What Volkshilfe OÖ does

Volkshilfe Oberösterreich gemeinnützige GmbH (Volkshilfe OÖ) is one of the largest non-governmental social services organizations in the Austrian state of Upper Austria, headquartered in Linz and founded in 1947. The organization delivers a broad portfolio of social services to vulnerable populations including elderly individuals, people with disabilities, refugees and migrants, labor-market-disadvantaged persons, and families at risk of poverty. Service delivery is carried out through four wholly-owned operating subsidiaries: Volkshilfe Gesundheits- und Soziale Dienste GmbH (mobile care, nursing, household services), Volkshilfe lebensART GmbH (residential clusters and personal assistance for people with disabilities), Volkshilfe Arbeitswelt GmbH (employment integration, youth coaching, outplacement), and Volkshilfe Flüchtlings- und MigrantInnenbetreuung GmbH (asylum accommodation, language courses, psychosocial counselling). Volkshilfe OÖ also operates approximately 22 second-hand retail shops under the Volkshilfe Shops, VOIX Store, SOMA-Markt, and Repair- & Nähcafés brands that generate revenue funding social programs.

The business model is a hybrid of contracted social service provision for the public sector (Land Oberösterreich, municipalities, Sozialhilfe-Verbände, AMS, Krankenkassen), individual donations solicited online and offline, retail sales of donated second-hand goods through physical stores and an e-commerce channel, and recurring membership fees. The go-to-market is community-led, supported by district associations (Bezirksvereine) in Perg and Wels-Kirchdorf, a membership base, volunteer networks, and civil servants (Zivildienst) recruited through the Zivildienstserviceagentur. The technology stack is operational rather than differentiated: Vivendi for healthcare documentation, Google Analytics and Matomo (self-hosted, cookieless) for web analytics, Google Ads/Marketing Platform for acquisition, and Google reCAPTCHA for form protection; no proprietary software products are indicated.

Financially, Volkshilfe OÖ does not publicly disclose revenue, is not investment-funded, and operates as a non-profit limited liability company (gemeinnützige GmbH). It employs 1,001–5,000 staff, with over 90% of employees at Volkshilfe lebensART GmbH holding specialist-level qualifications and approximately 9 out of 10 rating leadership culture positively in a 2025 employee survey. The organization maintains partnerships with public authorities and complementary NGOs, and underwent a leadership transition on 1 July 2026 when Simon Weiß, an internal hire since 2021, assumed the role of Managing Director (Geschäftsführer).

Name

Volkshilfe OÖ

Legal name

Volkshilfe Oberösterreich gemeinnützige GmbH

Website

https://www.volkshilfe-ooe.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Volkshilfe OÖ is one of the largest non-governmental social services organizations in Upper Austria, providing elderly care, disability services, refugee integration, and employment support through four subsidiaries and 22 second-hand retail shops, funded by public contracts, donations, and retail revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Welfare & Non-Profit Care Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

SIC

Services-Nursing & Personal Care Facilities (8050), Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Care & ADL Assistance (bathing, dressing, toileting, mobility) (HLADAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Benefits, Insurance & Entitlement Navigation (Medicare/Medicaid/VA/LTC) (HSABAIAG), Dementia & Alzheimer’s Respite Care (HSABAGAF)

Keywords

• Social welfare services
• Elderly home care
• Disability personal assistance
• Refugee integration support
• Second-hand charity retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Linz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Social Services Contracts: Volkshilfe OÖ operates under public-interest mandates and receives public funding and contracts to provide social services including care for elderly, people with disabilities, refugees, and integration support. The organization is a contractual service provider to municipalities, districts, and the state of Upper Austria.
2. Donations: The organization actively solicits donations through its website ('JETZT SPENDEN' / 'Now Donate') and offline channels. Online donations are processed through payment service providers. Tax deductibility of donations is supported via reporting to the Austrian Finanzamt (tax office) using donor name and date of birth.
3. Retail Shop Sales: Volkshilfe OÖ operates approximately 22 second-hand retail shops (Volkshilfe Shops, VOIX Store, SOMA-Markt, Repair & Nähcafés) selling donated second-hand goods. Shops generate revenue from sales of vintage, second-hand, and upcycled items to consumers.
4. Membership Fees: The organization offers membership ('Mitglied werden') providing members with information and invitations, with membership fees collected via direct debit.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Volkshilfe OÖ delivers social welfare and care services across Upper Austria — including mobile elderly and family care, residential care homes (Wohnverbünde), personal assistance for people with disabilities, refugee and migrant counselling, and labour-market reintegration (Arbeitswelt) programmes. It complements these services with a social-retail operation running 22 second-hand Volkshilfe Shops, the SOMA-Markt social supermarket, the VOIX vintage fashion store, an online shop, and member benefits such as the Volkshilfe Magazin and shop discounts.

