The Guest House Of Milwaukee Inc

What The Guest House Of Milwaukee Inc does

Guest House of Milwaukee, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit social services organization founded in 1982 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It provides a full continuum of services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness, including an 86-bed nightly emergency shelter for men, permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing programs, case management, a state-certified mental health and substance use treatment clinic (the Guest House Counseling Clinic, which now accepts community referrals and offers telehealth), veterans-specific shelter and housing, a 22-bed facility for older men (Marsha's House), and participation as one of six Milwaukee winter warming centers. Supporting programs include the Cream City Gardens urban farm, which supplies fresh produce to guests and neighboring food pantries, and a volunteer-run meal program providing 300–500 sandwiches daily.

The organization is funded primarily through individual monetary donations, private and institutional grants, in-kind contributions (meals, supplies, garden equipment), and event-based fundraising such as the Brad Murray Memorial Golf Open. All shelter, housing, education, and clinical services are provided free of charge; access is coordinated through Milwaukee County Housing Services and the Institute for Community Alliances via the Impact 2-1-1 hotline. There is no product pricing or product distribution — revenue mechanics center on fundraising and grant acquisition rather than commercial sales.

Operationally, Guest House is governed by a Board of Directors and led by CEO Stephen Bauer (permanently appointed March 2024) with a recently expanded executive team including VPs of Fund Development, Clinic Operations, Community Housing Programs, Shelter Programs, and Strategic Initiatives. The organization holds a Charity Navigator 4-star rating (2026) and EIN 39-1539301. It serves 1,229+ men, women, and families annually and operates exclusively within Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Name

The Guest House Of Milwaukee Inc

Legal name

Guest House of Milwaukee, Inc.

Website

https://www.guesthouseofmilwaukee.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Guest House of Milwaukee is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that delivers emergency shelter, permanent housing, case management, and a state-certified behavioral health clinic to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Monetary Donations: Guest House accepts tax-deductible monetary contributions from individuals through its secure online giving portal (DonorView), in-person, and by mail. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, donations are the primary funding source supporting shelter operations, housing programs, and behavioral health services.
2. Private & Institutional Grants: Guest House receives grant funding from foundations, local government programs, and corporate giving programs to support specific programs and capital improvements.
3. In-Kind Donations: The organization accepts in-kind donations including meals, clothing, personal care items, and other goods needed for daily shelter operations. These donations are tracked and acknowledged via online forms.
4. Event-Based Fundraising: Annual fundraising events such as the Brad Murray Memorial Golf Open generate sponsorship revenue and ticket sales, with proceeds supporting core shelter, housing, case management, and behavioral health programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Guest House of Milwaukee operates an emergency overnight shelter (86 men nightly), permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, and transitional housing programs for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Milwaukee. It runs a state-certified behavioral health and substance use treatment clinic (individual therapy, group therapy, prescriber services, telehealth), long-term case management, veterans-specific shelter, a 22-bed Marsha's House for older men, winter warming centers, a volunteer meal program, and the Cream City Gardens urban farm providing fresh produce to guests and neighboring food pantries.

Product overview

Guest House of Milwaukee is a not-for-profit social services organization offering a comprehensive continuum of services to address homelessness and housing instability. The organization operates as a single integrated service model rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture, providing shelter, housing, behavioral health, and case management services as interconnected programs. Core offerings include emergency shelter (86-bed facility), permanent housing programs, a state-certified behavioral health clinic offering mental health and substance use treatment, veterans-specific services, and warming center operations during winter months. Supporting programs include Cream City Gardens urban farm and volunteer meal programs. All services are designed to work together holistically, supporting clients from immediate shelter needs through long-term housing stability and independence.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Guest House Counseling Clinic: State-certified mental health and substance use treatment center offering individual therapy, group therapy, substance use treatment, psychotropic prescriber services, and telehealth options.
• Cream City Gardens

