Carya

What Carya does

Carya is a Calgary-based registered nonprofit society (Carya Society of Calgary) that has delivered barrier-free — free or substantially subsidized — social services to individuals, families, and older adults across the city since 1910. Founded as the Associated Charities and operating as Calgary Family Services from 1947 until its 2014 rebrand to 'Carya' (named for the hickory tree to symbolize deep community roots and resilient wood), the agency operates across five interconnected service categories: Family Functioning (counselling, Functional Family Therapy delivered in partnership with Kindred, Adoption Kinship Counselling), Mental Health and Well-Being (subsidized counselling, anxiety, grief, and resilience groups), Financial Wellness (financial coaching and tax clinics for low-income seniors), Supports for Older Adults (The Way In Network, Elder Abuse Response Team, OASCOT crisis outreach, Elder Friendly Communities), and Social Connections (art, culinary, fitness, and community-building programs). All programs are evidence-based and designed for low- and moderate-income Calgarians facing financial, geographic, or systemic barriers to care.

Carya delivers services through three owned community hub locations — Central Commons (downtown headquarters, 800–1000 7 Ave SW), Bowmont Commons (Montgomery, 5000 Bowness Road NW), and Village Commons (East Village, 610 8 Ave SE) — supplemented by 24 additional community-based delivery sites that together hosted 6,400+ unique participants in 2025 and 22,500+ Village Commons visits. Channels include in-person programming at hubs and satellites, virtual and phone-based sessions, in-home outreach (Way In, In Place, OASCOT, Families in Community), a central intake line (403-205-5244), and online booking via CareDove. Strategic partnerships anchor specialized offerings: Functional Family Therapy with Kindred; Recovery College workshops co-hosted with CMHA Calgary; Elder Abuse Response Team and OASCOT co-developed with Calgary Police Service and Alberta Health Services; and The Way In Network plus In Place co-delivered with JFSC and Calgary Seniors' Resource Society.

Carya operates with 51–100 paid employees and a volunteer base of 259 contributors providing 15,700+ hours in 2025, equating to meaningful cost recovery. Revenue is grant- and donation-dependent, diversified across Government of Alberta and City of Calgary FCSS grants, United Way of Calgary and Area, Calgary & Area Child and Family Services (Adoption Kinship Counselling), 20+ corporate partners (AIMCo, ATCO EPIC, CIBC Foundation, Mawer, PwC, TC Energy, IBEW, Rotary Downtown Calgary, Calgary Learns, HelpAge, Not Alone Co. among others), and 580+ individual supporters who collectively contributed over $10.7M in 2025; facility rentals at Village Commons provide supplementary earned income. The executive team since 2021 comprises CEO Paula Telfer (an award-winning social impact professional), CFO Jason Lukman (CPA, MBA), Director of Social Investment & Public Relations Tiffany Stevenson (CFRE, joined 2022), Director of Programs Jade Powers (appointed January 2025), and Director of People and Culture Steven Furgiuele (joined 2023), with board oversight from Chair Bruce Edgelow and Treasurer Lynda Paananen. Carya holds Canadian Accreditation Council accreditation.

Name

Carya

Legal name

Carya Society of Calgary

Website

https://caryacalgary.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Carya is a Calgary-based nonprofit social impact agency that delivers barrier-free social services — family functioning, mental health, financial wellness, older adult support, and social connection programming — to more than 6,400 individuals and families annually across 27 community locations in Calgary, Alberta.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Companion Care & Social Support (non-clinical) (HLADAGAB), Conversation, Cognitive Stimulation & Activity Facilitation (HSABAAAB)

