StepStones for Youth
StepStones for Youth is a Toronto-based registered charity delivering wraparound services — including housing subsidies, mentorship, education support, and mental health counselling — to youth aged 10-25 in and from foster care.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What StepStones for Youth does
StepStones for Youth is a Canadian registered charity headquartered in Toronto (700 Markham St) that delivers wraparound social services to youth aged 10-25 who are currently in, exiting, or transitioning from the foster care and group-home child-protection system. Founded in 2004 by Heather O'Keefe and Kathryn Leonard originally as a volunteer-run overnight summer camp for girls in the child welfare system, the organization formalized its Youth Support Services Program in 2011 — the first of its kind in Canada — and now serves more than 660 youth annually through three interconnected pillars: the Building Connections Program (wraparound case management spanning homelessness prevention, education/employment support, and belonging/mental health); the Housing Subsidy Program (rental grants — first/last month's rent plus monthly top-ups for up to 12 months — paid directly to landlords); and the Engagement Program (workshops, recreational events, seasonal celebrations, and weekly community dinners serving as an entry point to wraparound services). The organization's signature technical asset is the Youth Housing Subsidy Portal, a secure, youth-accessible online platform co-designed with sector experts across youth homelessness and child welfare; the portal applies automation and AI-driven eligibility and identity verification to disburse housing grants directly to landlords, and is architected for national adoption by partner organizations.
The organization is funded entirely through charitable giving and grants. In 2024, total Youth Support Services expenditure was CAD 2,768,181 (up 24% from CAD 2,226,758 in 2023), allocated 58% to Building Connections, 14% to Housing Subsidy, 8% to Engagement, and 20% to administrative overhead. Revenue is diversified across individual donations, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and government support. Diamond-level supporters (CAD 1M+ tier) include the Government of Canada via the Supports for Student Learning Program and the Home Depot Canada Foundation; eight Ruby-tier (CAD 75K-199K) institutional partners include United Way Greater Toronto, Scotiabank Rise, Peter Gilgan Foundation, Lillian Meighen and Don Wright Foundation, The Four Oaks Foundation, Fyfe Foundation, Toronto Kiwanis, and The Sonor Foundation. Annual fundraising events — Building Brighter Futures (CAD 170,000+ in 2025), Crafting Change (CAD 55,000+ in 2024), and Foster Care Unraveled film screenings — function as both revenue mechanisms and community-awareness vehicles. Charity Intelligence Canada rates StepStones a Top 5 Canadian Charity with a 5-Star, A+ rating.
Service distribution is currently concentrated in Toronto (postal codes beginning with 'M'), with referrals restricted to youth aged 17-18. The 2025-2028 strategic plan targets replication of the Building Connections model in two additional Canadian jurisdictions and national rollout of the Housing Subsidy Portal. Operations are supported by 21 named staff (expanding Connection Coordinators from 11 to 14), a 522-volunteer network with mentors on 3-year commitments, and an 8-member Board of Directors chaired by Lorna Freeman since October 2024. In 2025, the organization acquired a new property to serve as Canada's first dedicated hub for youth from foster care, with on-site supported housing and comprehensive services.
StepStones for Youth firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- StepStones for Youth
- Legal name
- StepStones for Youth
- Website
- https://stepstonesforyouth.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- StepStones for Youth is a Toronto-based registered charity delivering wraparound services — including housing subsidies, mentorship, education support, and mental health counselling — to youth aged 10-25 in and from foster care.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
StepStones for Youth industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Social Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (624110), Social Assistance (624)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services) (HLAFACAL), Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)
Keywords
Where StepStones for Youth is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
StepStones for Youth business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Giving: Individual donations from the general public solicited through the website, email campaigns, newsletter, and direct mail. The organization is a registered charity (Charitable Number: 85355 0077 RR0001) and accepts donations via its fundraising portal.
- Corporate and Foundation Sponsorships: Diamond-level supporters ($1,000,000+) include Government of Canada's Supports for Student Learning Program and Home Depot Canada Foundation. Ruby ($75,000-$199,999), Gold ($50,000-$74,999), Silver ($25,000-$49,999), and Bronze ($10,000-$24,999) tiers provide significant funding alongside general corporate and foundation supporters. In 2024 total Youth Support Services budget was $2,768,181.
- Government Grants: Government of Canada is listed as a Diamond-level supporter through the Supports for Student Learning Program. Canada Summer Jobs funding is also listed as a supporter. Government grants represent a significant portion of the funding mix.
- Volunteer Contributions and In-Kind Support: Volunteers provide mentorship (3-year commitment), event support, driving services, workshop facilitation, and kit packing. Corporate volunteer teams contribute to programs. These volunteer hours represent substantial in-kind value to the organization.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
StepStones for Youth product offering
Product offeringCore offering
StepStones for Youth provides free wraparound social services to youth aged 10-25 in and from the foster care system in Toronto. Core offerings include the Building Connections Program (case management across homelessness prevention, education & employment, and belonging & mental health), the Housing Subsidy Program (rental grants paid directly to landlords), the Engagement Program (workshops, events, community dinners), and the proprietary Youth Housing Subsidy Portal for online grant applications.
