The Charity Homeless

What The Charity Homeless does

The Homeless Charity and Village (legal name: The Homeless Charity) is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity founded in 2016 in Akron, Ohio, operating as a fully volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless individuals transition from street living to home living through transitional housing, direct outreach, and a portfolio of support services. The organization operates from The Outreach House at 47 N. Arlington in Akron, with a secondary supply distribution point (Lerryn's Closet) at 15 Broad Street and a mailing address in Fairlawn. Its core offerings include transitional sheltering in a tent city and group homes (up to 12 spaces), a weekly food pantry, hot meals on Thursdays and Saturdays, harm reduction and self-care supplies, a shuttle/outreach service using a donated 2011 Toyota Sienna van, and assistance obtaining birth certificates for homeless individuals.

The charity's operating model combines the in-house residential program with a mobile outreach component that reaches homeless camps and remote areas in Northeast Ohio. Services to homeless individuals are provided free of charge; the organization is funded through individual donations (online via PayPal, monthly Patreon pledges, and checks), small retail-style programs including Storygram greeting cards at $2.50 each and Propane Tank sponsorships at $12 each, in-kind contributions, and partner-supported events. It maintains a dense local partnership network spanning faith organizations (Middlebury Chapel, Grace Church), peer shelters (The Haven of Rest, ACCESS), mental health and youth service providers (Community Support Services, Project RISE), legal advocacy (Institute for Justice), and student volunteer pipelines (Walsh Jesuit High School), with founder Sage Lewis leading a small core team that includes a Community Director and volunteer staff.

The technology stack is intentionally minimal and commodity-based, leveraging WordPress for web, PayPal and Network for Good for donations, Patreon for recurring support, Sign Up Genius for volunteer coordination, Facebook and Twitter for community engagement, and the 2021 Google Ad Grants award for paid search. No proprietary technology, AI/ML capability, app, or API is present. The organization has no disclosed revenue figures, no institutional investors, no parent company, and no subsidiaries; it is governed entirely as an independent community-led charity, an approach that historically produced both rapid community traction and material operational disruption, notably the 2019 shutdown of the tent village and 15 Broad Street day center by Akron city authorities and the subsequent 2020 Ohio Supreme Court loss in the Institute for Justice-led case.

Name

The Charity Homeless

Legal name

The Homeless Charity

Website

https://thehomelesscharity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Homeless Charity is a fully volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Akron, Ohio that provides transitional housing, food, hot meals, harm reduction supplies, and shuttle/outreach services to homeless individuals to help them move from street living to home living.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless & Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Homeless services
• Transitional housing
• Food pantry
• Outreach programs
• Harm reduction

Headquarters

HQ city

Akron

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts online donations via PayPal, monthly Patreon pledges, and check donations. Donors can make one-time or recurring contributions to support operations.
2. Storygram Sales: The organization sells Storygrams for $2.50 each - messaging cards with small gifts delivered to homeless individuals, covering printing and item costs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Homeless Charity is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, in-person transitional support services to homeless and houseless individuals in Akron, Ohio. Offerings include transitional housing (tent city and group homes) under self-governance, a weekly food pantry, hot meals, harm reduction and self-care supplies, a shuttle/outreach van service, and supply distribution through Lerryn's Closet, plus micro-enterprise and sponsorship programs (Storygram cards, Village Art Studio, Propane Tank Sponsorship).

Product overview

The Homeless Charity and Village is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates as a fully volunteer-run charity providing transitional support services to homeless populations in Akron, Ohio. The organization offers a portfolio of direct service programs including a Food Pantry, Hot Meal Program, Harm Reduction & Self Care distribution, Transitional Housing in tent city and group homes, and a Shuttle Service/Outreach program. Additional offerings include Lerryn's Closet supply closet, DIY Hand Washing Stations, a Village Art Studio micro-enterprise program, Storygram greeting card program, and Propane Tank Sponsorship for winter warmth. The charity focuses on meeting homeless individuals where they are today to help them reach where they want to go tomorrow.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Food Pantry Weekly food distribution service providing groceries to community members in need at the Outreach House location in Akron, Ohio.
• Hot Meal Program Provides free hot meals to homeless and community members on Thursdays and Saturdays from 11:00-1:00 at The Outreach House.
• Harm Reduction & Self Care Weekly distribution of harm reduction and self-care items including toiletries to homeless and community members in need.
• Transitional Housing Transitional sheltering in tent city and group homes providing safe, stable housing under homeless self-governance, bridging the gap between street living and permanent housing; up to 12 spaces across two transitional houses.
• Shuttle Service / Outreach Transportation service offering rides to homeless individuals for medical appointments, therapy, drug rehab, housing managers, case workers, and job interviews, and delivering survival gear (food, blankets, heaters, tarps, tents) to remote homeless camps.
• Lerryn's Closet Supply closet at 15 Broad Street, Akron, providing snacks, blankets, masks, tents, and survival products to homeless individuals based on seasonal and personal requirements.
• DIY Hand Washing Stations Portable hand washing stations built for homeless neighbors living on the street and in locations without running water.
• Village Art Studio Arts and crafts program where homeless individuals create items that are sold in the charity's store, with profits supporting the charity.
• Storygram Program Greeting card program where supporters can send personalized messages and small treats/gifts to homeless individuals for $2.50 each, covering printing and item costs.
• Propane Tank Sponsorship Sponsorship program allowing donors to fund propane tanks at $12 each to help homeless individuals stay warm during winter months.
• Birth Certificate Assistance Assistance helping homeless individuals obtain birth certificates — a practical prerequisite for housing and employment; over 70 people assisted in 2021.

