Ruth's House

What Ruth's House does

Ruth's House, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1992 and headquartered in Haverhill, Massachusetts, that delivers clothing assistance, literacy programming, and workforce development to low-income individuals, families, seniors, and veterans across Haverhill and the Greater Merrimack Valley. The organization's anchor operating unit is a community thrift store at 111 Lafayette Square, Haverhill, which sells donated clothing, household goods, furniture, and small appliances to the general public at low prices and uses proceeds to subsidize direct-assistance programs. These programs include a Clothing Program (providing $50 vouchers four times per year to eligible clients referred by partner agencies, enabling up to 10 articles of clothing plus new underwear, socks, and toiletries), a Senior Coat Program distributing 200+ winter coats annually to those 50+, a Free Suits for Veterans program (suits plus alterations), a Children's Reading Club with $5 gift card incentives, and a Job Skills Training Program in partnership with employment-focused agencies.

The organization runs a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining thrift store sales, individual donations (including a Circle of Giving monthly recurring program), grants from regional foundations (notably a $100,000 award from the Cummings Foundation in 2018 via the $100K for 100 program, and ongoing support from Griffin-White and George C. Wadleigh Foundations), and fundraising events such as galas, bocce tournaments, fashion shows, and floral workshops. Go-to-market is community-led: clients are acquired via referrals through a network of more than 25 partner agencies including Emmaus House, Lazarus House, AgeSpan, Vinfen, MassHire, Salvation Army, and the MA Department of Veterans Affairs, while walk-in shoppers and event attendees contribute through the broader community. Operational scale as of the most recent data includes serving roughly 2,000 individuals annually, distributing approximately 50,000 articles of clothing in 2022, diverting 7+ tons of textiles from landfills monthly via a textile recycling partnership with the Epilepsy Foundation, and operating with a staff of 1-10 employees under Executive Director Claire McManaman-Hailson and a board chaired by Janel D'Agata-Lynch. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and no disclosed AI/ML or proprietary technology components; supporting tooling consists of standard nonprofit platforms (Constant Contact, Givebutter, PayPal) on a WordPress-based website.

Name

Ruth's House

Legal name

Ruth's House, Inc.

Website

https://ruthshouse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ruth's House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit thrift store in Haverhill, Massachusetts providing clothing vouchers, senior coats, free suits for veterans, a children's reading program, and job skills training to low-income individuals, families, and seniors across the Greater Merrimack Valley.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Thrift Retail and Social Services

SIC

Retail-Home Furniture, Furnishings & Equipment Stores (5700)

akta.pro primary industry

Donation, Resale & Disposal Coordination (HSAFAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Donation, Resale & Textile Recycling Coordination (HSAFABAI)

Keywords

• Thrift store retail
• Clothing assistance programs
• Nonprofit social services
• Textile recycling
• Community charity programs

