The LutheranHANDS Foundation

What The LutheranHANDS Foundation does

The LutheranHANDS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2005 and incorporated in Pennsylvania, dedicated to organizing faith-based volunteer service and mission trip opportunities for Lutheran youth, young adults, adult leaders, and church congregations. It originated when two youth leaders from the Lower Suquehanna Synod of the ELCA — Jesse Woodrow and Michael Brommer — responded to a Hurricane Katrina volunteer call, then formalized the work by running their first organized mission trip to New Orleans in 2006. The organization has run annual summer trips since 2005, accommodating 150-200 volunteers per year, supplemented by winter trips of 20-50 volunteers.

The foundation operates a volunteer-driven model with a 5-person Board of Directors (the two co-founders plus three independents) and a small staff of trip leaders, with no salaries paid to board, management, or volunteers. Programming includes domestic multiday trips (such as the 2026 Philadelphia trip, July 5-11, priced at $540 per volunteer, operated in partnership with The Philadelphia Project), international trips to Guatemala (since 2013), and free local day-of-service events such as the annual Day of Service with the Wittel Farm Growing Project (May 23, 2026). Operations are based in central Pennsylvania serving York, Lancaster, and Lebanon Counties, with recruitment extended into New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware and a stated goal of reaching all 50 states.

Revenue is generated through per-volunteer trip fees and tax-deductible donations under IRS section 170. Distribution is direct — volunteers register by email and mail a $100 per-person deposit — with marketing limited to organic social channels (Facebook, X, Instagram) and word-of-mouth through Lutheran church networks. The organization has no proprietary technology, mobile app, API, or AI capability disclosed; registration, scheduling, and communications are handled manually.

Name

The LutheranHANDS Foundation

Legal name

The LutheranHANDS Foundation

Website

https://lutheranhands.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The LutheranHANDS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that organizes faith-based volunteer mission trips and local service events for Lutheran youth, young adults, adult leaders, and church congregations in the Mid-Atlantic and Guatemala.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Volunteer and Mission Trip Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (81311), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAGAI

Faith-Based & Mission Service Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Service Learning, Volunteering & Gap Year Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAJAE

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAJAG

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Religious & Faith-Based Organizations

Keywords

• Faith-based volunteer services
• Mission trip organization
• Disaster relief volunteering
• Community service programs
• Youth ministry trips

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Mission Trip Fees: Charges participants a total trip cost for mission trips. Current summer trip to Philadelphia is priced at $540 per volunteer with a $100 per person deposit required.
2. Donations and Contributions: As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, LutheranHANDS receives tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Contributions are deductible under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The LutheranHANDS Foundation organizes faith-based volunteer service opportunities, primarily structured summer and winter mission trips for youth, young adults, and adult leaders, along with weekend-in-service events and local Day of Service activities. Trips are coordinated with partner organizations such as The Philadelphia Project and Wittel Farm Growing Project and include logistics for travel, accommodation, and work site assignments. Participants register by email with a per-person deposit, and the organization also accepts tax-deductible donations under its 501(c)(3) status.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Summer Mission Trip

Quantifiable outcome

• 150-200 volunteers per summer mission trip
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wittel Farm Growing ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheranHANDS hosts an annual 'Day of Service' with the Wittel Farm Growing Project. Volunteers work from 9am-12pm on sustainable farming efforts, growing vegetables for the local community, followed by a cookout for all volunteers. The 2026 event is scheduled for May 23, 2026 from 9am-2pm.
• The Philadelphia ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLutheranHANDS partners with The Philadelphia Project for the 2026 Summer Mission Trip to Philadelphia (July 5-11, 2026). LutheranHANDS volunteers serve the Greater Philadelphia community through this partnership, with total trip cost of $540 per volunteer.
• Grace Lutheran Church in Camp HillcoreOthersMultiple LutheranHANDS staff members (Jesse Woodrow, Kirsten Youse Hyatt, Matt Little) are members of Grace Lutheran Church in Camp Hill. The church serves as an origin point for the organization's leadership and volunteer base.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Adventures in Missions: Faith-based nonprofit that organizes short-term mission trips for youth and adults domestically and internationally, with a similar volunteer-recruitment model via church networks. Comparable in audience (youth/young adults), mission (faith-based service), and trip-fee revenue model.
• Group Mission Trips: Faith-based organization running short-term mission trips for church youth groups across the U.S., with structured registration and partner-based work sites. Direct overlap with LutheranHANDS' youth-group-congregation GTM and faith-based service trips.
• Youth With A Mission (YWAM): International interdenominational Christian mission organization running short-term service trips and outreach programs for youth and young adults. Overlaps with LutheranHANDS on faith-based volunteer service, international trips (e.g., Guatemala), and youth leadership development.
• The Philadelphia Project: Faith-based nonprofit in Philadelphia that hosts youth mission trips and serves the Greater Philadelphia community. Direct operational partner for LutheranHANDS' 2026 summer trip; comparable in faith-based service programming and youth volunteer engagement.
• Wittel Farm Growing Project: Lutheran-affiliated faith-based volunteer program in Pennsylvania that hosts Day of Service events and sustainable farming initiatives. Direct partner of LutheranHANDS for the annual May Day of Service; comparable in faith-based service, local volunteer mobilization, and Lutheran community engagement.
• Christian Appalachian Project: Faith-based nonprofit that organizes short-term mission trips for youth and adults to serve communities in Appalachian regions. Directly comparable in faith-based service trips, youth volunteer recruitment, and church network-driven growth.

Broad incumbents

• Habitat for Humanity: Faith-rooted nonprofit that organizes volunteer home-building trips and youth volunteer programs domestically and internationally. Overlaps with LutheranHANDS on recruiting church-based volunteer groups, mission trip logistics, and faith-based community service.
• Samaritan's Purse: Large evangelical Christian relief organization that mobilizes volunteers for disaster relief, international missions, and youth service opportunities. Operates at greater scale and across multiple modalities, but addresses the same faith-based disaster response and volunteer mobilization use cases that seeded LutheranHANDS' founding.
• Volunteers of America: Large faith-based nonprofit offering volunteer service programs across the U.S., including youth and faith-based community outreach. Comparable in mobilizing faith-rooted volunteers for community service, though operating at much greater scale and broader programmatic scope.

Regional players

• Lutheran Outdoor Ministries Center / Lutheran Camping Corporation: Regional Lutheran-affiliated organization that runs camps, retreats, and service programs in the Mid-Atlantic. Share Lutheran constituency, faith-based service programming, and youth-development mission with LutheranHANDS, and host the Wittel Farm Growing Project partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/lutheranhands
• Facebookfacebook.com/lutheranhands
• Instagraminstagram.com/lutheranhands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-lutheranhands-foundation

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 LutheranHANDS Foundation