Keywords

• Family counselling services
• Community social services
• Older adult support
• Financial wellness programs
• Mental health counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Funding: Carya receives the majority of its operational funding from government bodies and institutional grantmakers, including the Alberta Government, City of Calgary's Family and Community Support Services (FCSS), United Way of Calgary and Area, and other provincial and municipal sources. These grants fund specific programs and operational costs.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: Individual and corporate donors contribute to Carya's operations through one-time and monthly donations. The organization runs fundraising campaigns (e.g., Rogers Birdies for Kids matching program), accepts vehicle donations via Donate a Car Canada, and engages corporate partners in volunteer and giving programs. Tax receipts are issued for donations over $20. In 2025, more than 580 supporters invested over $10,700,000 in Carya's work.
3. Facility Rentals: Village Commons offers over 7,000 sq. ft. of rentable space including multi-purpose rooms (capacity: 25), an event area (capacity: 190), private counselling rooms, a commercial kitchen, teaching kitchen, and art studio. Rental revenue directly supports Carya's barrier-free programs and services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Carya is a nonprofit social impact agency delivering barrier-free (free or subsidized) social services to individuals and families in Calgary across four integrated program areas: Family Functioning (counselling and therapy), Mental Health and Well-Being, Financial Wellness, Social Connections, and Supports for Older Adults. Services are delivered in-person at three community hubs and 24+ community sites, as well as virtually and through in-home visits, with no fee-for-service model.

Product overview

Carya is a social impact agency offering a comprehensive portfolio of barrier-free social services delivered through an integrated 'Under One Roof' model. The organization operates three community locations (Central Commons, Bowmont Commons, and Village Commons) providing services across four core categories: Family Functioning (including Family Counselling, Functional Family Therapy, Adoption Kinship Counselling), Mental Health and Well-Being (counselling and group programs for all ages), Financial Wellness (coaching and tax clinics for seniors), and Social Connections (art, culinary, fitness, and community building programs). Programs are designed to be low or no-cost and address interconnected life challenges through coordinated, wrap-around support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family Functioning Programs
• Mental Health and Well-Being Services
• Supports for Older Adults
• Financial Wellness Programs
• Social Connections Programs
• Family Counselling
• Functional Family Therapy (FFT)
• Adoption Kinship Counselling
• Families in Community
• Parenting Anxious Kids
• Older Adult Counselling
• The Way In Network
• Elder Abuse Response and Prevention Team (EART)
• Older Adult Stabilization Crisis Outreach Team (OASCOT)
• Financial Coaching
• Tax Clinics
• In Place
• Art and Creativity Programs
• Culinary Arts Programs
• Village Commons Facility Rentals