Quantifiable outcome

• Serving 1,229+ men, women, and families annually
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lowe'sminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2024Guest House of Milwaukee received one of 100 Lowe's hometown grants nationwide to renovate the kitchen and garden spaces at Cream City Gardens. Lowe's employees and volunteers came out to place new garden beds and prepare the space for the next planting season.
• United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County (UWGMWC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerUnited Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesahaw County is listed as a partner organization on Guest House's website, supporting the organization's mission and funding homeless services in the Milwaukee community.
• Roof LineminorOthersRoof Line is listed as a partner organization on Guest House's website, appearing in the organization's partner recognition section.
• Milwaukee County Housing ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest House participates in the Coordinated Entry System operated by Milwaukee County Housing Services, in partnership with the Institute for Community Alliances. This is the primary intake system for individuals seeking shelter and housing services from Guest House.
• Institute for Community AlliancescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Milwaukee County Housing Services to operate the Coordinated Entry System through which individuals access Guest House services.
• Impact 2-1-1coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImpact 2-1-1 is the 24/7 resource hotline (dial 2-1-1, local 414-773-0211, toll-free 1-866-211-3380, text zip code, or chat online) used as the first point of contact for individuals seeking shelter or housing services. Guest House directs all service-seeking inquiries to Impact 2-1-1.
• Milwaukee County (Elder Justice Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGuest House is one of five local agencies participating in Milwaukee County's new housing program for homeless adults age 60 and older (Elder Justice program), serving seniors at risk of homelessness.
• Cedarburg restaurant owner Gordon GogginminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGordon Goggin has been providing meals to Guest House since 2016, serving as a long-term meal donor and community champion for the organization.
• Lowlands Group (Cafe Benelux)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLowlands Group has been supporting Guest House of Milwaukee's meal program for 10 years, regularly delivering meals to guests.
• Daddy's Soul Food & GrilleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMilwaukee restaurant providing monthly meals to Guest House guests through support of an anonymous donor.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Meta House: Milwaukee-based nonprofit offering residential and outpatient substance use treatment, mental health services, and supportive housing — most directly comparable to Guest House's counseling clinic and AODA components.
• Gathering of Southeast Wisconsin: Milwaukee-area nonprofit addressing homelessness through shared meal programs, case management, and connections to housing resources. Comparable mission with focus on hospitality, food access, and shelter navigation.
• Outreach Community Health Centers: Federally qualified health center serving homeless and low-income populations in Milwaukee with primary care, behavioral health, and supportive services. Comparable population focus and integrated service model.
• Hebron Housing Services: Waukesha, WI-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, supportive housing, and case management for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Closely comparable service model and Wisconsin geography; Guest House's VP of Community Housing Programs (Cody Andrews) joined directly from Hebron, evidencing operational comparability.
• Community Advocates: Milwaukee-based nonprofit operating the city's primary homeless crisis response line, housing programs, and case management services. Strong service-line overlap with Guest House's intake, housing navigation, and behavioral health referrals.
• Milwaukee Rescue Mission: Milwaukee-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, meals, addiction recovery, and long-term residential programs for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable shelter-plus-recovery continuum in the same primary market.
• PATH (People Acting to Help) Inc. Milwaukee-area nonprofit delivering housing, supportive services, and homelessness prevention across multiple programs. Overlaps directly with Guest House's rapid rehousing, case management, and permanent supportive housing offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: Large regional nonprofit providing shelter, housing, behavioral health, and social services across southeastern Wisconsin. Comparable services to Guest House but at significantly greater scale and program breadth.
• Salvation Army of Greater Milwaukee: National faith-based organization operating emergency shelter, transitional housing, addiction recovery, and social services locally in Milwaukee. Operates a much broader portfolio but overlaps directly with Guest House's shelter and case management core.

Regional players

• Porchlight: Madison, WI-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, housing, and employment services for individuals experiencing homelessness. Comparable service model in a different Wisconsin geography; serves as a regional benchmark.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/guesthousemke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/guest-house-of-milwaukee
• Instagraminstagram.com/guesthousemke

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 The Guest House Of Milwaukee Inc