verein arge fuer obdachlose

What verein arge fuer obdachlose does

Verein Arge für Obdachlose (legally Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Obdachlose) is a private nonprofit association (Verein) founded in 1983 in Linz, Upper Austria, that delivers integrated homelessness and housing-insecurity services to roughly 1,200 affected persons per year. The organization operates five interconnected programs: Arge SIE (counseling, accompaniment, and transitional housing for homeless women, including 8 transitional plus 1 crisis apartment in cooperation with Wohnplattform); WieWo / Wieder Wohnen (mobile housing support and transitional apartments for homeless men); ReWo / Regionales Wohnen (mobile eviction-prevention counseling across four Mühlviertel districts plus four emergency apartments added in 2022); Trödlerladen (an environmental second-hand retail and workshop project at two Linz locations that provides temporary employment and apartment-clearance services); and Kupfermuckn (a monthly street newspaper launched in 1996 with circulation of 22,000–50,000 copies/month and ~250 active vendors, recognized globally by the INSP Award in 2018).

Name

verein arge fuer obdachlose

Legal name

Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Obdachlose

Website

https://arge-obdachlose.at

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Verein Arge für Obdachlose is an Austrian nonprofit founded in 1983 that delivers integrated housing support, employment assistance, and eviction-prevention services to roughly 1,200 homeless and housing-insecure persons each year in Linz and the Mühlviertel region of Upper Austria.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Social Housing Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Homeless housing services
• Eviction prevention counseling
• Social employment programs
• Transitional housing support
• Street newspaper publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Linz

HQ country

Austria

HQ region

Europe

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding: The organization is financed through public funding from the State of Upper Austria (Land Oberösterreich), the City of Linz, and the Federal Ministry for Health and Women (Bundesministerium für Gesundheit und Frauen). This is the primary funding source alongside donations and own revenues.
2. Donations: Private donations from individuals who support the organization's mission. Donations are tax-deductible in Austria when the donor provides their name and date of birth matching the registration records.
3. Thrift Store Operations (Trödlerladen): Revenue from sale of second-hand goods through the Trödlerladen thrift store. The store conducts apartment clearances and decluttering services for clients, selling reusable items. Also offers paid removal/decluttering services.
4. Street Newspaper Sales (Kupfermuckn): The Kupfermuckn street newspaper provides income for homeless sellers. Sellers purchase newspapers for €1.50 and sell for €3.00, earning €1.50 per sale. The organization earns revenue from bulk newspaper production and distribution.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Verein Arge für Obdachlose is a non-profit association that delivers integrated social services to people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity in Upper Austria. Its portfolio includes transitional housing and counseling (Arge SIE for women, WieWo for men), an environmentally oriented thrift store (Trödlerladen) and a monthly street newspaper (Kupfermuckn) that together provide income and employment, plus the ReWo mobile eviction-prevention counseling service across the Mühlviertel region. Approximately 1,200 affected individuals receive support each year, financed primarily through public funding, donations, and earned revenues.

Product overview

Arge für Obdachlose is a non-profit organization founded in 1983 offering a portfolio of integrated social services for people experiencing housing poverty in Upper Austria. The organization operates five interconnected projects: Arge SIE provides housing support services specifically for women, including transitional apartments and crisis housing; WieWo (Wieder Wohnen) offers mobile housing support and transitional apartments for men; Kupfermuckn is a monthly street newspaper that provides income opportunities for affected individuals; Trödlerladen is an environmental employment project offering work in second-hand retail, furniture restoration, and recycling operations; and ReWo (Regionales Wohnen) delivers mobile counseling and eviction prevention services in the Mühlviertel region with emergency apartments. Together, these projects address housing assistance, employment support, and social integration for approximately 1,200 people annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arge SIE: Project providing counseling, accompaniment and housing support for homeless women, including transitional apartments and crisis housing in cooperation with Wohnplattform 8.
• WieWo (Wieder Wohnen)
• Kupfermuckn
• Trödlerladen
• ReWo (Regionales Wohnen)

