What The Working Centre does

The Working Centre is a Waterloo Region non-profit organization founded in 1982 by Joe and Stephanie Mancini, operating an integrated web of community services for individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, food insecurity, poverty, and social isolation. Its service model is organized under four pillars — Work and Livelihood, St. John's Kitchen and Outreach, Housing and Shelter, and Community Tools and Enterprise — comprising 30+ projects delivered through owned real estate including the 97 Victoria St. N. Making Home campus (44 supportive housing units, medical and dental clinics, St. John's Kitchen), King Street and Erbs Road shelters (capacity ~150), 100+ units of affordable housing across 15 buildings, and social enterprises (Fresh Ground Café, Queen Street Commons Café, Recycle Cycles bike shop, Computer Recycling, Worth a Second Look, The Green Door, Maurita's Kitchen commissary, Good Work News quarterly newspaper).

The organization employs a 200-person staff team supported by 400 volunteers, including a multilingual Resource Centre team covering 17 languages, and delivers services at no charge to recipients. The underlying operating technology is a place-based social services platform with embedded co-located partner services (Community Health Caring Kitchener, Starling, Ontario Works, Sanguen, ACCKWA) and mobile outreach (Street Outreach and Specialized Outreach Services) that meet clients in encampments, shelters, and on the street. Its business model is a hybrid of multi-funder institutional grants (30+ government and foundation sources including Region of Waterloo, Ontario Health, Health Canada, Serco/MLTISD, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and the federal Government of Canada), annual community donations (3,000+ donors contributing over $1M/year), and revenue from social enterprises. Core services are free; cafés and thrift enterprises price affordably to support accessibility and cross-subsidize mission activity. The organization has invested significantly in capital expansion, completing a $22M Making Home project in 2025 and announcing a $1.65M federally-supported Victoria Campus Community Centre in 2024.

Name

The Working Centre

Legal name

K-W Working Centre for the Unemployed

Website

https://theworkingcentre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The Working Centre is a Waterloo Region non-profit, founded in 1982, that delivers an integrated web of community services — housing, shelters, employment support, meals, healthcare, and social enterprises — to people experiencing homelessness, unemployment, food insecurity, and newcomer settlement challenges, funded by 30+ government and institutional grants, 3,000+ donors, and social enterprise revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Community Food Services (62421), Other Individual and Family Services (62419)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC), Employment & Job Readiness Support Services (BPAGAEAJ), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Homelessness shelter support
• Affordable housing provision
• Employment resource services
• Community food programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Kitchener

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funders include Region of Waterloo Housing and Homelessness, Ontario Health, Serco and Ministry of Labour, Training, Immigration and Skills Development, and Health Canada. The organization works with over 30 different funders.
2. Community Donations: Over 3,000 donors contribute annually, with donations exceeding $1,000,000 per year. Donations fill gaps and support services such as the 400 meals served daily at St. John's Kitchen. St. John's Kitchen is funded almost entirely by community donations.
3. Social Enterprise Revenue: Strong entrepreneurial spirit through social enterprises including cafés (Fresh Ground Café, Queen Street Commons Café), bike recycling (Recycle Cycles), computer recycling, used furniture/housewares (Worth a Second Look), and catering services. Housing revenues also contribute to operations.
4. Capital Campaign Donations: Making Home Capital Campaign raised $22 million from government grants ($12M) and over 300 different contributors ($10M) for the 97 Victoria development project.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

The Working Centre is a registered Canadian charity that delivers free, integrated community services and operates social enterprises in Waterloo Region. Its core offerings include daily meal service at St. John's Kitchen (400 meals/day), shelter and supportive housing (100+ affordable units, 44-unit Making Home campus, 50-cabin Erbs Road Shelter), employment support through the Job Search Resource Centre and Job Café, primary care and dental clinics, street and specialized outreach, and revenue-generating social enterprises (Fresh Ground Café, Queen Street Commons Café, Recycle Cycles, Computer Recycling, Worth a Second Look thrift store, Maurita's Kitchen catering).

