School On Wheels Of Massachusetts, Inc.

What School On Wheels Of Massachusetts, Inc. does

School On Wheels of Massachusetts, Inc. (SOWMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2004 by Cheryl Opper that delivers educational support services to children and youth experiencing homelessness across Southeastern Massachusetts. Headquartered in East Bridgewater, MA, the organization operates a regional service model with no disclosed statewide or national footprint. Programming is delivered through trained volunteers and partner referrals rather than a centralized technology platform.

SOWMA runs four core program lines: one-on-one Tutoring delivered by trained volunteer tutors; Bridge Mentoring, a structured mentorship pairing students with consistent adult role models; the Backpacks & School Supplies initiative, which distributes learning materials at the start of each academic year; and the Soaring Scholars Scholarship, which provides post-secondary education funding to program alumni pursuing higher education. Beneficiaries are referred into programming through partnerships with school districts, shelters, and social service agencies; there is no proprietary software, mobile application, or digital learning platform disclosed in the available data. Service delivery is volunteer-dependent and in-person.

The organization's revenue model is donation-driven, with funding sourced from individual contributions, foundation and corporate grants, corporate sponsorships, and fundraising events. Named corporate and institutional partners include Harvard Business School, Bridgewater State University, Bluestone Bank, W.B. Mason, and Pegasystems. Governance rests with a volunteer board chaired by Spencer Collier, while day-to-day operations are led by Executive Director Athena Giannaros, who assumed the role in February 2025.

Name

School On Wheels Of Massachusetts, Inc.

Legal name

School on Wheels Of Massachusetts, Inc.

Website

https://sowma.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

School On Wheels of Massachusetts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 that provides tutoring, mentoring, backpacks, and scholarships to homeless students across Southeastern Massachusetts through volunteer-driven programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Support Services for Homeless and At-Risk Youth

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dropout Prevention, Re-Engagement & Truancy Intervention Programs (EDAJAEAD)

Keywords

• Homeless student tutoring
• Youth mentoring services
• Nonprofit education support
• School supply distribution
• College readiness mentoring

Headquarters

HQ city

East Bridgewater

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations from individuals supporting the nonprofit's educational programs for homeless students.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & In-Kind Donations: Corporate partners provide financial sponsorships, school supplies (W.B. Mason), books (JG Press), and event support.
3. Foundation Grants: Grant funding from foundations such as National Grid Foundation, Crescent Credit Union, and others for specific programs.
4. Special Events: Fundraising events including Outrunning Homelessness 5K, Annual Gala, pickleball events, basketball tournaments, and road races.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

School On Wheels Of Massachusetts delivers free, one-on-one academic tutoring, volunteer mentoring, and backpacks filled with school supplies to K-12 students impacted by homelessness and poverty across Southeastern Massachusetts. Services are delivered directly at shelters, family motels, and partner schools, with supplementary offerings that include a Bridge Mentoring program for older students, the Soaring Scholars Scholarship for post-secondary pursuits, summer reading support, holiday learning boxes, and the High School Plus college-prep program.

Product overview

School on Wheels of Massachusetts is a non-profit educational support organization offering a unified suite of programs designed to help students impacted by homelessness and poverty achieve academic success. The core programs include the Tutoring Program (one-on-one academic support for K-12 students), the Bridge Mentoring Program (volunteer mentoring with college and career guidance), and the Backpacks & School Supplies program (distributing essential learning materials). The Soaring Scholars Scholarship provides financial assistance for post-secondary education. Additional services include Student Resources (scholarships, crisis services, food pantries, housing information), the Summer Reading Program, Holiday Learning Boxes, and the High School Plus Program (college preparation support). These programs work together to provide comprehensive academic, social, and emotional support to break the cycle of homelessness through education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bridge Mentoring Program: One-on-one mentoring program connecting students with volunteer mentors for academic and emotional support.
• Tutoring Program
• Backpacks & School Supplies Program
• Soaring Scholars Scholarship

Products and services

• Tutoring Program
• Bridge Mentoring Program
• Backpacks & School Supplies Program
• Soaring Scholars Scholarship
• Student Resources
• Summer Reading Program
• Holiday Learning Boxes
• High School Plus Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Students maintain and improve academic performance despite homelessness
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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.

