1996.
• Saturday Lunch Program Volunteer-supported weekend meal program providing lunch on Saturdays, creating a community-centered meal experience for guests at ROOTS.
• Volunteer Program Structured volunteer opportunities supporting daily shelter operations including evening and morning shifts, Saturday lunch program, meal preparation, space setup, and community building with guests.
• Donation Programs Financial and in-kind donation opportunities including one-time or recurring donations, employer gift matching, gifts of stock, vehicle donations, PayPal Giving Fund integration, and Amazon Wishlist essential items (tents, sleeping bags, backpacks, clothing, hygiene items) for guests.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400,000+ nights of shelter provided since 1999
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Chapel on the AveminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Friday Feast to-go meals are served from the Chapel on the Ave garage every Friday from 5:30-7:00 PM. All-ages meal program open to anyone in the community.
• University of Washington Harborview Medical Center Youth CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUW Harborview Medical Center provides free medical care for young adults ages 18-26 experiencing homelessness. The clinic operates at ROOTS three Tuesdays each month from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM. Services include wound care, sexual health and wellness care, basic medications, mental health referrals, medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder (Suboxone and buprenorphine), lice/bed bug treatment, and general non-emergency medical care. No appointment needed.
• RythercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRyther provides licensed therapists who are on-site at ROOTS to offer free and confidential counseling for guests. Therapists are available Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM for one-on-one sessions. Additional therapy hours are offered at the University District Youth Center building. Ryther is a Seattle-based organization providing mental health and behavioral health services for young people.
• Miller HullminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPro bono architectural firm assisting with planning renovations to support 24-hour programming, housing stabilization program, and expanded wraparound services. Part of the capital campaign effort to transform ROOTS' permanent home.
• Low-Income Housing InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment management partner for the permanent home purchase and renovation project. Provided expertise in real estate development for nonprofit shelter facility.
• University District Youth Center (UDYC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple youth service providers work together through UDYC to create coordinated care for young people in the University District. ROOTS case managers provide on-site support five days a week at both the UDYC building and at ROOTS. Expanded collaboration with Ryther offers additional therapy hours at the UDYC building.
• Teen FeedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization serving young adults ages 13-25 at 4740 University Way NE. Part of the network of youth services in the University District.
• BishopsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization with logo displayed on ROOTS website partners section.
• C4KminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization with logo displayed on ROOTS website partners section.
• Friends of YouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoard President Eric Buley serves as Senior Director of Homeless Youth Services at Friends of Youth. Willows Youth Services Center (Friends of Youth) serves young adults ages 18-24 and is listed as a resource on ROOTS website.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC): Seattle-based nonprofit providing emergency housing and supportive services primarily for adults experiencing homelessness, including behavioral health support. Comparable Seattle nonprofit shelter operator with wraparound services model.
• Teen Feed: Seattle nonprofit serving young adults ages 13-25 experiencing homelessness with meal and drop-in services. Listed partner of ROOTS on their University District network, with overlapping service population and direct-serve nonprofit model.
• Friends of Youth: Eastside Seattle-area nonprofit providing housing, behavioral health, and youth development services including the Willows Youth Services Center for young adults 18-24. Already a ROOTS partner and structurally similar in mission and population.
• Mary's Place: Seattle-based nonprofit operating family-focused emergency shelter facilities serving families with children experiencing homelessness. Comparable shelter-capacity model and donor-funded nonprofit structure to ROOTS.
• Low-Income Housing Institute: Seattle-based nonprofit that develops and operates affordable housing including transitional and permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness. Direct ROOTS development partner for the permanent home project.
• YouthCare: Seattle-based nonprofit providing housing and services for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness, including emergency shelters and case management. Directly comparable operating model and target population in the same geography as ROOTS.
• New Beginnings: Seattle nonprofit providing shelter and housing programs for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Comparable direct-service shelter operator in the same Seattle social services ecosystem.

Others

• Building Changes: Seattle-area nonprofit coalition and advocacy organization focused on homelessness prevention and systems-level housing policy. Thematically adjacent rather than directly competitive; an ecosystem actor that influences the funding environment ROOTS depends on.

Broad incumbents

• Hopelink: Larger Eastside-King County nonprofit operating food banks, housing, and integrated services across multiple sites. Broader geographic and service scope than ROOTS but comparable donor-supported nonprofit operating model serving low-income populations.
• Catholic Community Services of Western Washington: Large regional nonprofit operating family housing, refugee services, and broad social service programs across Western Washington including Angeline's Day Center for women experiencing homelessness. Significant incumbent in the same Seattle social services space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 ROOTS Young Adult Shelter