Resource Assistance for Youth

What Resource Assistance for Youth does

Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) is a Winnipeg-based nonprofit organization delivering free, wrap-around services to at-risk and street-entrenched youth ages 0-29. Founded in 1994 as the Winnipeg chapter of Operation Go Home and rebranded under its current name in 2004 following a merger with Powerhouse Winnipeg, RaY operates an integrated "Hub Model" from an 8,000 sq ft facility at 125 Sherbrook Street, offering housing programs (transitional, rapid rehousing, Housing First, BEAM, REST), the Level Up! paid employment and training program, Basic Needs services (clothing, hygiene, showers, laundry, food), Mental Health & Addictions counseling, Street Outreach teams, a drop-in center, and the RaY Wired online portal. All services are provided free of charge on a low-barrier, trauma-informed, harm-reduction basis with explicit cultural competency for Indigenous youth, who comprise an estimated 83-84% of Winnipeg's homeless youth population.

Name

Resource Assistance for Youth

Legal name

Resource Assistance for Youth, Inc.

Website

https://rayinc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) is a Winnipeg-based nonprofit providing free, integrated housing, employment, mental health, basic needs, and outreach services to at-risk youth ages 0-29 through a single-location Hub Model and mobile street outreach teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Homelessness and Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO), Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Youth-to-Adult Bridge & College Readiness (Noncredit) (EDAAAEAK), Homeless, Foster Care & Highly Mobile Youth Education Services (EDAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Youth homelessness services
• Social services nonprofit
• Housing assistance programs
• Employment training services
• Mental health support

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: RaY is a registered nonprofit organization that relies on donations, grants, and government funding to sustain operations. The organization receives support from government bodies (federal, provincial, municipal), corporations, foundations, and individual donors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Resource Assistance for Youth (RaY) is a non-profit, street-level agency based in Winnipeg that provides free, wrap-around support services to street-entrenched, homeless, and at-risk youth aged 0-29. Its integrated "Hub Model" delivers basic needs, housing, mental health and addictions support, primary healthcare, street outreach, and education and employment training under one roof, supplemented by partner-agency services. RaY also operates branded sub-programs (Level Up!, Growing Opportunities, BEAM, REST, RaY Wired) and an Emergency Pet Care Fund.

Product overview

RaY operates as a non-profit social services organization providing an integrated suite of wrap-around programs for at-risk youth ages 0-29 in Winnipeg. The organization functions as a single-point-of-access 'Hub Model' offering multiple interconnected services including the Level Up! employment and training program, Basic Needs (clothing, hygiene, laundry, showers), Housing programs (Transitional, Rapid Rehousing, Housing First), Mental Health and Addictions support, Street Outreach, and Drop-in services. RaY Wired provides online mental health tracking and skill development. All services are provided free of charge and emphasize low-barrier, non-judgmental, trauma-informed care with strong cultural competency for Indigenous youth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Level Up!: Employment and training program offering six weeks of in-class training, 12 weeks of work experience with local employers, and housing and mental-health supports for at-risk youth.
• RaY Wired
• Growing Opportunities
• BEAM
• REST