Headquarters

HQ city

North Haverhill

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, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Thrift Store Sales: Revenue generated from selling donated clothing, household goods, and furniture at discounted prices to the general public and clients with vouchers.
2. Grants: Funding received from foundations including Cummings Foundation ($100,000), Griffin-White Foundation (various amounts), George C. Wadleigh Foundation ($20,000), and other charitable foundations supporting senior programs and clothing assistance.
3. Individual Donations: Monetary donations from individuals, including the Circle of Giving monthly giving program and one-time donations. Donations are tax-deductible as Ruth's House is a 501(c)(3) organization.
4. Fundraising Events: Revenue from events including annual galas, bocce tournaments, fashion shows, floral workshops, and country line dancing events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ruth's House operates a nonprofit thrift store that sells donated clothing, household goods, and furniture at discounted prices to the general public. The organization funds and delivers direct assistance programs including clothing vouchers ($50 value, up to four times per year), free winter coats for seniors 50+, free suits with alterations for U.S. veterans, a children's reading club, and job skills training. Operations are supported by individual donations, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Ruth's House is a nonprofit thrift store organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs centered on clothing assistance and community support. The core offering consists of a Thrift Shop that sells donated goods to generate revenue while serving both clients and the public, alongside direct assistance programs including a Clothing Program (providing vouchers for clothing and essentials), Senior Coat Program (winter coats for seniors 50+), Veterans Suit Program (free suits for US veterans), Children's Reading Club (rewarding reading with free books and gift certificates), and Job Skills Training Program. Supplementary services include Donation Services accepting money and goods, Circle of Giving monthly donor program, and a Volunteer Program. The programs are designed to serve individuals and families in need throughout Haverhill and the Greater Merrimack Valley while engaging the broader community through shopping, donations, and volunteering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clothing Program (Voucher Program) Provides eligible low-income individuals and families with $50 vouchers four times per year to shop for up to 10 articles of clothing and shoes, plus new underwear, socks, and personal care items at no extra cost. Serves approximately 2,000 individuals annually, with at least 30% of vouchers going to children.
• Senior Coat Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000 articles of clothing given to individuals in need in 2022
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AgeSpancoreOthersReferral agency partner providing services to elderly clients who are then referred to Ruth's House for clothing assistance. AgeSpan assesses client needs and refers them for services at special rates.
• Epilepsy FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for textile recycling system that repurposes clothing and soft-goods that cannot be sold in the store or given to clients. Ruth's House diverts at least 7 tons of textiles monthly through this partnership.
• Emmaus HousecoreOthersHaverhill homeless shelter that serves as a first line of help, assessing client needs and referring them to Ruth's House for clothing services.
• Hope and Comfort HygieneminorOthers2025 fundraising sponsor providing hygiene product donations to supplement Ruth's House services.
• Little Book LockerminorOthersDonated bilingual Spanish-English and LGBTQ+ books for the children's library at Ruth's House. Author Kristen Wixted personally delivered the donations.
• MA Dept. of Veterans AffairscoreOthersGovernment partner referring veterans to Ruth's House for free suits program and other clothing assistance.
• MassHirecoreOthersCareer services organization partnering with Ruth's House for job training referrals and employment support services.
• Northern Essex Community CollegeminorOthersJanel D'Agata-Lynch serves as Civic Engagement and Community Resources Coordinator at NECC and is Board Chair of Ruth's House, creating institutional partnership.
• CleverGiverminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline shopping platform partnership where shoppers can earn cashback from 3,500+ brands and donate a portion or all to Ruth's House at no additional cost.
• Lisa Scala JewelryminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDesigner donates jewelry for sale with 25% of proceeds going to Ruth's House. Lisa Scala is a long-term supporter who donates, shops, and attends events.
• VinfencoreOthersMental health services organization referring clients to Ruth's House for clothing assistance as part of wraparound services.
• Lazarus HousecoreOthersLawrence homeless shelter referring clients to Ruth's House for clothing support services.
• Salvation ArmycoreOthersReferral agency partner in the community services network sending clients to Ruth's House for clothing assistance.
• Community ActioncoreOthersCommunity action agency serving as referral partner for low-income individuals and families needing clothing assistance.
• Operation AblecoreOthersPartner for job training program specifically for seniors, helping elderly individuals gain employment skills at Ruth's House thrift shop.
• Senior NetworkcoreOthersPartner organization providing job training opportunities for seniors through Ruth's House programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Goodwill Industries International: The largest nonprofit thrift store operator in the US, combining donated-goods retail with job training and workforce development programs. Operates the same hybrid thrift-plus-social-services model as Ruth's House, but at vastly greater scale.
• Habitat for Humanity ReStores: Nonprofit home-furnishings and furniture thrift stores operated by Habitat for Humanity, with revenue funding affordable housing programs. Comparable nonprofit retail-plus-mission model, though focused on furniture/household goods rather than clothing.
• AMVETS National Service Foundation: Operates AMVETS Thrift Stores that fund veterans' services, accepting donated clothing/household goods for resale. Directly comparable nonprofit thrift model serving a specific beneficiary population (veterans).
• Vietnam Veterans of America: Operates a national pickup and resale program for donated clothing/household goods to fund veterans' services. Comparable nonprofit clothing-donation infrastructure serving a defined beneficiary population.
• Salvation Army: Operates one of the largest nonprofit thrift retail networks in the US, using proceeds to fund social services including emergency assistance, housing, and rehabilitation. Directly comparable hybrid model of thrift retail funding community programs.
• St. Vincent de Paul Society: Operates a national network of nonprofit thrift stores funding home visits and direct aid to low-income individuals and families. Closely comparable model of donated-goods retail underwriting social service delivery.
• Dress for Success: Global nonprofit providing professional attire and career development services to low-income individuals, with referral-based clothing assistance programs. Closely aligned mission of providing clothing assistance to support workforce re-entry.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit operating thrift stores and donation centers to fund housing, veterans' services, and other community programs. Comparable hybrid retail-plus-social-services structure serving low-income populations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/RuthsHouseHaverhill
• Instagraminstagram.com/ruthshouse.of.thrift

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 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 Ruth's House