Product overview

The Working Centre operates as an integrated web of community services organized under four main pillars: Work and Livelihood, St. John's Kitchen and Outreach, Housing and Shelter, and Community Tools and Enterprise. The organization offers a diverse portfolio of interconnected social enterprises and services including employment support (Job Search Resource Centre, Job Café), food services (St. John's Kitchen serving 400 people daily, Maurita's Kitchen commissary), healthcare (Community Dental Clinic, St. John's Kitchen Clinic, Specialized Outreach Services), affordable and supportive housing (100 units across 15 buildings, 44-unit Making Home project, shelters), community enterprises (Fresh Ground Café, Queen Street Commons Café, Recycle Cycles bike shop, Computer Recycling, Worth a Second Look thrift store), and publications (Good Work News quarterly newspaper). These services work together in an integrated model to support people experiencing homelessness, unemployment, poverty, and vulnerability, with the goal of building community and belonging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• St. John's Kitchen Daily meal service and drop-in hub providing nutritious meals, coffee, laundry, showers, and problem-solving supports for people experiencing homelessness or vulnerable circumstances. Operates as a central gathering place connecting people to healthcare, housing, and social services.
• St. John's Kitchen Clinic Primary care clinic operated in partnership with Community Health Caring Kitchener, offering daily on-site medical services at St. John's Kitchen to improve access to healthcare for vulnerable individuals.
• Street Outreach Mobile outreach services providing community connectedness, problem-solving, accompaniment, and access to housing services for people experiencing homelessness, including active encampment visits.
• Specialized Outreach Services (SOS) Interdisciplinary concurrent team providing clinical care in encampments and on the street, serving 960 people annually through proactive visits and trust-based relationships to reduce emergency department visits.
• Community Dental Clinic Free basic dental health care clinic operated in collaboration with volunteer dental professionals, serving people experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness.
• Job Search Resource Centre Hub for employment support offering resume writing, job search assistance, career path counseling, and access to computers in multiple languages; formally supports approximately 900 people annually in their job search, with 125-175 daily visits.
• Money Matters Financial problem-solving service helping individuals struggling to pay rent on limited income, navigating benefits, and completing income tax returns through annual tax clinics.
• Job Café Casual labor program for those living on social income, offering minimum wage work opportunities such as downtown clean team and maintenance jobs.
• Affordable Housing 100 units of affordable housing across 15 buildings, including units focused on refugees and New Canadians, affordability, and one designed as a dry house.
• 97 Victoria St N: Making Home Integrated campus project featuring 44 units of supportive housing, a new St. John's Kitchen facility, medical clinic space, community dental clinic, and hospitality house, designed to assist people with housing transitions and social stability.
• Erbs Road Shelter 50-cabin shelter providing individual shelter for people who were living in encampments, with pets welcome, health care on site, and daily shuttle service to downtown areas.
• King Street Shelter Low-barrier, congregate shelter supporting 100 people in a co-ed environment with shared space for couples, pets welcome, and on-site health care services.
• Refugee and Newcomer Housing Affordable housing options for refugees and newcomers including Louisa Street Hospitality House, Queen Street Apartments for immigrant/refugee women and children, and support through other housing units.
• Supportive Housing 8 units of supportive housing supporting people who have faced long-term homelessness to build and maintain housing stability with 24/7 tenant support.
• Fresh Ground Café Plant-filled community café offering freshly roasted coffee, baked goods, and space for community gatherings, events, and catering services.
• Queen Street Commons Café Affordable vegetarian café offering home-style meals, snacks, desserts, and fresh-roasted coffee in an inclusive community gathering space.
• Recycle Cycles Community bike shop refurbishing donated bikes for affordable sale, offering bike repair services, stand bookings, and cycling education programs.
• Computer Recycling Project refurbishing and selling donated computers and electronics at affordable prices, specializing in Linux Mint systems with warranties and support.
• Worth a Second Look Used furniture and housewares thrift store providing low-cost items to help people outfit new homes and encouraging culture of repurposing.
• The Green Door Used clothing store providing affordable clothing options with dignity and choice, in the process of relocating to Queen Street.
• Maurita's Kitchen Commissary kitchen producing 700 meals daily for St. John's Kitchen, Erbs Road Shelter, and King Street Shelter.
• Good Work News Quarterly newspaper telling stories about community building, in its fourth decade with 150+ issues and 13,000 print circulation.
• CTx Green Non-profit partnering with grassroots organizations to research and implement community-based renewable energy projects in India and Kenya, focusing on village-level biofuel solutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 156,000 meals shared annually
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments6 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.

