Squamish Helping Hands Society

What Squamish Helping Hands Society does

Squamish Helping Hands Society is a registered Canadian charity (Charity No. 83379 1320 RR0001) and British Columbia non-profit society founded in 2006 to address homelessness, food insecurity, and social exclusion in the Sea to Sky corridor. The organization operates the Under One Roof facility, a four-story integrated service center at 37871 Third Avenue in downtown Squamish that co-locates a 16-bed emergency shelter (with 15 additional extreme-weather beds), 39 supportive/transitional housing units, a primary care clinic (Open Door Health), a grocery-store-style food bank (The Market), a commercial kitchen serving twice-daily free hot meals, and an adjacent Overdose Prevention Site. The portfolio extends to Food4Kids school meals across seven School District #48 schools, Food Rescue (102,818 kg rescued in 2025), Meals on Wheels for homebound seniors, Street Reach mobile outreach, the Sea to Sky Community Action Team peer-led harm-reduction coalition, the Re:Bike community bike program, the Income Tax Filing Program, and the U1R Arts Collective.

The integrated platform operates on a low-barrier, trauma-informed Housing First approach with 24/7 on-site staffing, vulnerability-assessment-based prioritization (not first-come), and free-of-charge access for participants. SHHS is the only provider of shelter beds in the Sea to Sky corridor from Lillooet to North Vancouver, serving approximately 10,754 unique food bank visits, 350 primary care patients, and 70 shelter residents annually, with cumulative OPS activity of 94,460 visits and 527 drug poisoning reversals since 2021 (zero deaths). The technology footprint is operational rather than digital-product oriented, centered on co-located physical infrastructure and partnerships (Vancouver Coastal Health on the OPS, BC Housing on the facility and forthcoming Government Road development, Squamish Nation on territorial acknowledgment, Food Banks Canada on standards and inventory tooling).

Revenue is assembled from multiple streams: BC Housing operating grants for shelter and supportive housing; federal and provincial grants (Health Canada homelessness funding, Canada Summer Jobs, BC gaming grants via BCID, Community Prosperity Fund); private foundation grants (Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, Houssian Foundation, Whistler Healthcare Foundation, Squamish Community Foundation, Community Action Initiative); corporate sponsorships (Woodfibre LNG, Fortis BC, Carbon Engineering, Save-On-Foods, Walmart, Nesters, Your Independent Grocer); individual donations (one-time, recurring monthly, securities, legacy/planned giving); and event-based fundraising (Coldest Night of the Year, Cereal Drive, Socktober, Shoebox Gifts). Services are provided free to participants. Headcount is approximately 60 staff plus 100 volunteers. Governance rests with a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Greg Tooke, with Lori Pyne serving as Executive Director.

Name

Squamish Helping Hands Society

Legal name

Squamish Helping Hands Society

Website

https://squamishhelpinghands.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Squamish Helping Hands Society is a registered Canadian charity operating the Under One Roof integrated service center in Squamish, BC, providing emergency shelter, supportive housing, food security, primary care, and harm-reduction programs to adults experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the Sea to Sky corridor.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Squamish

