What ashrei foundation does

Ashrei Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered at The Hub, 3000 East Prairie Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. The organization delivers economic-justice and immigration-justice programming for unhoused and housing-unstable residents, immigrants and mixed-status families from 60 countries of origin, and low-income Missourians who face barriers to government-issued identification. Its flagship direct-service program is the North City Photo ID Project, which provides hands-on technical and financial assistance for obtaining Missouri photo IDs and U.S. birth certificates through weekly Thursday clinics and offsite popup events. Adjacent programming includes the St. Louis Rapid Response Hotline for immigration enforcement support (launched January 27, 2025), the IFER Fund emergency cash-assistance program, refugee resettlement support, fiscal sponsorship for smaller organizations (e.g., Camp Indigo Point), and statewide policy advocacy via the Missouri State ID Access Coalition and a handwritten "Postcard People" advocacy program.

The organization operates on a non-commercial operating model: all direct services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries, and revenue is generated entirely through individual donations (one-time and recurring via DonorPerfect), community-powered house-party fundraisers, and minor fiscal-sponsorship administrative fees. Its technology stack is composed of commodity SaaS tools (Squarespace, Google Suite, Signal, Canva, POINT volunteer platform, Zoom) rather than a proprietary platform, with one internally built public product: the Eastern Missouri Immigration Enforcement Dashboard, which visualizes hotline data (943 total contacts, 8,221 calls) on arrests, traffic stops, ICE detentions, detainee demographics, and country of origin. Ashrei is led by Executive Director Sara Ruiz, with Founder Rabbi Susan Talve shifting full focus to the organization after retiring from Central Reform Congregation in December 2024, and Project Manager Aubrey Lay (UMSL CORO Fellow) handling Photo ID operations.

Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven rather than commercial: Ashrei relies on trust relationships with the St. Louis faith community, recurring clinic events, coalition meetings, and house-party fundraising to reach both beneficiaries and supporters. Its volunteer base and partner network include St. Louis County Library, Salvation Army St. Charles, WashU Gephardt Institute, UMSL CORO, the International Institute of St. Louis, and the League of Women Voters Missouri, providing low-cost physical infrastructure and political legitimacy for a model that explicitly bridges nonprofit access to resources that are unavailable to houses of worship.

Name

ashrei foundation

Legal name

The Ashrei Foundation

Website

https://ashreifoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ashrei Foundation is a St. Louis-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps unhoused residents, immigrants, and low-income Missourians obtain government-issued identification through weekly Photo ID clinics, an immigration Rapid Response Hotline, emergency cash assistance, refugee resettlement support, and statewide policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

Keywords

• Photo id assistance
• Immigration justice services
• Refugee resettlement support
• Community advocacy programs
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: The organization accepts one-time and recurring donations through DonorPerfect platform. Donations fund all programs including Photo ID assistance, hotline operations, IFER Fund, and hospitality services.
2. Fiscal Sponsorship: Ashrei Foundation serves as fiscal sponsor for Camp Indigo Point and potentially other organizations, providing administrative infrastructure while the sponsored organization conducts its programs.
3. House Party Fundraising: Community-powered house party events hosted by supporters to raise funds for Ashrei Foundation programs. Funds raised directly support Missouri photo IDs, vital documents, family support, refugee resettlement, and policy advocacy.
4. IFER Fund Emergency Cash Assistance: Emergency cash assistance program distributed to immigrant and mixed-status families impacted by immigration enforcement. In 2025, distributed $100,000 in direct cash assistance to 200 families.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ashrei Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides direct social services and advocacy programs to advance economic and immigration justice in the St. Louis region and Missouri. Its core offerings include hands-on Photo ID and birth certificate assistance through weekly clinics, a Rapid Response Hotline for immigration enforcement support, emergency cash assistance (IFER Fund), refugee resettlement support, statewide ID-access coalition coordination, and a public immigration enforcement data dashboard. All services are provided free of charge to individual beneficiaries and are funded through donations, grants, and community fundraising.

Product overview

Ashrei Foundation operates as a social justice nonprofit offering a coordinated set of programs focused on economic and immigration justice. The core flagship program is the North City Photo ID Project, which provides hands-on technical and financial assistance for obtaining Missouri photo IDs and birth certificates through weekly clinics. This connects to the Missouri ID Access Coalition for statewide advocacy. Immigration justice programming includes the Rapid Response Hotline for crisis support and the IFER Fund for emergency cash assistance. The Immigration Data Dashboard provides public analytics on enforcement patterns. Additional programs include the Postcard People advocacy initiative, House Party fundraising, Refugee Resettlement support, Fiscal Sponsorship services, and a Volunteer program. All programs are accessed through the St. Louis-based organization with operations throughout Missouri.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ashrei Party People: Community-powered house party program where supporters host gatherings to raise funds and awareness for the foundation's mission of justice and access.
• Postcard People
• North City Photo ID Project
• Missouri State ID Access Coalition
• Immigration Justice
• Immigration Data Dashboard

