Le Chaînon

What Le Chaînon does

Le Chaînon (legal name: Association d'Entraide Le Chaînon inc.) is a registered Quebec charitable non-profit founded in 1932 that operates one of Montreal's oldest and largest women's shelters. The organization provides emergency, short-term, transitional, and community housing for women aged 18 and older experiencing homelessness, violence, poverty, or crisis, operating 115 places across five facilities (main house on Avenue Esplanade, Maison Yvonne-Maisonneuve, Maison Ste-Marie, and L'Annexe) with a reported 99.53% bed occupancy. Service delivery is supplemented by psychosocial support, meals (100,000+ annually), clothing distribution, and a post-housing follow-up program (La Relance).

The business model is a hybrid non-profit funding structure combining earned revenue from two thrift stores (Magasins Chaînon Plateau and Villeray) plus an online boutique, with philanthropic capital raised through the wholly-owned Chaînon Foundation (established 2014), which accounts for 71% of funding. The Foundation runs an annual ~$450,000 postal appeal, the Le Grand Rendez-vous gala (which raised a record $591,740 in 2025), multi-tier corporate partnerships ($10,000 to $100,000+ tiers), planned giving, and the young-professional Cercle de la Relève. The organization employs nearly 200 staff and engages approximately 1,497 volunteers, serving 2,357 women in the 2024-2025 period. Geographic footprint is concentrated in Montreal and Quebec; the organization has no parent company, no venture backing, and is governed by a Board of Directors with representation from major Quebec institutions.

Name

Le Chaînon

Legal name

Association d'Entraide Le Chaînon inc.

Website

https://lechainon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Le Chaînon is a Montreal-based non-profit women's shelter founded in 1932 that provides emergency, transitional, and community housing for women in vulnerable situations across 115 places, funded by thrift stores, a foundation, and corporate donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Women's Social Services / Emergency Shelter

NAICS

Other Community Housing Services (624229), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Retail-Women's Clothing Stores (5621)

akta.pro primary industry

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rental-to-Resale / Circular Fashion Platforms (CRAFAGAK)

Keywords

• Women's shelter services
• Emergency housing services
• Thrift store retail
• Social services nonprofit
• Fundraising foundation

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Thrift Store Operations: The Chaînon Stores (Plateau and Villeray locations) generate significant annual revenues that contribute substantially to funding the organization's operations. Stores sell donated clothing, accessories, furniture and household items at affordable prices.
2. Foundation Fundraising: The Chaînon Foundation conducts annual fundraising campaigns raising approximately $450,000 through postal appeals and digital campaigns, plus signature events like Le Grand Rendez-vous.
3. Corporate and Major Donor Partnerships: Major corporate partners and individual donors contribute significant funding at various levels (Engagement Link $100,000+, Altruism Link $50,000+, Kindness Link $10,000+).
4. Donations by Will and Planned Giving: The organization accepts planned gifts including bequests, life insurance, RRSP/RRIF donations, charitable remainder trusts, and gifts of securities to ensure long-term sustainability.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Le Chaînon is a non-profit charitable organization that provides emergency, short-term, and transitional housing for women aged 18 and over experiencing vulnerability, homelessness, or crisis in Montreal. It complements housing with psychosocial support, meals, clothing, post-housing follow-up (La Relance), and training (Formation RÉAGIR). A network of two physical thrift stores (Plateau and Villeray) and an online boutique generates revenue and supplies material assistance to sheltered women.

Product overview

Le Chaînon is a non-profit women's shelter organization offering a unified set of social services centered around housing and support for women in vulnerable situations. The core offering consists of emergency and transitional housing services (Hébergement) across multiple facilities including Maison Yvonne-Maisonneuve and Maison Sainte-Marie. These housing services are complemented by La Relance, a post-housing support program. Revenue generation is primarily through Magasins Chaînon, a network of two thrift stores (Plateau and Villeray) plus an online store (Boutique en ligne). The Fondation Chaînon manages fundraising activities including signature events like Le Grand Rendez-vous and annual campaigns. The organization also offers Formation RÉAGIR as a training component. The various products operate as an integrated ecosystem: the stores fund the housing operations, the foundation supports sustainability, and the housing services form the core mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Le Grand Rendez-vous: Annual flagship fundraising event of the Chaînon Foundation featuring dinners, auctions, and the REMARKABLE WOMAN Award ceremony
• Cercle de la Relève
• La Relance

Products and services

• Hébergement (Housing Services) Emergency and transitional housing services for women aged 18 and over in vulnerable situations, including night reception (15 places, 24/7), short-term stays up to 8 weeks (21 places), transitional housing up to 12 months (15 places), and community housing (15 studios at Maison Yvonne-Maisonneuve for women 55+ and 49 units at Maison Ste-Marie for women with low incomes). Services are provided free or at very low cost, with rent adjusted to income for transitional and community housing.
• La Relance (Post-Housing Support Program)