• Harvard Business School (HBS) - Consulting for Impact ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Harvard Business School students partnered with School on Wheels during 2025-26 academic year through HBS Consulting for Impact Club. Students provided field research, strategic thinking, and analytical expertise to help strengthen organizational ability to reach more students and expand impact. Collaboration focused on strategic planning and organizational growth.
• Bridgewater State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSU employees volunteer through 'Fridays of Service' program monthly. Students and staff engage in service learning while creating mentor relationships. University helps prepare and organize over 140 backpacks for Brockton motels and family shelters annually. BSU's Bridgewater Scholars Program provides full scholarships to homeless students who demonstrate educational success.
• Coaching for ChangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership at Arnone School in Brockton where children receive half-time one-on-one tutoring and half-time working with Stonehill College and Brockton High students on cooperative games. Program teaches leadership, teambuilding, and job skills while building student confidence.
• JG Press World Publications GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner donated over 800 new books in multiple shipments (860 books in late 2012, 800 books for summer learning). Books used in Summer Reading Bags, backpacks, and holiday boxes for homeless students.
• W.B. MasoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual school supply donations including hundreds of scissors, notebooks, colored pencils, markers, highlighters, filler paper, pens, folders, scientific calculators, and other supplies to fill backpacks for hundreds of homeless children.
• HarborOne Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate supporter providing volunteers and resources for events including Outrunning Homelessness race.
• Jordan's FurnitureminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonated books for Summer Reading Olympics program enabling students to build personal libraries.
• Maplewood Country Day Camp and Enrichment CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. Owner Sue Reardon expressed commitment to supporting organization serving children and families.
• Stonehill CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollege students participate in partnership with Coaching for Change at Arnone School, providing leadership development opportunities while supporting SOWMA tutoring programs.
• Brockton High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoxer Mentor Group students volunteer with holiday box deliveries. Students serve as 'game changers' gaining leadership and job skills while supporting younger students.
• Cardinal Spellman SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 35 volunteers from Cardinal Spellman School participated in holiday box packing for students.
• Oliver Ames High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOWMA Club students provide volunteers for events and tutoring. School hosted 4-on-4 Basketball Tournament fundraising event.
• Pondville Correctional CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEmily Jackson and team from correctional facility have been unwavering supporters for 8 years, delivering school supplies and supporting Community Room.
• CrossFit BridgewaterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSonia Bachand and team run annual Giving Tree program and furnish apartments for students in need for nearly a decade.
• Weymouth Democratic Action CommitteeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerKathy Godbout and Alice Arena organize annual game drives since 2014, helping students connect, learn, and play.
• Massachusetts College of Art and DesignminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent Yiner Xu designed artwork inspired by amsonia flower for 2026 Volunteer Appreciation Dinner theme.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• SchoolHouse Connection: National nonprofit organization dedicated to the success of children and youth experiencing homelessness through advocacy, technical assistance, and resource development. Serves the same beneficiary population as SOWMA but operates at policy/advocacy level rather than direct service.
• Baby2Baby: National nonprofit providing essential items including school supplies to children living in poverty and homelessness. Comparable in backpack/school supply distribution model and corporate partnership-driven funding, but serves children birth through age 12 across multiple states rather than focusing on K-12 tutoring.

Others

• National Center for Homeless Education: Federally-funded technical assistance center supporting the education of children and youth experiencing homelessness. Related by beneficiary population (homeless students) and mission area, but operates as a federally-funded resource/information hub rather than direct service provider like SOWMA.

Broad incumbents

• Year Up: Large national workforce development nonprofit providing training, mentoring, and career support for young adults from low-income backgrounds. Comparable in mission of supporting educational and career pathways for disadvantaged youth, but operates at national scale and focuses on post-secondary career outcomes rather than K-12 academic support.

Direct peers

• School on Wheels, Inc. (California): Original 'School on Wheels' organization based in Southern California, founded in 1993, providing tutoring, school supplies, and educational support to children experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable mission, program structure (tutoring, supplies, mentoring), and beneficiary population to SOWMA, despite operating on the West Coast.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts: Eastern Massachusetts affiliate of the national youth mentoring nonprofit, providing one-on-one mentoring relationships for youth. Overlaps with SOWMA's Bridge Mentoring Program in service model (consistent long-term adult mentors for at-risk youth) and geographic footprint, but serves a broader at-risk population rather than specifically homeless students.
• School on Wheels of Greater Indianapolis: Regional 'School on Wheels' affiliate serving homeless students in Indianapolis with tutoring and backpack programs. Directly comparable grassroots nonprofit model and target population, but operating in a different metropolitan geography.

Regional players

• Boys & Girls Club of Brockton: Local Brockton-area youth development nonprofit providing after-school programming, academic support, and mentoring for young people. Operates in SOWMA's core service geography with overlapping academic support and mentorship missions, but as a general-purpose youth organization rather than one focused on homeless students.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@schoolonwheelsofmassachuse8637
• Facebookfacebook.com/schoolonwheels
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schoolonwheelsofmasschusetts
• Instagraminstagram.com/schoolonwheelsma

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about School On Wheels Of Massachusetts, Inc.