Product overview
StepStones for Youth operates a unified service model centered on its Building Connections Program, supported by three interconnected service pillars: the Housing Subsidy Program (delivered through the Youth Housing Subsidy Portal—an online platform for applying for and disbursing housing grants), the Engagement Program (workshops, events, and weekly community dinners as an entry point), and the core Building Connections wraparound case management. The Youth Housing Subsidy Portal is a proprietary secure online system with internal automation for eligibility verification and landlord payments. Together, these form an integrated youth support ecosystem addressing housing, education, mental health, and belonging.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Building Connections Program Wraparound support program covering three focus areas: Homelessness Prevention (housing support and mentorship), Education & Employment (academic counselling, tutoring, career support), and Belonging & Mental Health (case management, therapy, counselling). Connects youth with long-term mentors, caregivers, family members, and community allies.
- Housing Subsidy Program Program providing monthly rental subsidies paid directly to landlords for youth facing significant financial hardship, covering rent top-ups and first/last month's rent for youth living below the poverty line with no family supports. Subsidies can extend for up to 12 months.
- Engagement Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 86% of youth in Building Connections Program are attending or have graduated high school (vs. 48% of Ontario youth from foster care and 89% of general population)
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use StepStones for Youth
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
StepStones for Youth technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
StepStones for Youth partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- A Way Home Canada / Canadian Observatory on HomelessnesscoreAwarding body for the 2022 Making the Shift National Youth Homelessness Prevention Award. Represents a strategic partnership positioning StepStones as a national leader in youth homelessness prevention. These organizations collaborate on research, policy, and best practices in youth homelessness.
- Great Lakes Brewery, Junction Craft Beverage Co., Mascot Brewery, Hop City Brewing Co.minorBeverage sponsors for the Crafting Change 2024 fundraising event, providing in-kind donations for the craft beer tasting event that raised over $55,000.
- Charity Intelligence CanadacoreCharity Intelligence Canada rates StepStones as a Top 5 Canadian Charity, 5-Star, and A+ rated organization. This independent evaluation provides third-party credibility validation and transparency for donors.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
StepStones for Youth competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Fred Victor: Toronto social services organization providing housing, health, and employment supports to people experiencing homelessness and poverty, with dedicated youth programs. Comparable as a Toronto-based multi-program social services provider.
- Covenant House Toronto: Toronto-based shelter and wraparound services provider for youth experiencing homelessness, including those with child welfare involvement. Directly comparable as a Toronto youth-services operator serving overlapping populations with residential and case-management models.
- Yonge Street Mission: Toronto faith-based charity offering youth, family, and community programs including housing, employment, and mental health supports. Comparable as a multi-service Toronto organization with overlapping youth engagement programming.
- Children's Aid Foundation of Canada: National charity dedicated to improving outcomes for children and youth in child welfare systems across Canada. Comparable as a Bronze-tier funder of StepStones, with overlapping mission and shared beneficiary base of youth in care.
- Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth: Toronto-based organization providing housing, trauma-informed support, and training programs for youth aged 16-24 facing homelessness. Comparable to StepStones in target population, geographic focus, and wraparound service philosophy.
Others
- Ontario Trillium Foundation: Ontario government agency that funds community programs and currently funds StepStones at the Gold tier. Listed as a peer because of its role as both funder and ecosystem convener in the same service space.
Broad incumbents
- Child Welfare League of Canada: National advocacy organization for child welfare in Canada. Comparable as a sector-infrastructure peer that interacts with organizations like StepStones on policy, training, and standards for youth in care.
- A Way Home Canada: National coalition working to prevent and end youth homelessness, co-awarding body of the Making the Shift award StepStones received. Comparable as a sector umbrella organization influencing policy and convening similar service providers.
- Raising the Roof: National charity working to prevent and end homelessness through public education, research, and capacity-building of local agencies. Comparable as a sector peer in the Canadian homelessness-prevention ecosystem.
- Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness: National umbrella organization that named Building Connections the most innovative homelessness prevention program. Comparable as the broader national homelessness-policy infrastructure within which StepStones operates.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
StepStones for Youth social profiles
Digital presenceStepStones for Youth financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
StepStones for Youth leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
StepStones for Youth funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
StepStones for Youth M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about StepStones for Youth
What does StepStones for Youth do?
StepStones for Youth provides free wraparound social services to youth aged 10-25 in and from the foster care system in Toronto. Core offerings include the Building Connections Program (case management across homelessness prevention, education & employment, and belonging & mental health), the Housing Subsidy Program (rental grants paid directly to landlords), the Engagement Program (workshops, events, community dinners), and the proprietary Youth Housing Subsidy Portal for online grant applications.
Is StepStones for Youth a public or private company?
StepStones for Youth is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was StepStones for Youth founded?
StepStones for Youth was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is StepStones for Youth based?
StepStones for Youth is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does StepStones for Youth make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Giving is the primary driver. The others are corporate and Foundation Sponsorships, government Grants and volunteer Contributions and In-Kind Support.
Who are StepStones for Youth's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Fred Victor, Covenant House Toronto, Yonge Street Mission, Children's Aid Foundation of Canada and Eva's Initiatives for Homeless Youth. Ontario Trillium Foundation is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Child Welfare League of Canada, A Way Home Canada, Raising the Roof and Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.
Does StepStones for Youth have an API?
No public API is recorded for StepStones for Youth.
What industry is StepStones for Youth in?
StepStones for Youth's product category is Youth Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGADAO, Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits, with a secondary code of HLAFACAL, Behavioral Health for Children & Adolescents (Youth Services). Its NAICS code is 624110 and its SIC code is 8300.