Product overview

Volkshilfe OÖ operates as a comprehensive social services organization in Upper Austria, providing a diverse portfolio of interconnected services through multiple subsidiary companies. The core offerings include retail operations (Volkshilfe Shops, VOIX Store, SOMA-Markt, Repair- & Nähcafés) that generate revenue for charitable programs, alongside direct care services delivered by specialized divisions: Volkshilfe Gesundheits- und Soziale Dienste GmbH (mobile care, nursing, household services), Volkshilfe lebensART GmbH (residential facilities and personal assistance for people with disabilities), Volkshilfe Arbeitswelt GmbH (employment integration), and Volkshilfe Flüchtlings- und MigrantInnenbetreuung GmbH (refugee/migrant support). Educational offerings like KoKo language courses complement the service portfolio. The organization also produces media content through podcasts and maintains an online shop alongside its physical retail locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Volkshilfe Shops: Second-hand retail stores operated by the organization selling donated clothing and household items at affordable prices.
• VOIX Store
• SOMA-Markt
• Repair- & Nähcafés

Products and services

• Mobile Care Services (Mobile Dienste) In-home care and support for elderly people and families across Upper Austria, covering household help, personal care and family relief.
• Residential Living (Wohnverbünde) Around-the-clock residential care and supported living arrangements for people who cannot live independently, operated through subsidiary Volkshilfe Wohnverbund GmbH.
• Personal Assistance (Persönliche Assistenz) One-to-one assistance services supporting people with disabilities in daily living, independence and participation.
• Arbeitswelt — Labour Market Integration Counselling, qualification and reintegration programmes for people seeking to return to work, contracted with AMS (Austrian Public Employment Service).
• Refugee and Migrant Counselling (Flüchtlings- und MigrantInnenbetreuung) Integration support, counselling and orientation for refugees and migrants in Upper Austria, delivered through subsidiary Volkshilfe Integration.
• Volkshilfe Second-Hand Shops 22 retail outlets across Upper Austria selling donated second-hand clothing, furniture and household goods, with member discounts.
• SOMA-Markt (Social Supermarket) Social supermarket concept providing low-cost food and goods to people in financial need.
• VOIX Store (Vintage Fashion) Specialty vintage and second-hand fashion retail outlet positioned as a curated brand within the Volkshilfe retail network.
• Volkshilfe Online Shop Online channel for purchasing second-hand goods donated to the Volkshilfe Shops network.
• KoKo Language Courses German-language courses supporting integration for refugees, migrants and other learners across Upper Austria.
• Repair & Nähcafés Community repair and sewing cafés run with volunteers, offering low-cost or free repair services and skill-sharing to the public.
• Volkshilfe Membership & Magazin Paid membership programme providing the Volkshilfe Magazin, retail discounts, voting rights and access to member events.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of employees hold qualifications at specialist level or above
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 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 major, minor and core.