Quantifiable outcome

• 79% of children reduced anxiety after completing the Parenting Anxious Kids program, and 95% of parents felt the group helped them feel more positive
• +6 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• KindredcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarya partners with Kindred to deliver Functional Family Therapy (FFT), an internationally recognized, evidence-based family intervention model. FFT addresses challenging family circumstances by involving all family members in therapeutic sessions. The partnership allows Carya to offer specialized, intensive family therapy services that would otherwise require referral to external providers.
• CMHA CalgarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarya hosts CMHA Calgary's Recovery College workshops at its Village Commons location. The Recovery College offers engaging educational workshops and courses focused on personal growth, self-care, self-esteem, healthy boundaries, and supporting recovery journeys. CMHA Calgary facilitates the workshops on-site at Carya, combining Carya's community space with CMHA's mental health education expertise.
• The Way In Network Partners (JFSC, Calgary Seniors' Resource Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Way In is a collaboration of Calgary-based agencies — Carya, JFSC (Jewish Family Services Calgary), and Calgary Seniors' Resource Society — dedicated to enhancing quality of life and access to services for vulnerable older adults. Each agency provides outreach services to a pre-determined geographic area of Calgary. Carya's NW team serves the northwest area from Bowmont Commons, and the Central team serves downtown from Village Commons. The Calgary Collaborative for Elder Care and Abuse (CCECA) is also a network partner.
• In Place Partners (JFSC, Calgary Seniors' Resource Society)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn Place (formerly Aging in Community Supports) is a collaboration of three agencies — JFSC, Calgary Seniors' Resource Society, and Carya — supporting older adults (55+) with limited natural supports. The partnership connects vulnerable seniors to non-medical, community-based resources to support healthy aging in community.
• Calgary Police ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarya partners with Calgary Police Service on two critical programs: (1) The Elder Abuse Response Team (EART), where police constables and Carya's Specialized Criminal Justice Navigators (SCJNs) jointly respond to victims of suspected and confirmed criminal elder abuse cases; and (2) OASCOT (Older Adult Stabilization Crisis Outreach Team), where an OASCOT outreach worker collaborates with police to connect at-risk older adults to non-medical supports and reduce police involvement.
• Alberta Health Services (AHS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarya collaborates with Alberta Health Services as part of OASCOT's coordinated crisis response system. AHS partners with Carya, Calgary Police Service, and other community organizations to provide older adults experiencing mental health and addiction challenges with wrap-around supports that allow them to transition to appropriate housing and age well in the community.
• Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Family PhysiciansminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPCNs and family physicians refer patients to Carya's In Place program. Healthcare professionals identify older adults (55+) experiencing numerous healthcare system interactions who need community-based support. This referral pathway ensures Carya reaches vulnerable seniors who might otherwise fall through cracks in the healthcare system.
• Calgary Immigrant Women's Society (CIWA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIWA partners with Carya on the Chow and Chatter monthly community meal program for older adults (55+). CIWA volunteers participate in meal preparation alongside Carya's in-house chef, combining culinary resources with immigrant-serving expertise to create inclusive, culturally welcoming community dining experiences.
• Moonstone CreationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoonstone Creations delivers the Indigenous Culture Series workshops at Carya's Village Commons, including Fish Scale Art and Bone & Bead Lanyard traditional craft programs. These workshops provide culturally immersive art experiences led by Indigenous facilitators, connecting participants to traditional techniques, storytelling, and cultural teachings.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wood's Homes: Wood's Homes is a Calgary-based nonprofit providing mental health, family counselling, and child/youth services, directly overlapping with Carya's family functioning and youth mental health programs across the same geographic market.
• Calgary Immigrant Women's Association (CIWA): CIWA is a partner on the Chow and Chatter program for older adults and serves newcomer families and seniors in Calgary. It overlaps with Carya's multicultural social connection programming and immigrant family support services.
• Calgary Seniors' Resource Society: Calgary Seniors' Resource Society is the third core partner in The Way In Network and In Place collaborations. It directly delivers senior-focused community support services overlapping with Carya's Elder Friendly Communities, Way In, and In Place programs.
• The Calgary Food Bank: The Calgary Food Bank is a major Calgary nonprofit addressing financial hardship and food insecurity, overlapping with Carya's Financial Wellness programs and broader community support mandate for vulnerable Calgarians.
• Jewish Family Services Calgary (JFSC): JFSC is a Calgary-based social services agency and direct operational partner with Carya on The Way In Network and In Place collaborations serving vulnerable older adults. Both organizations deliver counselling, family support, and elder care programs to overlapping Calgary populations.
• Distress Centre Calgary: Distress Centre Calgary operates the 24/7 crisis helpline (403-266-HELP) that Carya refers clients to for crisis support. It is a direct peer in crisis intervention and mental health support services for vulnerable Calgary populations including older adults.
• CMHA Calgary (Canadian Mental Health Association): CMHA Calgary delivers mental health programming at Carya's Village Commons through the Recovery College. It is a direct peer in subsidized mental health and counselling services for Calgary residents, including programs targeting anxiety, depression, and resilience.

Regional players

• United Way of Calgary and Area: United Way is both a major funder of Carya and a regional coordinator of community services across Calgary. It operates as a peer funder/convener in the same social impact space, supporting many overlapping partner agencies.
• Calgary Women's Centre: Calgary Women's Centre is one of Carya's 27 community-based program delivery partners. It provides social support services to women and families, overlapping with Carya's family functioning and community connection programming in shared physical locations.

Emerging players

• Alberta Council on Aging: Alberta Council on Aging is a provincial advocacy and program organization supporting older adults, directly comparable to Carya's Elder Friendly Communities and Way In Network services at a broader provincial scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/218189688609407
• Xx.com/caryacalgary

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Carya