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Middlebury ChapelcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner church organization that co-hosted the Middlebury Festival and Door of Hope Crusades events with The Homeless Charity. Located at 82 S Arlington St, Akron, OH 44306. Collaborated on community events including worship, giveaways, and free food distribution.
• Peter Maurin CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization that helped facilitate hotel placement for homeless individuals in need, working with The Homeless Charity to provide emergency shelter solutions.
• Institute for JusticecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw firm representing The Homeless Charity in legal battles for the right to shelter homeless people on private property. Fought cases regarding zoning and the rights of homeless individuals.
• Community Support Services (CSS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkron-based mental health services provider offering case management, supported employment, supported housing, counseling, and behavioral healthcare. Partner in addressing mental health needs within the homeless population.
• Project RISEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkron Public Schools program solely dedicated to helping homeless kids. Primary group in Akron helping homeless youth with the Shoebox Project and other initiatives for homeless students.
• Grace ChurchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch whose students participated in outreach programs with The Homeless Charity, including activities typically done in Philadelphia and Mexico, now in Akron area.
• Walsh Jesuit High SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from Walsh Jesuit conduct weekly Labre Project, going into neighborhoods to deliver food to homeless people on Monday evenings.
• The Haven of RestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor shelter and services provider serving homeless in Northeast Ohio with meals, shelter, and clothing. One of the primary shelters in Akron mentioned as often at full capacity.
• ACCESS Shelter & HousingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAkron-based shelter and housing services organization (330.376.0997), referenced as a resource for homeless individuals.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Coalition for the Homeless: Large national advocacy and service organization focused on homelessness. Comparable in mission (advocacy + direct services) but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic scope.
• Family Promise: National nonprofit network addressing family homelessness through shelter, prevention, and stabilization programs—a broader incumbent operating a similar transitional-support mission at scale across many U.S. cities.
• National Coalition for the Homeless: National advocacy nonprofit working to end homelessness through policy, research, and public education—comparable mission focus but primarily advocacy rather than direct service delivery.

Direct peers

• ACCESS Shelter & Housing: Akron-based shelter and housing services organization listed as a peer referral resource for homeless individuals in the same service area as The Homeless Charity.
• Peter Maurin Center: Akron-area nonprofit that partners with The Homeless Charity on emergency hotel placement for homeless individuals, sharing the same community and service population.
• Midnight Mission: Long-established downtown homeless services provider offering emergency shelter, hot meals, recovery, and pathway programs—a comparable integrated direct-service model for homeless populations.
• Portland Rescue Mission: Faith-based nonprofit providing shelter, meals, recovery programs, and outreach to homeless populations in a mid-sized U.S. city—comparable operating model combining transitional shelter, food service, and harm reduction supplies.
• Haven of Rest: Major Akron-area shelter and services provider offering meals, shelter, and clothing. The Homeless Charity explicitly partners with Haven of Rest and is sometimes forced to refer clients there when its own capacity is exceeded.

Emerging players

• Community Support Services: Akron-based mental-health services provider offering case management, supported housing, and counseling. Serves overlapping populations with The Homeless Charity, particularly clients with co-occurring mental health and housing instability needs.
• Bridge of Hope: Nonprofit network mobilizing faith-based congregations to provide transitional housing and support for homeless families—comparable transitional-shelter mission with a community-engagement operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/sagerock
• Facebookfacebook.com/thehomelesscharity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-homeless-charity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The Charity Homeless