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,357 women helped annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Royal DistributioncoreOthersMajor corporate partner supporting the organization at the highest donor tier (Engagement Link $100,000+). Logo displayed on partners page.
• Le Groupe Jean Coutu (PJC) inc.coreOthersMajor corporate partner at the Engagement Link level ($100,000+). One of the organization's key corporate supporters.
• Lingerie EmmacoreOthersCorporate partner at Engagement Link level ($100,000+). Lingerie brand supporting women in difficulty.
• Lyla Collection inc.coreOthersCorporate partner at Engagement Link level ($100,000+). Lingerie company supporting the cause.
• Fondation Famille LégercoreOthersMajor foundation partner at Engagement Link level ($100,000+). Significant financial supporter of the organization.
• Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)majorOthersFinancial institution partner at the Kindness Link level ($10,000+). Listed among major corporate donors.
• QuébecormajorOthersMedia company partner at the Altruism Link level ($50,000+). Supports the organization through media exposure and donations.
• Uber CanadamajorOthersTransportation company partner at the Altruism Link level ($50,000+). Major corporate supporter.
• Caisse de Dépôt et Placement du QuébecmajorOthersInstitutional investor partner at the Kindness Link level ($10,000+). Listed among major donors.
• Northbridge Financial CorporationmajorOthersInsurance company partner at the Kindness Link level ($10,000+). Active corporate supporter.
• Stella-Jones inc.majorOthersCorporate partner at the Kindness Link level ($10,000+). Listed among major donors.
• Power Corporation du CanadamajorOthersFinancial services company partner at the Kindness Link level ($10,000+). Major corporate donor.
• Metro Inc.majorOthersMajor food retailer and corporate supporter. Listed on the Grand Rendez-vous 2023 honorary committee.
• Caisse Populaire Desjardins du Mont-RoyalmajorOthersCredit union partner at the Kindness Link level ($10,000+). Community financial institution supporter.
• CODEM Plateau Mont-RoyalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommunity organization collaborating with Le Chaînon for corporate volunteering and integration programs for their clientele.
• Douglas HospitalminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerHealthcare institution collaborating with Le Chaînon for associative volunteering programs supporting their patients.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Auberge Madeleine: A Montreal women's shelter providing emergency housing and post-shelter follow-up to women experiencing homelessness and domestic violence. Directly comparable in mission, geography, and service continuum to Le Chaînon's housing model.
• La Maison du Père: A Montreal shelter serving men aged 25 and over experiencing homelessness, with palliative care and long-term housing programs. Comparable as a peer Quebec non-profit shelter operating multiple housing models funded by donations and signature events.
• Native Women's Shelter of Montreal: A Montreal emergency shelter specifically for Indigenous women and children fleeing violence. Directly comparable as a women's shelter in the same city, serving an overlapping client base with similar funding reliance on foundations and government grants.
• Chez Doris: A Montreal day center providing essential services to women in vulnerable situations, including meals, clothing, and psychosocial support. Directly comparable as a Quebec women's-focused non-profit with a similar volunteer-and-donation-driven model, though without the housing continuum.
• Old Brewery Mission: Montreal's largest shelter serving adults experiencing homelessness, with emergency beds, transitional housing, and a social enterprise (Le Papillon). Directly comparable as a peer Quebec shelter relying on donations and corporate partnerships, though serving a mixed-gender population.
• YWCA Montreal: A Montreal women's organization providing housing, shelter, and support services for women experiencing difficulty. Directly comparable as a Quebec women's-services non-profit with residential and outreach programming.

Regional players

• Anova Women's Shelter: A leading women's shelter in London, Ontario providing emergency shelter, counseling, and outreach for women fleeing violence. Comparable in mission and continuum-of-care model to Le Chaînon, but operating in Ontario rather than Quebec.
• Interval House: A Toronto-area women's shelter providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and counseling for women experiencing violence. Comparable as a peer Canadian women's shelter with a similar emergency-to-transitional continuum, operating outside Quebec.

Others

• Goodwill Industries: A large non-profit thrift store operator in North America funding job training and community programs through donated-goods retail. Comparable as a peer non-profit thrift-store business model that monetizes secondhand clothing, though with a different mission focus.
• Salvation Army Thrift Stores: Canada-wide thrift store chain operated by The Salvation Army funding social and rehabilitation programs. Comparable as a peer non-profit thrift-retail model in Canada selling donated clothing and household goods, though operating at much larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/lechainonmontreal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/le-chainon
• Instagraminstagram.com/lechainonmontreal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Le Chaînon