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Government Grants (BC Housing, Provincial & Federal): Primary funding stream via BC Housing for shelter, transitional housing, and supportive housing operations. Additional grants from Government of Canada (homelessness funding), Province of BC (gaming grants via BCID, Community Prosperity Fund), and Canada Summer Jobs. BC Housing partnership also funds new 60-65 unit supportive housing development at Government Road opening 2027.
2. Corporate & Foundation Grants: Grants from private foundations including Whistler Blackcomb Foundation, Houssian Foundation, Whistler Healthcare Foundation, Squamish Community Foundation, and Community Action Initiative (CAI). Fund specific programs like Food4Kids and S2S CAT.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual Coldest Night of the Year walk fundraiser (raised $101,368 in 2025 with 769 donors, 55 teams, 269 registered walkers, 1,832 offsite walkers, 28 sponsors; $90,000+ in 2026 with 300+ walkers, 25 sponsors, 54 teams). Other seasonal drives: Cereal Drive (June), Socktober (collected 2,094 pairs in 2025), Shoebox Gifts (Nov-Dec).
4. Individual Donations (One-time & Recurring): Tax-deductible individual donations via one-time contributions, monthly recurring giving, donations of stocks and mutual funds (with capital gains tax benefits), and legacy/planned giving through wills. Approximately 630 hot meals/week served; participants receive services at no cost.
5. Corporate Sponsorships & Partnerships: Event sponsorships and Community Partnership program where corporate partners (Woodfibre LNG, Sureus Murphy, Carbon Engineering, Fortis BC, Walmart, Save-On-Foods, Nesters Market, Your Independent Grocer, Advanced Self Storage, etc.) contribute financially and via in-kind donations. CNOY 2025 alone generated $22,600 in sponsorships.
6. In-Kind Donations: Donations of food (bank items, recovered food from 20+ grocery partners), clothing, hygiene supplies, blankets, socks, and other essential items. Donated food offsets operating costs and supports food rescue program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Squamish Helping Hands Society operates the Under One Roof facility in downtown Squamish, BC, providing the only shelter beds in the Sea to Sky corridor from Lillooet to North Vancouver. The society delivers an integrated portfolio of free, trauma-informed social services including emergency shelter (16 beds plus 15 extreme-weather beds), 39 transitional housing units, the Open Door Health primary care clinic, The Market food bank, daily hot meals, food rescue, Meals on Wheels delivery to seniors, Food4Kids school meals, the Overdose Prevention Site, Street Reach outreach, and harm reduction supplies, all funded through government grants, foundation grants, corporate sponsorships, and individual donations.

Product overview

Squamish Helping Hands Society operates a single integrated service platform — Under One Roof — a four-story service center at 37871 Third Avenue in downtown Squamish, BC, that unifies a portfolio of sub-programs and modules delivering food, shelter, transitional housing, primary health care, harm reduction and outreach services to people at risk of or experiencing homelessness. Within this unified platform, the portfolio comprises the Emergency Shelter (16 beds plus 15 extreme-weather beds), Transitional Housing (39–44 units), Open Door Health primary care clinic, The Market (Squamish Food Bank), the Under One Roof Kitchen/Hot Meals program, Food Rescue, Food4Kids School Meals, Meals on Wheels, the Overdose Prevention Site, Street Reach outreach, the Sea to Sky Community Action Team (S2S CAT), the Emergency Weather Program, the Drop-in/Hygiene Access service, the Income Tax Filing Program, Harm Reduction Supplies distribution, the Re:Bike community bike program, and the Under One Roof (U1R) Arts Collective. An adjacent Supportive Housing development at Government Road & Centennial Way (60–65 studio units, groundbreaking 2026, opening 2027/28) is the upcoming expansion to this integrated platform. Together these modules form the only comprehensive wrap-around social housing system of its kind in British Columbia, serving the Sea to Sky corridor from Lillooet to North Vancouver.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Under One Roof: Four-story service center in downtown Squamish operated by Squamish Helping Hands Society that provides the only shelter beds in the Sea to Sky corridor from Lillooet to North Vancouver, and houses emergency shelter, transitional housing, food bank, primary care clinic, Overdose Prevention Site, community kitchen and drop-in services.
• The Market
• Open Door Health