Products and services

• Drop-in Services Walk-in drop-in at 125 Sherbrook Street, Winnipeg providing free, low-barrier access to RaY's integrated service streams for street-involved and homeless youth aged 0-29.
• Basic Needs Free provision of food, clothing, hygiene supplies, and other immediate survival needs to youth accessing the drop-in.
• Housing Programs Housing-focused case management and supports for homeless and at-risk youth, delivered as part of the integrated hub.
• Mental Health and Addictions Support Mental health and substance use supports provided in-house and through co-located partner agencies such as the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba.
• Street Outreach Mobile outreach teams connecting street-entrenched youth in Winnipeg to the drop-in and other RaY services.
• Education and Training (Level Up!) Branded "Level Up!" education, training, and life-skills programming for youth at the drop-in.
• Primary Health On-site primary healthcare services for youth, integrated with the rest of the hub.
• RaY Wired Online portal / web presence providing information, referrals, and digital access to RaY services.
• Growing Opportunities Named sub-brand program delivered through the hub targeting youth employment, training, or related opportunities.
• BEAM Named sub-brand program of RaY delivered as part of the integrated service offering.
• REST Named sub-brand program of RaY delivered as part of the integrated service offering.
• Emergency Pet Care Fund Emergency pet care support that addresses a key barrier keeping street-involved youth with animals from accessing shelter and services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95%+ of Level Up! participants moved into educational programs or paid employment since 2020
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Community Veterinary OutreachcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization providing health care for humans by providing care for their pets. Holds pet care clinics at RaY providing pet services (shots, dental, deworming) as well as human care (STBBI testing, COVID-19 vaccinations, dental care).
• Friends for Pets (Winnipeg Humane Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLongstanding partnership supporting youth in getting their pets licensed, spayed/neutered, and vaccinated.
• Grant Park Animal HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinnipeg veterinary clinic providing urgent care for youth's pets.
• Dr. Jonas WatsoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWinnipeg veterinarian and CVO Regional Co-Director who has worked with RaY to provide urgent pet care. Recipient of the World Veterinary Association's Global Animal Welfare Award.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Covenant House Toronto: One of Canada's largest youth homelessness agencies, providing housing, health, education, and employment services to youth 16-24 in Toronto. Directly comparable to RaY's integrated Hub Model approach with a similar wraparound service portfolio for homeless and at-risk youth.
• Old Brewery Mission: Montreal-based nonprofit offering emergency shelter, housing, and reintegration services for homeless individuals including a dedicated youth program. Comparable operating model — service-based nonprofit with government and donor funding serving vulnerable urban populations in Canada.
• Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata Centre: Winnipeg-based Indigenous-led organization providing holistic programs for children, youth, and families. Strong peer given shared Winnipeg geography, focus on Indigenous cultural programming, and similar wraparound service philosophy serving overlapping client demographics.
• Ndinawe: Winnipeg-based nonprofit serving at-risk and homeless youth with housing, recreation, education, and cultural programs. Directly comparable given shared city, identical target demographic (street-involved youth), and overlapping service categories including Indigenous cultural programming.
• Macdonald Youth Services: Manitoba-based nonprofit providing child welfare, youth mental health, and family services. Comparable in terms of regional nonprofit operating model, youth focus, mental health service delivery, and reliance on provincial government funding.
• Boys & Girls Club of Winnipeg: Winnipeg branch of national youth development organization serving children and youth with after-school programs, recreation, and educational support. Comparable in geography, target demographic, and youth development mission though serving a broader age range including non-homeless youth.
• Pathways to Education Canada: National nonprofit supporting youth from low-income communities to graduate high school and access post-secondary education. Comparable in employment/training focus (similar to Level Up!), wraparound academic and social supports, and Canadian nonprofit funding model.
• Anishnawbe Health Toronto: Toronto-based Indigenous health and wellness organization offering health services, mental health supports, and cultural programs for Indigenous peoples. Comparable for its integrated Indigenous-led service model and commitment to culturally appropriate care for Indigenous populations.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Winnipeg: National and international charitable organization operating emergency shelters, addiction services, and youth programs across Winnipeg. Broader incumbent providing overlapping services (emergency shelter, food, basic needs) but not specialized in street-involved youth as its core mission.

Others

• End Homelessness Winnipeg: Coalition of organizations working to prevent and end homelessness in Winnipeg. RaY is a partner/coalition member. Comparable as a coordinating body addressing the same systemic homelessness challenge, though End Homelessness Winnipeg operates as a systems-level convener rather than a direct service provider.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/RaYWinnipeg
• Facebookfacebook.com/raywinnipeg
• Instagraminstagram.com/raywinnipeg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/resource-assistance-for-youth

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors2 records

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 Resource Assistance for Youth