• Stadt Linz - Frauenbüro (City of Linz Women's Office)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2026Volkshilfe OÖ (as FZO - Fachzentren und Organisationen) co-organized the FRAUEN.Info.Messe 2026 with the Linz Women's Office. The event featured 31 exhibitors offering free advisory services for women on topics including health, violence prevention, housing, separation, finances, migration, and psychosocial counseling.
• CurafairminorOthers · 13 May 2026Curafair participated as an exhibitor at the FRAUEN.Info.Messe 2026, providing information and advisory services for women.
• Therapiezentrum OASISminorOthers · 13 May 2026Therapiezentrum OASIS participated as an exhibitor at the FRAUEN.Info.Messe 2026, contributing health and therapy-related advisory offerings.
• Persönliche Assistentz GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolkshilfe lebensART GmbH operates in joint responsibility with Persönliche Assistentz GmbH and Miteinander GmbH for the AssistentInnenbörse (personal assistants exchange) service. The three organizations jointly process personal data of personal assistants and their clients under GDPR joint controller arrangements.
• Miteinander GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolkshilfe lebensART GmbH operates in joint responsibility with Persönliche Assistentz GmbH and Miteinander GmbH for the AssistentInnenbörse service. The three organizations share data processing responsibilities as joint controllers under GDPR.
• StoP – Stadtteile ohne Partnergewalt LinzmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStoP – Stadtteile ohne Partnergewalt Linz participated in the FRAUEN.Info.Messe 2026 and held a memorial vigil (Mahnwache) against violence towards women and femicide in front of the New City Hall. Volkshilfe OÖ co-organized this initiative as part of the event.
• Zivildienstserviceagentur (Civil Service Agency)coreOthersVolkshilfe OÖ receives Zivildienstleistende (civil servants) via the Zivildienstserviceagentur. The agency transmits personal data including name, date of birth, social security number, contact details, and assignment information to Volkshilfe OÖ as a recognized civil service institution.
• District Associations (Bezirksvereine) - Perg and Wels-KirchdorfcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVolkshilfe OÖ works with district associations (Bezirksvereine) including Perg and Wels-Kirchdorf for decentralized service delivery, event organization (e.g., Fest der Kulturen, Miteinander für Respekt und Toleranz), and community representation. These operate with varying degrees of autonomy within the broader organization.
• AMS Oberösterreich (Public Employment Service Upper Austria)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVolkshilfe Arbeitswelt GmbH provides employment integration services (Arbeitsassistenz, Jugendcoaching, AusbildungsFit, etc.) under contract with AMS Oberösterreich, Austria's public employment service. Services include job placement, vocational training, and outplacement for people facing employment barriers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Malteser Austria: Austrian branch of the international Order of Malta relief organization, delivering mobile care, refugee services, and social support. Comparable service portfolio and non-profit contracting model with overlapping customer segments.
• Arbeitersamariterbund Österreich: Austrian non-profit delivering mobile care, nursing, and social services with strong Upper Austrian presence. Comparable in care provision model, contracting approach with public payers, and volunteer/civil service utilization.
• Lebenshilfe Oberösterreich: Upper Austrian non-profit specializing in disability services including Wohnverbünde and personal assistance. Overlaps directly with Volkshilfe lebensART GmbH's residential and personal assistance offerings within the same region.
• Hilfswerk Österreich: Austrian non-profit focused on home care, mobile services, and elderly support with regional branches including Upper Austria. Closely comparable in elder care ADL services, mobile nursing, and contracted provision to public payers.
• Volkshilfe Wien: A sibling organization within the Austrian Volkshilfe federation, delivering the same service mix (care, disability, refugee support, retail) but in Vienna. Direct functional peer with identical mission, structure, and service catalog, though in a different geography.
• Caritas Oberösterreich: The regional Caritas branch serving Upper Austria, providing an almost identical portfolio of elder care, disability services, refugee support, and second-hand retail. Operates in the same geography with the same public-sector contracting model, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Volkshilfe Niederösterreich: Another sibling Volkshilfe federation organization serving Lower Austria with the same integrated service model including care, disability, refugee, employment, and second-hand retail. Direct functional and structural peer within the same federation.
• Diakonie Österreich: Federated Protestant non-profit delivering elder care, disability services, refugee support, and labor market integration across Austria. Operates under similar public-contract model and serves overlapping vulnerable populations, making it a structurally comparable peer.

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Österreich: The national Caritas federation, the largest social services organization in Austria. Operates the same comprehensive service portfolio nationally and represents the broader incumbent against which Volkshilfe OÖ competes for public contracts and donor share.
• Rotes Kreuz Österreich: The Austrian Red Cross, the largest humanitarian organization in Austria, with significant presence in mobile care, nursing, refugee support, and retail (e.g., Kleiderläden). A broader incumbent with overlapping service lines and a comparable regional operational model.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 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 Volkshilfe OÖ