• Food Bank of Waterloo RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary food supplier donating approximately 800,000 pounds of food annually to support meal programs at St. John's Kitchen, Erbs Road Shelter, and King Street Shelter.
• Community Health Caring KitchenercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner operating daily primary care clinic at St. John's Kitchen location, ensuring timely access to health care and preventing Emergency Department visits.
• Hockey Helps the Homeless Waterloo RegioncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCharitable event harnessessing Canada's affinity for hockey to raise funds and awareness for homelessness. Granted over $2.5 million locally to 6 partner agencies since inception. Partner agencies: oneRoof, House of Friendship, Starling Community Services, Cambridge Shelter Corp, YW of K-W, and The Working Centre.
• BingemansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-time patron supporter of Mayors' Dinner hosting the annual fundraising event at their venue.
• Hallman ConstructionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-time patron supporter participating in every Mayors' Dinner.
• EmployNextcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial employment services network where The Working Centre is an EmployNext provider offering personalized employment services and strategies for job seekers.
• AccertaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDental health coverage provider partner supporting access to Community Dental Clinic services.
• Perimeter DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevelopment partner for Making Home project at 97 Victoria St. N., receiving Excellence in Conservation Award in collaboration with The Working Centre and BNKC Architects Inc.
• BNKC Architects Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchitecture partner for Making Home project at 97 Victoria St. N., receiving Excellence in Conservation Award in collaboration with The Working Centre and Perimeter Development.
• Gram VikascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal NGO partner in Odisha, India with 35+ years experience. CTx GREEN partnership implements biodiesel-based alternate energy solutions for water-pumping in remote non-electrified villages as part of Gram Vikas' Rural Health and Environment Programme.
• Starling Community ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing on-site services at St. John's Kitchen for housing support and system navigation.
• Ontario WorksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment social assistance program with on-site presence at St. John's Kitchen for income support access.
• SanguenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing services at St. John's Kitchen addressing substance use and harm reduction.
• ACCKWAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization providing services at St. John's Kitchen for AIDS/HIV support and education.
• A Better Tent City (ABTC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNovel community-based approach providing home and belonging for 50-70 residents who have experienced chronic homelessness. The Working Centre collaborated to establish project and serves on Board, weaving together on-the-ground outreach supports.

Scale indicators28 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• House of Friendship: House of Friendship is a Kitchener-based non-profit providing emergency shelter, affordable housing, food programs, and addiction services. It is the Working Centre's closest peer in the Waterloo Region, with overlapping service lines (shelter, food, housing) and shared funder relationships including Hockey Helps the Homeless.
• YW Kitchener-Waterloo: YW Kitchener-Waterloo provides shelter, housing, and gender-based violence support services in the region. It is a Hockey Helps the Homeless partner alongside the Working Centre, sharing funders and serving overlapping populations including women and families experiencing homelessness.
• Starling Community Services: Starling Community Services (formerly Starling Counselling and Support) operates in Waterloo Region providing housing support, system navigation, and mental health services. Starling is a direct on-site partner of the Working Centre at St. John's Kitchen, making it both a peer and a collaborator serving overlapping vulnerable populations.
• oneRoof Youth Services: oneRoof operates the Youth Hub and housing programs for young people experiencing homelessness in Kitchener-Waterloo. As a Hockey Helps the Homeless partner agency alongside the Working Centre, it serves overlapping vulnerable populations with a youth-focused lens in the same region.
• Cambridge Shelter Corp: Cambridge Shelter Corporation operates emergency shelter, transitional housing, and homelessness services in Cambridge, Ontario. As a Hockey Helps the Homeless partner agency, it shares the Working Centre's Waterloo Region context and provides comparable shelter and housing services to vulnerable populations.

Broad incumbents

• Fred Victor: Fred Victor is a Toronto-based non-profit providing housing, shelter, employment, and health services to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Its integrated service model and downtown urban focus closely mirror the Working Centre's community-building approach in a larger urban context.
• Good Shepherd Centres: Good Shepherd operates a large integrated network of shelter, housing, food, employment, and community services across Hamilton, Ontario. Its comprehensive wraparound model is closely comparable to the Working Centre's integrated approach but at significantly larger scale across a broader service region.

Regional players

• Lookout Housing and Health Society: Lookout Housing and Health Society is a Lower Mainland BC non-profit providing housing, shelter, and health services to people experiencing homelessness. Its integrated housing-plus-health model aligns with the Working Centre's wraparound approach in a different Canadian regional context.
• Main Street Project: Main Street Project in Winnipeg operates an integrated drop-in centre, shelter, and housing programs for people experiencing homelessness and addiction. Its wraparound community-based service model parallels the Working Centre's approach, though serving a different Canadian geography.

Emerging players

• A Better Tent City: A Better Tent City is a Kitchener-based community organization providing tiny homes for 50-70 residents experiencing chronic homelessness. The Working Centre collaborated to establish the project and serves on its board, making it a closely aligned peer pioneering alternative shelter models in the same region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/theworkingcentre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 The Working Centre