Serve City

Name

Serve City

Legal name

Serve City

Website

https://serve-city.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Emergency homeless shelter
• Transitional housing services
• Permanent supportive housing
• Food assistance programs
• Homeless services nonprofit

Headquarters

HQ city

Hamilton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Financial Donations: Serve City receives one-time and recurring financial donations from individuals, families, businesses, and churches. The organization uses Donor Perfect and Classy for online donation processing.
2. In-Kind Donations: Community members donate physical items including canned goods, non-perishable food, bedding, personal hygiene items, socks, and cold-weather gear.
3. Volunteer Services: Volunteers provide time for shelter operations, meal preparation, food pantry support, and community events.
4. Corporate/Organizational Partnerships: Local businesses, foundations, churches, and government agencies provide funding, grants, and in-kind support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Serve City provides an integrated homeless services continuum in Hamilton, Ohio, centered on the Move Forward Housing Stability Program. The program delivers emergency shelter (39 men and 13 women nightly, 45-90 day stays), 12-month transitional shared housing (48 beds across 12 apartments at $300/month including utilities), and permanent supportive housing (25 efficiency apartments for chronically homeless individuals at 30% of income). Complementary offerings include a community food pantry serving thousands of Butler County families annually, The Source community center, Resource Connection case management, and faith-based programming such as Bible studies and weekly City Worship.

Product overview

Serve City is a Christ-centered homeless shelter and community outreach ministry based in Hamilton, Ohio, offering a multi-tiered housing stability program called Move Forward. The core offering consists of three sequential housing steps: Emergency Shelter (CHOSEN) providing immediate accommodation for 39 men and 13 women with 45-90 day stays; CHOICES Shared Transitional Housing with 48 beds across 12 apartments for a 12-month program; and Shekinah Place Permanent Supportive Housing with 25 efficiency units for chronic homelessness cases. Supporting these housing programs is The Source, a multi-purpose community venue hosting lunch and learns, a weekly food pantry, and worship services. The organization also operates a Food Pantry, Resource Connection services, Bible Study programs, and City Worship gatherings. Residents can access the Moving Forward Resident Portal for rent payments and account management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Move Forward Housing Stability Program Comprehensive three-step housing program designed to move individuals from homelessness to housing stability. Includes emergency shelter (Step 1), transitional housing (Step 2), and permanent supportive housing (Step 3). For individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Butler County, Ohio.
• Emergency Homeless Shelter (CHOSEN) Low-barrier congregate homeless shelter providing emergency accommodation for 39 men and 13 women. Participants can stay 45-90 days and receive supportive services including showers, laundry, three daily meals, and connections to local resources. Located at 622 East Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio.
• CHOICES Shared Transitional Housing Apartments Step 2 of the Move Forward Program providing 48 beds across 12 shared apartments for a 12-month program. Participants pay $300 monthly to share a 2-bedroom apartment and receive intensive supportive services from housing case managers.
• Shekinah Place Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Step 3 permanent supportive housing offering 25 efficiency apartments with 24-hour staff support for individuals who have experienced chronic homelessness and struggle with disabilities. Tenants pay 30% of income toward housing costs.
• The Source Community Center Multi-purpose venue space at 622 East Avenue hosting community pop-up events including lunch and learn sessions, weekly pop-up food pantry (Tuesdays 10am-noon), community programming for shelter residents and apartment tenants, and worship services.
• Food Pantry Food assistance program that feeds thousands of neighbors annually. Accepts canned goods and non-perishable food item donations Monday through Saturday, 8am-8pm, and distributes to Butler County families facing food insecurity.
• Resource Connection Support services coordination program connecting individuals with community resources including emergency shelters, domestic violence resources, food assistance, pet food assistance, social services, and mental health services through partnerships with local agencies.
• Bible Study Programs Regular Bible study sessions hosted at Serve City locations including sessions with Pastor Leeland, Redeemer Church, and Freedom House Church, open to residents, guests, and community members.
• City Worship Weekly worship gatherings held every Saturday at 7:00 PM at The Source, bringing together shelter guests, staff, volunteers, and local residents for community worship and connection.
• Moving Forward Resident Portal Online portal for tenants to access rent payment services and manage their housing accounts. Includes links to rent payment systems for 9th Street and Shekinah Place locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 39 men and 13 women provided emergency shelter nightly
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ACS CounselingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health and counseling services partner providing therapeutic support to shelter residents and housing program participants.
• COHHIO (Ohio Balance of State Continuum of Care)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide homeless services coordination organization supporting Serve City's housing programs and data systems.
• McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare foundation partner providing health-related support services to residents.
• Mission HamiltoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal ministry partner collaborating on food assistance and community outreach.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational food bank network providing food sourcing support for the food pantry.
• Shared Harvest Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal food bank partner supporting food pantry operations and food distribution.
• Butler County MetroBoardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal educational service center providing educational support services.
• Local Churches (Abundant Grace Church, Hamilton Presbyterian, West Ohio UMC, WellBC Church)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch partners providing volunteers, meal sponsorship, Bible study programs, and worship services including Redeemer Church, Freedom House Church, and City on a Hill

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Family Promise: National nonprofit network that mobilizes faith-based congregations to provide shelter, prevention, and stabilization services to families experiencing homelessness — a near-perfect analog to Serve City's church-rotated shelter origin and congregational volunteer base.
• City Gospel Mission: Cincinnati faith-based nonprofit operating emergency shelter, recovery programs, and community outreach for people experiencing homelessness and addiction — a close functional peer given Serve City's faith-based identity and wrap-around service model.
• Lighthouse Youth & Family Services: Cincinnati-based nonprofit delivering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services to youth and families facing homelessness — closely overlapping Serve City's housing continuum model and target populations in Southwest Ohio.
• Shelterhouse: Greater Cincinnati emergency shelter and supportive housing operator providing a comparable continuum of shelter, housing, and supportive services to people experiencing homelessness in the same regional market as Serve City.
• Coalition for the Homeless of Cincinnati & Hamilton County: Regional advocacy and Continuum-of-Care coordinating body for Hamilton County homeless services, directly aligned with Serve City's service geography and representing both a peer in service delivery and a system-level partner via COHHIO ties.

Regional players

• Brighton Center: Northern Kentucky-based human services nonprofit delivering housing, family support, and workforce programs across the river from Serve City — a comparable regional human services operator with an overlapping client base in the Greater Cincinnati tri-state area.
• YWCA of Greater Cincinnati: Regional nonprofit providing housing, shelter, and supportive services for women and families in the Cincinnati area, with comparable emergency and transitional housing services targeting overlapping populations served by Serve City.

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army Greater Cincinnati: National faith-based human services organization operating emergency shelter, food assistance, and case management in the Cincinnati region, overlapping Serve City's shelter and food pantry services as part of a much wider program portfolio.
• Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio: Large regional social services provider offering emergency assistance, housing support, food, and case management across the same Southwest Ohio market as Serve City, but with a broader portfolio and organizational scale.
• St. Vincent de Paul Cincinnati: Faith-based regional nonprofit operating food pantries, housing assistance, and emergency support services in Greater Cincinnati — directly comparable to Serve City's food pantry and case management functions in an adjacent but overlapping market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights1 record

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/servecityministry
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/serve-city
• Instagraminstagram.com/servecity622
• TikToktiktok.com/@serve.city.622

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 Serve City