Mary's Shelter

Name

Mary's Shelter

Legal name

Mary's Shelter

Website

https://marysshelter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Homeless youth services
• Maternity housing
• Transitional housing
• Family wellness programs
• Nonprofit shelter

Headquarters

HQ city

Reading

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, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Mary's Shelter relies on financial support from individuals through one-time and recurring donations. The organization promotes monthly giving as 'Superhero Donors' ($19.95/month in honor of 1995 founding year).
2. Fundraising Events: The shelter hosts two annual fundraising events (Casino Night and Bowl-A-Thon) and conducts an annual appeal to generate revenue.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: Local businesses and organizations provide financial sponsorship through various tiers (Champion, Influencer, Advocate, Mentor, Supporter) across annual sponsor programs.
4. United Way Contributions: Mary's Shelter receives designated United Way contributions through multiple regional United Way chapters (Greater Lehigh Valley, Greater Philadelphia, Capitol Region, Chester County, North Penn, Lancaster County). The organization is also a contract agency with Berks County United Way.
5. Foundation and Grant Funding: The organization seeks additional funding through grants, foundations, trusts, and donations of appreciated stock.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Mary's Shelter operates residential and support programs for homeless youth ages 14-21, pregnant women, and low-income families with children up to age 3 in the Reading, Pennsylvania area. Core offerings include the 21-day YESS emergency shelter, the 18-month STRONG transitional housing program, Maternity Services with prenatal care coordination, and the Family Wellness Program providing monthly in-home visits and basic supplies. All services are delivered on-site at no cost to clients and are funded through donations, grants, and fundraising events.

Product overview

Mary's Shelter is a non-profit organization offering a portfolio of residential and support services for homeless youth and families in Reading, Pennsylvania. The core programs include the YESS (Youth Empowerment Support Services) Residential Program providing 21-day emergency shelter for ages 14-17, and the STRONG Transitional Youth Housing Services extending up to 18 months for ages 16-21. Maternity Services offer temporary housing, counseling, and prenatal care coordination for pregnant women, while the Family Wellness Program supports low-income families with newborns through age 3. The organization also operates fundraising programs including Casino Night and Bowl-A-Thon events, Baby Bottle Campaigns, and accepts both monetary donations through DonorPerfect and material donations via Amazon Wishlist and in-person drop-offs. All programs are designed to empower homeless youth and families through housing, education, and social services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• YESS (Youth Empowerment Support Services): Short-term emergency shelter program for homeless youth ages 14-17, providing up to 21 days of housing with counseling, tutoring, and referral services.
• STRONG (Transitional Youth Housing Services)
• Family Wellness Program

Products and services

• YESS (Youth Empowerment Support Services) Residential Program 21-day emergency shelter program for homeless youth ages 14-17, providing temporary housing, counseling, life skills classes, tutoring, and referrals to outside services in a home-like atmosphere.
• STRONG (Supportive Transitional Resources for Ongoing Needs and Growth) Program 18-month transitional housing program for homeless youth ages 16-21, offering housing, case management, job search assistance, college application support, career planning, and bi-weekly life skills classes.
• Maternity Services Comprehensive program for pregnant women including temporary housing, individual and group counseling, prenatal care coordination, formal education assistance, housing assistance, budget counseling, and parenting classes.
• Family Wellness Program Support program for low-income families with newborns or children up to 3 years of age, providing monthly in-person visits, community referrals, counseling, and assistance with diapers, household, and pantry items.
• Donated Items Program Accepts donated items including diapers, wipes, gently used items for mothers and babies, and clothing. Items can be dropped off 9am-7pm daily or shipped via Amazon Wishlist, with a partnership with CommunityAid for clothing donations.
• Baby Bottle Campaign Volunteer fundraising initiative where participants collect spare change in provided baby bottles to support mothers, babies, and youth in care, while raising community awareness for Mary's Shelter.
• Monetary Donations Accepts one-time and recurring financial contributions including the Superhero Donor monthly giving program ($19.95/month), employer matching gifts, and United Way designations through multiple regional codes.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CommunityAidcoreOthersCommunityAid Product Partner relationship where Mary's Shelter collects clothing and shoes to sell in CommunityAid stores. Proceeds support shelter programs. Clothing donations dropped at Mary's Shelter or delivered to CommunityAid stores (Partnership #50078). CommunityAid also provides employment opportunities, gift cards for clients, and grant opportunities to Mary's Shelter.
• Berks County United WaycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMary's Shelter is a contract agency with Berks County United Way, which provides funding support specifically for the YESS Program serving homeless youth ages 14 to 17. United Way designation codes available for workplace giving campaigns.
• Berks County Intermediate UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with the Berks County Intermediate Unit to address homeless youth issues. Mary’s Shelter received grants to open the YESS (Youth Empowerment Support Services) Residential Program and Drop-in-Center.
• Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership to find and initiate solutions for homeless and runaway youth in Berks County. Mary’s Shelter received grants through this partnership to address immediate needs of young people living on the streets.
• Berks Coalition to End Homelessness Youth CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity coalition working together to address youth homelessness. The coalition is committed to building resources and strengthening partnerships to change young lives through compassion, direction, and hope.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Covenant House: National nonprofit providing shelter, housing, and supportive services to homeless and trafficked youth ages 18-24 (and minors in some sites). Directly comparable to Mary's Shelter in target population, residential service model, and continuum-of-care philosophy, though at much larger national scale.
• The Night Ministry: Chicago nonprofit providing housing, health care, and supportive services for youth and adults experiencing homelessness. Comparable in combining emergency shelter, transitional housing, and outreach-based supportive services for vulnerable youth populations.
• Lighthouse Youth & Family Services: Cincinnati-based nonprofit offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services for homeless and at-risk youth and families. Closely mirrors Mary's Shelter's youth residential, maternity-adjacent, and family wellness programs within a mid-size regional footprint.
• Maternity Care Coalition: Philadelphia-based nonprofit supporting pregnant women and families with young children through housing, doula services, and family support. Directly comparable to Mary's Shelter's Maternity Services and Family Wellness program serving pregnant women and families with children up to age 3.
• YouthCare: Seattle-based nonprofit serving homeless youth ages 12-24 with emergency shelter, transitional housing, and education/employment programs. Directly comparable service mix (emergency + transitional + case management) for the same youth demographic Mary's Shelter targets.

Emerging players

• Cradles of Hope: Smaller nonprofit focused on supporting pregnant women and young mothers experiencing housing instability. Comparable niche focus on the maternity/pregnancy side of Mary's Shelter's work, though without Mary's broader youth-services component.

Broad incumbents

• Bethany Christian Services: Large national nonprofit focused on adoption, foster care, and family services including pregnancy support. Overlaps with Mary's Shelter's maternity and youth-services mission but operates a much broader portfolio across multiple states.
• Volunteers of America: National nonprofit providing housing, shelter, and human services across youth, family, and veteran populations. Operates youth residential and family-support programs that overlap with Mary's Shelter's portfolio, but at national scale with far broader funding infrastructure.

Others

• CommunityAid: Pennsylvania-based thrift retailer and nonprofit partner that processes donated goods on behalf of partner charities including Mary's Shelter. Functions as an ecosystem partner — providing in-kind fundraising and employment opportunities — rather than a direct service competitor.

Regional players

• Berks Coalition to End Homelessness: Regional coalition of which Mary's Shelter is a member. While primarily a coordinating body rather than direct service provider, it represents the regional infrastructure Mary's Shelter operates within and serves the same Berks County client base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MarysShelterOneMillonFriends

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Mary's Shelter