Products and services

• Under One Roof Integrated Service Center The central four-story service hub at 37871 Third Avenue, Squamish, BC, that houses the only shelter beds in the Sea to Sky corridor from Lillooet to North Vancouver, integrating emergency shelter, transitional housing, food bank, primary care clinic, kitchen, and drop-in services for adults at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
• Emergency Shelter Low-barrier 16-bed year-round emergency shelter for adults (19+) at Under One Roof, with an additional 15 extreme-weather beds activated when Environment Canada issues alerts. Provides sleeping cots, bedding, warm food and beverages, 24/7 outreach staff, and is wheelchair accessible.
• Transitional Housing 39-44 fully furnished private transitional housing apartments at Under One Roof with 24-hour staff support, community meals, life skills training, case management, and peer support, operating on a Housing First approach where substance use and mental health challenges are not obstacles to housing.
• Supportive Housing (Government Road) Proposed 60-65 studio apartment supportive housing development at 39900 Government Road for single adults (19+) including seniors and people with disabilities, with on-site health and wellness supports, meal programs, life-skills/employment training, and 24/7 staffing. Doors open 2027/28.
• Open Door Health Primary Care Clinic In-house low-barrier primary care clinic at Under One Roof providing physicians, nurse-practitioners, nurses, and a medical office coordinator for people not attached to a family physician, offering chronic pain management, foot care, vaccine clinics, STI services, mental health support, and specialist referrals.
• The Market (Squamish Food Bank) Grocery store-style food bank at Under One Roof providing safe, dignified access to nutritious food in a market-style setting. Open Tuesday/Wednesday 12-3 pm, Thursday 3-5:30 pm, and Saturday 11:30 am-1:30 pm. Free to participants; donations welcomed but not required.
• Under One Roof Kitchen / Hot Meals Daily community kitchen at Under One Roof serving free lunch (12-1 pm) and dinner (4:30-5:30 pm) seven days a week on a drop-in basis. Produced 39,851 on-site meals in 2025 using recovered food from 20+ community partners.
• Food Rescue Program Food recovery program rescuing approximately 2,000 kg of food per week from farms, retailers, and restaurants in partnership with 20+ community food donors, repurposing it into nutritious meals and sparing over 100,000 kg of food from landfill annually.
• Food4Kids School Meals School meal program distributing free breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to children in need across seven schools in the Sea to Sky Corridor (SD48) via volunteer delivery from each school. Approximately 50,000 school meals per year, at no cost to parents or schools.
• Meals on Wheels Volunteer-driven hot meal delivery service to homebound Squamish seniors who cannot prepare meals due to limited mobility, disability, illness, or low income. Delivered over 2,600 hot meals annually with friendly wellbeing checks.
• Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) Supervised consumption site at 37930 Third Avenue, Squamish, open noon-10 pm daily since 2021, operated in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health. Provides safer drug-use supplies, drug checking, confidential testing, naloxone training, take-home naloxone kits, and safer sex supplies.
• Street Reach Outreach Peer-driven mobile outreach program conducting regular walks to known encampments, mapping new tent sites, and running open-door drop-in sessions. Outreach workers and peers distribute survival and harm-reduction supplies and connect individuals with detox, treatment, primary care, ID, tax filing, and income assistance.
• Drop-in Services / Hygiene Access Daily drop-in services at Under One Roof (37871 Third Avenue) from 7:00 am to 10:00 am and 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm. Provides internet, phone, bathrooms, showers, laundry, hygiene supplies, clothing, meals, snacks, resources, referrals, and support. In 2025, provided 23,505 free showers and 10,950 loads of laundry.
• Income Tax Filing Program Connects low-income Squamish residents with an outreach worker to assist with filing simple income tax returns through the CRA Community Volunteer Income-Tax Program during the spring tax season.
• Re:Bike Community Bike Program Community-driven program that takes donated bikes, refurbishes them through volunteer mechanics and helpers, and redistributes them to people who need affordable, reliable transportation by pairing with waitlisted individuals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,347 nights of shelter and transitional housing provided in 2025
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, moderate and minor.

