Friendship Center Of Helena Inc

What Friendship Center Of Helena Inc does

The Friendship Center of Helena, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit victim advocacy organization founded in 1970 and headquartered at 1430 N Sanders St, Helena, Montana. It provides free, confidential services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking (DVSAS) across Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties, with a 24-hour crisis helpline (406.442.6800) and in-person office hours Monday through Friday. In 2025 the organization served 733 known individuals, of whom 529 identified domestic violence as their primary victimization, against an addressable population of roughly 27,500 within the tri-county region.

Its core service offerings include one-on-one advocacy and safety planning, emergency shelter referrals, Orders of Protection legal advocacy, hospital and court accompaniment, community education and prevention programming, dedicated on-campus services at Carroll College, and a distinctive pet-safe housing program operated in partnership with the Lewis & Clark Humane Society. Technology plays a supporting rather than central role: the organization uses Izzy client services and helpline software for case management but does not develop or license proprietary technology products. All services are provided free of charge with no reporting requirement to law enforcement.

The business model is donation- and grant-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding sources include individual donations, community grants, and recurring fundraising events such as the annual Hope Benefit Luncheon, Purple Night rodeo events in Helena and Broadwater County, and community partnership nights at local businesses such as Windbag Saloon. The organization has been actively raising capital to expand into a contiguous campus, signaling growth ambition funded by philanthropic rather than commercial capital.

Name

Friendship Center Of Helena Inc

Legal name

Friendship Center Of Helena Inc

Website

https://thefriendshipcenter.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Friendship Center of Helena is a nonprofit founded in 1970 that provides free, confidential 24/7 crisis intervention, advocacy, and education services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking across three Montana counties, including a unique pet-safe housing program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Victim Advocacy Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Community Housing Services (62422), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Domestic violence advocacy
• Sexual assault support
• Victim advocacy services
• Crisis intervention hotline
• Community education prevention

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: The Friendship Center is a nonprofit organization funded primarily through community donations, grants, and fundraising events such as the Hope Benefit Luncheon and community nights at local businesses like Windbag Saloon.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Friendship Center provides free, confidential advocacy services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties in Montana. Core offerings include a 24-hour crisis helpline, one-on-one advocacy and safety planning, legal advocacy including Orders of Protection assistance, hospital advocacy, court accompaniment, community education, Carroll College campus services, and a pet-safe housing program through partnership with the Lewis & Clark Humane Society.