Products and services

• Arge SIE Project providing counseling, accompaniment, and transitional/crisis housing for homeless women in Linz, including registration support and connection to further social services.
• WieWo (Wieder Wohnen) Mobile housing support service for homeless men in Linz, providing initial assessment, counseling, transitional apartments, and long-term accompaniment toward independent living.
• Kupfermuckn Street Newspaper Monthly Upper Austrian street newspaper providing income opportunities for homeless and impoverished sellers (purchased at €1.50, sold at €3.00) and a community platform for affected contributors, with circulation of 22,000-50,000 copies.
• Trödlerladen Thrift Store Second-hand retail, furniture, antiques, and household goods stores providing temporary employment to over 250 homeless and welfare recipients annually, with woodworking, metalworking, and decluttering/removal services.
• ReWo (Regionales Wohnen) Mobile eviction-prevention counseling and housing support service for residents across the Mühlviertel districts (Urfahr-Umgebung, Freistadt, Perg, Rohrbach), including coordination with courts, municipalities, and social counseling centers, plus four emergency apartments.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,200 people in acute housing need supported per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wohnplattform (Housing Platform Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization works with Wohnplattform to provide 8 transitional apartments for women (SIE project) plus 1 crisis apartment. The Wohnplattform provides the housing units while the organization provides social support and counseling. Also provides transitional housing for men (WIEWO project).
• Municipalities in MühlviertelcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerREWO project works with municipalities in districts Urfahr-Umgebung, Freistadt, Perg, and Rohrbach. Municipalities are key partners in the housing security network (Netzwerk Wohnungssicherung) for eviction prevention coordination.
• Social Counseling Centers in MühlviertelcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerREWO project coordinates with social counseling centers (Sozialberatungsstellen) in the Mühlviertel region for comprehensive support referrals and case coordination in complex housing situations.
• OÖ Wohnungslosenhilfe (Upper Austrian Homeless Aid Network)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe organization operates as part of the Upper Austrian Homeless Aid system with division of labor with other facilities. Participates in annual networking meetings and is involved in nationwide homelessness help (Österreichweite Wohnungslosenhilfe).
• Sozialen Wohnservice WelsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner day center where Kupfermuckn street newspaper is distributed in Wels.
• Wohnen SteyrminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner day center where Kupfermuckn street newspaper is distributed in Steyr.
• Wohnungslosenhilfe Mosaik VöcklabruckminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner organization where Kupfermuckn street newspaper is distributed in Vöcklabruck.
• INSP (International Network of Street Papers)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational network of street newspapers. Kupfermuckn received the INSP Award for Best Campaign in 2018. Member of global network of street papers providing mutual support and recognition.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Caritas Österreich: Austria's largest nonprofit social services confederation operating homeless shelters, counseling, and emergency housing across all federal states. Directly comparable as a multi-service provider addressing homelessness and social exclusion, but operating at national scale rather than the Verein level.
• Volkshilfe Österreich: Major Austrian social welfare nonprofit providing homelessness services, debt counseling, and housing support nationwide. Comparable mission and service mix (housing assistance and social support) but with broader national reach and a different organizational structure.
• Diakonie Österreich: Protestant social services umbrella organization providing homeless aid, counseling, and housing programs across Austria. Comparable mission in homeless services but with religious-affiliated positioning and broader national scope.
• Rotes Kreuz Österreich (Austrian Red Cross): National humanitarian organization providing emergency shelters, social services, and crisis intervention. Operates comparable emergency accommodation and outreach services across Austria, including overlap with homeless populations.

Direct peers

• Neunerhaus: Vienna-based nonprofit providing housing, medical care, and social services to homeless and at-risk individuals. Directly comparable integrated service model (housing plus healthcare plus employment) but focused on Vienna rather than Upper Austria.

Others

• BAWO – Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungslosenhilfe: National umbrella organization for Austrian homelessness services. Not a direct competitor but a coordinating body; the organization explicitly coordinates with the OÖ Wohnungslosenhilfe network and participates in BAWO-aligned activities.

Emerging players

• The Big Issue (UK): International street newspaper providing income opportunities for homeless vendors. Directly comparable to Kupfermuckn via INSP membership and shared street-newspaper social-enterprise model, though operating in a different country and at much larger scale.
• Sheltersuit Foundation: European nonprofit producing and distributing clothing/shelter items for homeless populations. Comparable social mission and partnership-driven distribution model, but focused on product provision rather than housing services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kupfermuckn
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wiewo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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