Products and services

• North City Photo ID Project Hands-on technical guidance and direct financial assistance for individuals obtaining Missouri photo IDs and U.S. birth certificates. Weekly clinics operate Thursdays at The Hub (3000 E. Prairie Ave., St. Louis, MO 63107) by appointment.
• Missouri ID Access Coalition Statewide coalition working to help adults in Missouri obtain identification, addressing barriers for approximately 26 million adults nationwide who lack ID access. Coordinates advocates, providers, policymakers, and community members.
• St. Louis Rapid Response Hotline Immigration crisis support hotline connecting impacted individuals to direct resources, helping navigate complex systems, and facilitating communication with detained loved ones. Operated by volunteers using smartphone apps and Signal encrypted messaging; Spanish-English bilingual operators required.
• IFER Fund Emergency cash assistance program for immigrant and mixed-status families impacted by immigration enforcement. Volunteers coordinate and deliver funds via Signal with bilingual support.
• Immigration Data Dashboard Public-facing web dashboard tracking immigration enforcement data in Eastern Missouri. Displays hotline contacts (943), unique countries of origin (60), total hotline calls (8,221), referral types, arrests and traffic stops by county, ICE detentions, and detainee demographics.
• Refugee Resettlement Support services for refugees rebuilding their lives, expanded in 2025 as part of Ashrei's broadened mission to assist new arrivals in the St. Louis region.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Administrative and financial oversight services for other nonprofit projects, such as Camp Indigo Point (an LGBTQ+ youth program). Ashrei provides back-office infrastructure while sponsored groups run their programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 943 total contacts served through Rapid Response Hotline
• +3 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

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Missouri State ID Access CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshrei Foundation is a key member of the Missouri State ID Access Coalition, a statewide coalition working to help 26 million adults nationwide obtain identification. The coalition coordinates advocates, providers, policymakers, and community members through monthly meetings, annual summits, and collaborative advocacy efforts including formal letters to the Missouri Department of Revenue on accessibility accommodations.
• STL Rapid Response CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshrei Foundation partners with the STL Rapid Response Coalition to operate the Rapid Response Hotline for immigration enforcement support. While Ashrei manages the hotline, it refers volunteers to stlrapidresponse.org for additional engagement opportunities. 82% of hotline calls about people in ICE custody began with a local police arrest.
• St. Louis County LibraryminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership to host Photo ID popup clinics at St. Louis County Library branches, including the Lewis & Clark Branch. Libraries provide accessible community locations for reaching residents who may need ID assistance.
• Salvation Army St. CharlesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner host location for St. Charles Pop Up Photo ID Clinic. Salvation Army facilities provide trusted community presence in St. Charles County for extending Photo ID services beyond central St. Louis.
• WashU Gephardt Institute for Civic & Community EngagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshrei Foundation hosts Gephardt Fellows from Washington University for summer internships. The partnership brings student talent to support organizational programs while providing experiential learning opportunities.
• UMSL CORO Fellowship ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Missouri-St. Louis CORO program to host fellows. UMSL CORO Fellow Aubrey Lay serves as Photo ID Program Manager and has contributed to hotline data analysis projects.
• Washington University Center for the Study of Race, Ethnicity, & EquityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAshrei partnered with WashU CSREE to bring Dr. Jonathan Metzl (author and gun violence expert) to St. Louis for speaking events in November 2024. This collaboration brought national expertise for the Foundations of Justice Speaker Series.
• Camp Indigo PointminorOthersAshrei Foundation serves as fiscal sponsor for Camp Indigo Point, an LGBTQ+ youth program. Ashrei provides administrative infrastructure while Camp Indigo Point operates its programs providing community for LGBTQ+ teens.
• Christ Church CathedralminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChrist Church Cathedral's Schuyler Ballroom serves as venue for the Clergy Collective Gathering on Immigration, Faith & Faithful Action (August 17, 2026). Faith venues provide accessible space for interfaith programming.
• International Institute of St. LouisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHost venue for the 2026 Missouri ID Access Summit. The International Institute is a key immigrant services organization and their venue signals the intersection of ID access and immigrant community needs.
• The Blue Duck (Maplewood)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue for Sunny sIDe Up Volunteer Breakfast (September 25, 2026), a continuing education event for Photo ID Project volunteers. Community restaurants provide informal gathering spaces for volunteer appreciation.
• The Bellwether (St. Louis)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue for 2026 Summer Soiree fundraising event. The Bellwether (1419 Carroll Street) hosts the annual evening of connection and purpose supporting justice, dignity, and opportunity.
• The Ethical Society of St. LouisminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue for platform presentation by Executive Director Sara Ruiz on access as a core justice issue (May 24, 2026). Faith and ethical community venues enable outreach to new audiences.
• League of Women Voters MissouriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeague of Women Voters Missouri partnered with Ashrei Foundation for the Missouri State ID Access Coalition brunch event (December 14). Recognition given to outgoing League leader Linda McDaniel for work against strict photo ID requirements.
• Ready ReadersminorOthersReady Readers received book donations at the Missouri State ID Access Coalition brunch event. Ashrei Foundation includes literacy support as part of broader community giving.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ashrei-stl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ashrei-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ashrei foundation