Anchor House Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Anchor House Inc.'s mission is to provide youth and young adults who are experiencing abuse, neglect, homelessness, or are aging out of the child welfare system with comprehensive services that offer them and their families the support they need to succeed and thrive.
- Income
- $4.4 million
- Spending
- $3.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- 13 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 52%
- Employees
- 49
- Volunteers
- 14
- Highest pay
- $182,096, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 90% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.0 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 5% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 36% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 2 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $847,591 spent. The Anchor House Shelter provides a full spectrum of services to youth under 18 and their families, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Services to youth include safety plans, temporary shelter, food, clothing, crisis intervention, coordinated case management, individual, group and family counseling, access to medical, dental and mental health care, life skills education, school outreach, transportation, and aftercare. There was a 58% increase in Shelter residents in 2025 compared to 2024.The Anchor House School Outreach Program offers confidential, comprehensive support services to schools and community organizations throughout Mercer County and educational assistance to Anchor House youth. Anchor House employs a School Outreach Counselor to coordinate these efforts and to connect with guidance counselors and the Homeless Liaisons throughout Mercer County to provide individual and group counseling to students in an effort to keep youth in school and off the streets. All Shelter youth are checked in with regarding school situations like attendance and grades and all youth are offered homework help if needed. This programming continues to grow with 331 youth served in 2024 and 553 in 2025.
- $747,560 spent. Anchor House's Street Outreach Program (SOP) serves young people ages 14-21 who are experiencing homelessness, have run away, or are in crisis. Through direct street outreach, staff build trusting relationships by offering basic needs such as food and clothing and connecting youth to shelter, safe housing, and supportive services that reduce risk of exploitation and promote stability and self-sufficiency. A Drop-In Center located at 868 Brunswick Avenue in Trenton complements the work being done on the streets where youth who are experiencing homelessness, living on the streets or at-risk of becoming homeless can frequent for meals, laundry, case management services and have access to email/Internet and a phone. Anchor House runs three programs in conjunction with the Trenton/Mercer Continuum of Care (CoC): two Rapid Rehousing Programs including one designed to meet the needs of LGBTQI+ youth that launched in July 2024, and Coordinated Entry Assessment System (CEAS). Anchor House started our first Rapid Rehousing program in 2009 to serve youth ages 18-24 who are HUD-eligible for supportive housing. The program provides rental assistance along with comprehensive support services, including case management, employment and educational assistance, life skills training, housing counseling, and assistance with housing searches. In July 2024, Anchor House launched a new Rapid Rehousing program specifically designed to meet the needs of youth who identify as LGBTQI+, a population that experiences disproportionately high rates of homelessness. Anchor House's Coordinated Entry Assessment System (CEAS) team serves youth who are homeless, ages 18-24. CEAS works closely with all community partners serving this population to streamline and coordinate the navigation of youth through housing assessments and services, community and street outreach, crisis intervention and case management, and referrals to social service agencies. This team is integrated into the City of Trenton's Coordinated Entry and Assessment System under the CoC. Youth are encouraged to participate on our Youth Advisory Council (YAC) where they can contribute to service planning, program development, and evaluation at Anchor House, and advocate on behalf of young people experiencing homelessness and other related issues on a broader scale.
- $646,123 spent. The Anchorage Transitional Living Program provides shelter, food, clothing, medical attention, psychological evaluations, therapy, individual and group counseling, life skills training, employment and educations services to homeless youth ages 18-21 to ensure their successful transition to independence. Discharged youth transitioned into safe, permanent housing. Staff help youth secure other resources such as wraparound funds for furniture and other necessities, and scholarships for college.
- $477,063 spent. Our Connect to Home (CTH) Program is designed for youth that are aging out of the child welfare system or may have been previously involved in the system and have experienced homelessness. CTH provides supportive services and apartments through Housing Choice Vouchers for Section 8 Housing for up to 20 youth. CTH has been serving an increasing number of children through this program as several residents are parenting youth (59% in 2024, 70% in 2025). Our Life Skills Program served youth referred by the NJ Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P). The program concluded on June 30, 2025, following DCP&P's decision to end the initiative statewide. Anchor House continues to offer life skills programming in all of our residential programs.
- $137,029 spent. Anchor Line Transitional Apartment Program provides apartments for youth experiencing homelessness, ages 18-21. Youth receive life skills training, employment and education assistance, medical and mental health access and therapeutic counseling. Youth are taught how to advocate for themselves, access supportive services, and obtain and retain employment.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1983.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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