Product overview

The Friendship Center is a nonprofit victim advocacy organization offering a coordinated suite of services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The core offerings include 24-hour crisis helpline support, one-on-one advocacy services, community education programs, campus-specific services at Carroll College, and a pet safe housing program. These services are provided free of charge to residents of Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties in Montana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advocacy Services Direct support services for individuals affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including crisis intervention, safety planning, and accompaniment through legal and medical processes. Provided free and confidentially to residents of Lewis and Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson counties in Montana.
• 24-Hour Help Line Round-the-clock crisis hotline at 406.442.6800 providing immediate support, safety planning, and resource connections for individuals affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
• Carroll College Services On-campus advocacy services and education provided in partnership with Carroll College to serve students, faculty, and staff experiencing domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
• Community Education Educational programs and outreach services that teach the community about domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and prevention strategies.
• Safe Housing for Pets Temporary safe housing for pets of individuals fleeing domestic violence, provided in partnership with the Lewis & Clark Humane Society to remove a barrier to survivors seeking shelter.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lewis & Clark Humane SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer free safe housing for pets at no cost to clients. Addresses a significant barrier where 1 in 5 domestic violence victims delay leaving because they don't know where to place or protect their pets. Some survivors will even live in their cars to avoid being separated from pets.
• St. Peter's HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSt. Peter's Health is the only medical center in the tri-county area that performs examinations by trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE). When an ER patient has experienced sexual assault, a SANE nurse contacts The Friendship Center so an advocate can respond to support the patient's emotional and safety needs while evidence is collected.
• Lewis and Clark County Children's Advocacy Center (CAC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAWARE's Lewis and Clark County Children's Advocacy Center serves child victims of abuse with trauma-informed forensic interviews. Coordinates representatives from law enforcement, child protective services, pediatricians, county attorney's office, FBI, and family services. The Friendship Center receives referrals from CAC and provides training on child abuse.
• Carroll CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Friendship Center works with Carroll College to provide direct services, education, and awareness for the Carroll community through dedicated on-campus services and educational programming.
• Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal law enforcement partnership including participation in Purple Night events to raise awareness about intimate partner violence. Officers are trained to use voluntary lethality risk assessments when responding to domestic violence reports and can connect victims directly with TFC's 24/7 crisis line.
• Lewis and Clark County Attorney's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the County Attorney's office for prosecution of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases. Chief Criminal Deputy County Attorney Mary Barry discusses the criminal justice process and challenges of successfully trying sexual assault cases.
• Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvened by St. Peter's Health to coordinate consistent, effective, victim-centered response to sexual violence. Team includes staff from St. Peter's Health, The Friendship Center, law enforcement, Child Advocacy Center, and County Attorney's Office to ensure appropriate communication and support for victims.
• Montana Book CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal Helena bookstore where customers can purchase recommended books like Sexual Citizens, with a portion of purchases donated back to The Friendship Center.
• Windbag SaloonminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity night events where a percentage of evening sales is donated to The Friendship Center. Raised about $1,000 from one event.
• Montana Legal Services AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMontana Legal Services Association's Alix House shares about a program offering legal assistance to human trafficking survivors and those at risk of being trafficked, including trauma-informed legal assistance.
• Family Promise of Greater HelenaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ruth's Place women's shelter project, teaming up with Good Samaritan Ministries to open a new shelter for women and children.
• Good Samaritan MinistriesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Ruth's Place women's shelter project, teaming up with Family Promise of Greater Helena to open a new shelter for women and children.
• Montana Moms Demand ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-leader Shani Henry discusses efforts to eliminate gun violence through advocacy, education, and partnerships addressing the lethal intersection of guns and domestic violence.
• Exchange Club of HelenaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerService club that supports the Helena community through various initiatives including Purple Night events at the Last Chance Stampede rodeo.
• Healthy Mothers Healthy BabiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to discuss challenges for expectant mothers and children experiencing violence and abuse, offering hope and resources for this vulnerable population.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): Operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline and a network of local rape crisis centers providing sexual assault advocacy and response coordination. The Friendship Center's sexual assault services, including coordination with SANE nurses at St. Peter's Health, mirror the model Rainn affiliates implement at scale.
• Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence: Statewide coalition of DV/SA service providers in Montana. It is the umbrella organization for the Montana DV and SA provider network, of which the Friendship Center is a member — making it a governance-level peer and a primary source of state/federal funding flows.
• YWCA: YWCA is a national nonprofit operating local affiliates that provide domestic violence shelters, advocacy, and sexual assault services. It is a broad incumbent in the same service category as the Friendship Center, with many local YWCA chapters offering the same 24-hour helpline, advocacy, and shelter referral model in mid-sized U.S. communities.
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: Operates the nation's primary 24/7 crisis hotline for domestic violence. It is a direct functional comparator for the Friendship Center's helpline service, and as the federally designated centralized hotline, it represents the national-scale version of the Friendship Center's most-accessed service.
• National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV): National advocacy organization that supports a network of state and local DV coalitions and direct service providers. While primarily an advocacy and policy organization, it is the closest national-level umbrella peer for organizations like the Friendship Center and a key conduit for federal funding streams.

Regional players

• A New Awakening: Community-based DV/SA service organization in another region of the U.S. offering advocacy, counseling, and education services. Represents a regional-scale peer for benchmarking comparable rural or mid-sized community DV organizations against the Friendship Center.
• Turning Point DV Services: Regionally focused DV/SA service provider offering advocacy, shelter, and education in a defined service area. It is a strong structural peer to the Friendship Center in terms of operating model (community-based, comprehensive services, regional tri-county service area).

Direct peers

• Safe Horizon: Largest victim services nonprofit in the U.S., providing DV/SA advocacy, shelter referrals, legal advocacy, and community education in New York City. It is a direct service-model peer to the Friendship Center — both are free, confidential, multi-service victim advocacy organizations with hotline, legal advocacy, and community education pillars.
• Sanctuary for Families: New York-based nonprofit providing comprehensive DV/SA services including shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and case management. Closely mirrors the Friendship Center's integrated service model (advocacy, legal, education, shelter referrals) and is a strong direct peer for benchmarking service design.

Emerging players

• Break the Cycle (now love is respect): National nonprofit focused on dating violence and healthy relationships among young people, including a 24/7 helpline. Its demographic focus (youth and young adults) aligns with the Friendship Center's Carroll College campus programming, and it operates a directly comparable helpline + education model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thefriendshipcenter8965
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheFriendshipCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-friendship-center
• Instagraminstagram.com/thefriendshipcenterhelena

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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