• Housing Squamish (Squamish Community Housing Society)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint development partner for the 39900 Government Road project. Housing Squamish owns and operates ~100 affordable rental units while SHHS operates the 60-65 unit supportive housing building. Co-developed with District of Squamish and BC Housing. Executive Director Sarah Ellis leads Housing Squamish.
• District of SquamishflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-owner and development partner for Under One Roof facility and the new 39900 Government Road project (owns the District-owned site). Mayor Armand Hurford cited collaboration as critical to community resiliency. District of Squamish partners in the Sea to Sky Community Action Team (S2S CAT).
• Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-operates the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) with SHHS. Provides monthly surveillance reporting at local site. VCH is a partner in the Sea to Sky Community Action Team (S2S CAT). VCH also operates Squamish Community Health Centre and Squamish Mental Health & Substance Use Services (referral pathways).
• Food Banks CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational food banking network membership; SHHS holds Food Banks Canada Standards of Excellence certification (displayed in website footer). Food Bank Canada's inventory tracking system is used for donation recording at the Food Bank/Market.
• Food Banks BCmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial food banking network and partner; logo displayed in community partners section. Collaborates on food security strategy in BC.
• Whistler Community ServicesmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerS2S CAT partner providing consistent drug testing at the Overdose Prevention Site (OPS) via partnership. Also partner in S2S CAT addressing overdose crisis.
• Squamish Nation (Skwxwú7mesh)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous partner on whose ancestral and unceded territory SHHS lives and works. Land Acknowledgement issued. Partner in S2S CAT addressing overdose crisis, with engagement through ceremony and welcome opportunities.
• Squamish RCMPmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Sea to Sky Community Action Team (S2S CAT) addressing overdose crisis, homelessness, and stigma. Collaborative enforcement and outreach coordination.
• School District #48 (SD48)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOperates 7 schools participating in the Food4Kids school meal program. Daily delivery of breakfasts, lunches, and snacks to schools throughout the Sea to Sky Corridor. Co-funds Food4Kids program.
• Squamish Arts CouncilmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the Under One Roof (U1R) Arts Collective — a low-barrier art gallery initiative at SHHS with materials, guidance, and promotion. Curated exhibitions featured at the Artisan Gallery.
• Save-On-FoodsmoderateOthersCorporate partner and food donor. Logo displayed in community partners. Local grocery partner for food rescue program.
• Nesters MarketmoderateOthersCorporate partner and food donor. Logo displayed in community partners. Local grocery partner for food rescue program.
• Your Independent Grocer (Loblaws)moderateOthersCorporate partner and food donor. Logo displayed in community partners. Local grocery partner for food rescue program.
• Walmart CanadamoderateOthersCorporate partner and food donor. Logo displayed in community partners.
• Advanced Self StorageminorOthersCommunity partner. Logo displayed in community partners.
• Squamish Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSHHS is a Proud Member of the Squamish Chamber of Commerce; logo displayed in website footer. Provides local business networking and visibility.

Scale indicators22 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Whistler Community Services Society: Direct regional peer also serving the Sea to Sky corridor (Whistler/Pemberton); provides shelter, food bank, outreach and harm reduction, and is a formal S2S CAT partner delivering drug testing services at SHHS's OPS.
• Lookout Housing and Health Society: Large BC non-profit operating emergency shelters, transitional and supportive housing, and integrated health services across Metro Vancouver; comparable Housing First wrap-around model and BC Housing funding relationships.
• PHS Community Services Society: Vancouver-based non-profit running integrated housing, health, harm reduction (including supervised consumption sites), and food programs; the longest-standing operator of co-located shelter + OPS housing in BC and a close operating-model analog.
• Atira Women's Resource Society: BC non-profit providing shelter, transitional and supportive housing for women and children with co-located harm reduction and outreach; shares SHHS's trauma-informed, low-barrier, Housing First approach and BC Housing dependency.
• Coast Mental Health: BC non-profit providing supportive housing, rehabilitation, and community-based mental health and substance use services; comparable integrated housing-plus-health model serving vulnerable populations across BC.
• Greater Vancouver Food Bank: Large BC food bank operating a member-agency model similar to the Food Banks Canada Standards of Excellence framework that SHHS adheres to; comparable food rescue, hampers, and member-agency distribution approach.
• Union Gospel Mission: Faith-based BC/AB non-profit providing emergency shelter, meals, recovery programs, and outreach; long-standing integrated food-shelter-recovery model comparable to SHHS's wrap-around approach.

Regional players

• Vancouver Aboriginal Health Society / Lu'ma Native Housing Society: Indigenous-led BC non-profits operating supportive housing, health services, and cultural programs for urban Indigenous peoples; comparable to SHHS's Indigenous partnership with Squamish Nation and similar funding mix.

Emerging players

• AIDS Vancouver / Vancouver Island AIDS Society: BC non-profits providing harm reduction, supervised consumption support, housing case management, and wrap-around health services for people who use drugs; comparable harm reduction + housing integration approach relevant to SHHS's OPS model.

Others

• BC Housing (Provincial Housing Agency): Crown corporation and SHHS's primary funder and co-developer of Under One Roof and Government Road projects; not a peer in services, but the upstream capital and operating funder that defines SHHS's growth trajectory and operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/helpinghands8
• Instagraminstagram.com/underoneroofsquamish
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/squamish-helping-hands-society

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Squamish Helping Hands Society