Calgary Alternative Support Services

What Calgary Alternative Support Services does

Calgary Alternative Support Services Inc. (CASS) is a not-for-profit charitable organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, that delivers community-based support services to adults with developmental disabilities and other marginalized populations. On any given day, CASS supports up to 500 individuals through an integrated program portfolio including permanent supported housing (Langin Place and Stepping Stone Manor), overnight staffed residences, the CADO community day program, the CAES employment support program, community outreach and navigation, independent living support, and specialized social programs such as the Laughing Allowed stand-up comedy program, Friendships and Dating course, Dinner Club, Money Matters financial literacy, and Spinz-A-Round food distribution. The organization employs 276 staff across two offices in Calgary and operates with a person-centered, individualized approach that has been built over more than 37 years.

Name

Calgary Alternative Support Services

Legal name

Calgary Alternative Support Services Inc.

Website

https://c-a-s-s.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Calgary Alternative Support Services Inc. is a not-for-profit charitable organization founded in 1988 that supports up to 500 adults with disabilities and marginalized individuals daily through residential, day, employment, and community programs in Calgary, Alberta.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Vocational Rehabilitation Services (624310), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGAEAG), Disability Employment & Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Programs (EDAAAOAI), Special Needs Adult Day Programs (Developmental/Physical Disabilities, Seniors) (HLADAIAI)

Keywords

• Disability support services
• Residential support housing
• Supported employment services
• Community inclusion programs
• Developmental disability services

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: CASS receives government funding primarily from Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD) and other provincial/federal programs to support adults with disabilities and other marginalized populations.
2. Donations: The organization accepts charitable donations through CanadaHelps platform, with a Donor Bill of Rights in place. Donations support strengthening and expanding programs for people with disabilities.
3. Training Fees: CASS offers Non-Violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) training to external participants for $75 cost-recovery fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CASS provides individualized community-based support services for adults with developmental disabilities and other marginalized populations in Calgary, including permanent supported housing (Langin Place, Stepping Stone Manor), overnight staffed residences, the CADO day program, the CAES supported employment program, community outreach and navigation, independent living support, financial literacy (Money Matters), life-skills courses (Friendships and Dating), and social programs (Dinner Club, Laughing Allowed). Services are funded primarily through Government of Alberta PDD contracts, with supplementary donations and a $75 cost-recovery CPI training offering, supporting up to 500 people daily.

Product overview

Calgary Alternative Support Services (CASS) is a not-for-profit charitable organization that provides a comprehensive suite of individualized support services for adults with disabilities and other marginalized populations. Rather than a unified software product, CASS offers an integrated ecosystem of programs including residential services (Langin Place, Stepping Stone Manor, Overnight Staffed Residences), day programs (CADO), employment support (CAES), community outreach, independent living support, and specialized courses (Friendships and Dating, Money Matters). These services work together to help individuals live, work, play, and participate in the community on their own terms, supporting up to 500 people daily. The organization facilitates connections and opportunities that promote personal development and inclusive communities through a person-centered approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Services (Langin Place and Stepping Stone Manor) Permanent supported housing programs providing residential support to individuals with developmental disabilities. Langin Place and Stepping Stone Manor host annual Christmas dinners for tenants and offer 24/7 support staff for residents.
• Overnight Staffed Residences
• CADO Day Program
• CAES Employment Program
• Community Outreach and Navigation
• Independent Living Support
• Money Matters Financial Literacy
• Laughing Allowed Stand-Up Comedy Program
• Friendships and Dating Course
• Dinner Club
• Spinz-A-Round Food Distribution Program
• Non-Violent Crisis Prevention and Intervention (CPI) Training Crisis prevention and intervention training offered to CASS staff and external human-services participants for a $75 cost-recovery fee, including an online component and an in-person classroom session.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 500 people supported daily
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• 19 to ZerominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 November 202119 to Zero is a healthcare organization focused on vaccine education. CASS hosted a virtual town hall with Margaret Pateman from 19 to Zero and Dr. Jia Hu to educate staff and community about COVID-19 vaccination.
• Calypso's TavernaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCalypso's Taverna is a community partner that provides food donations (greek potatoes, rice, carrot, gravy, and turkey) free of charge for the annual Christmas dinners hosted at Langin Place and Stepping Stone Manor permanent supported housing programs.
• Calgary Service Provider CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCASS participates in weekly zoom meetings with the Calgary Service Provider Council to coordinate pandemic response and share resources among disability service providers in Calgary.
• The Rehabilitation Society of CalgaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Laughing Allowed comedy program held a fundraiser show at The Laugh Shop benefiting The Rehabilitation Society of Calgary, where Blair attends the weekly stand-up comedy program.
• Alberta Council of Disability Services (ACDS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACDS administers the Creating Excellence Together (CET) accreditation program. CASS undergoes this accreditation process to meet standards set by ACDS for disability services organizations.
• Government of Alberta - Persons with Developmental Disabilities (PDD)coreOthersPDD has published interim policies to help address service delivery, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. CASS is an essential service provider funded by PDD.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Calgary SCOPE Society: Calgary nonprofit providing community and residential supports for people with disabilities. Directly comparable in service mix (residential, day programs, community access) and in funding reliance on PDD.
• Vecova: Calgary-based nonprofit providing disability services, housing, and community inclusion programming. Directly comparable to CASS in mission, geography, and population served, with overlapping residential and community-based offerings.
• The Rehabilitation Society of Calgary: Calgary nonprofit providing programs for people with disabilities, including supported employment and community engagement. Existing CASS partner with closely aligned mission and beneficiary population.
• L'Arche Canada: National nonprofit operating homes and day programs for people with intellectual disabilities, with a strong community-inclusion philosophy. Comparable residential/community-based model to CASS, operating at national scale.
• Inclusion Alberta: Provincial nonprofit advocating for and supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Comparable mandate around community inclusion and adult disability services across Alberta.
• Community Living Calgary: Calgary-area nonprofit delivering person-centered support, residential services, and community participation programs for adults with developmental disabilities. Closely aligned operating model and target population to CASS.

Regional players

• Skills Society (Edmonton): Edmonton-based nonprofit supporting adults with developmental disabilities through residential, community access, and employment programs. Operates the same PDD-funded service model in the same province but outside Calgary's geography.

Emerging players

• Autism Calgary: Calgary-area nonprofit serving individuals with autism and their families through programs, resources, and community support. Partial overlap with CASS's disability-services mandate, with a more diagnostically defined segment.
• Between Friends: Calgary nonprofit focused on social and recreation programs for people with disabilities. Partial overlap with CASS's community-connection programming (Dinner Club, social activities) but more recreation-focused.

Broad incumbents

• YAI: Large U.S.-based nonprofit offering a broad portfolio of disability services including residential, day, employment, and clinical supports. Comparable service architecture and population but operates at substantially greater scale and geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calgaryalt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CassOrg1
• Facebookfacebook.com/CalgaryAlternativeSupportServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calgary-alternative-support-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/casscalgary

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Calgary Alternative Support Services