YWCA Durham

What YWCA Durham does

YWCA Durham is a registered Canadian charitable nonprofit organization established in 1945 and headquartered at 33 McGrigor Street in Adelaide House, Oshawa, Ontario. It operates a continuum of housing, crisis, and support services for women, children, youth, and families across Durham Region, including a 15-bed emergency shelter (Y's WISH Shelter) with an associated 24/7 crisis line, a 6-bed Interim Housing program with up to 24-month stays, the region's only Second Stage Housing program for single women who have been victims of violence (up to 24 months), and a 40-unit rent-geared-to-income Supportive Housing building at 55 McGrigor Street. The organization also delivers Crisis Care Outreach, Transitional Support, Long Term Counselling, and a Job Skills and Peer Mentoring program that covers employment navigation, financial literacy, digital competency, and trauma education. Additional community-facing assets include venue rentals (Gymnasium, Club Room, Drawing Room, Oak Room) and Wado-Kai Karate classes held at the Community Enrichment Centre at 1 McGrigor Street.

The organization's distinguishing feature is the integration of housing with on-site counselling, employment, and life-skills programming, and its role as the only Second Stage Housing provider in Durham Region for single women who have been victims of violence. YWCA Durham is a member of YWCA Canada — Canada's oldest and largest women's multi-service organization — and sits within the global YWCA movement, with formal integration into the Durham Region Violence Prevention Coordinating Council, the Region of Durham By-Name List, and the Durham Access to Social Housing waitlist. Governance is provided by a Board of Directors led by President Brenda Wickett, with day-to-day operations headed by Executive Director Susanne Groen.

YWCA Durham is funded through cash donations (the primary funding stream) from individuals, corporations, and foundations, supplemented by an annual Starry Nights fundraising gala, sliding-scale housing program fees for Second Stage and Interim Housing, and venue rental revenue. Core crisis, shelter, and counselling services are delivered free of charge. The organization is not a technology company: there is no proprietary technology stack, mobile app, or API surface, and service delivery is people-driven through direct client engagement, 24/7 crisis-line access, and community outreach rather than digital product.

Name

YWCA Durham

Legal name

YWCA Durham

Website

https://ywcadurham.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

YWCA Durham is a Canadian charitable nonprofit, established in 1945, that operates emergency shelter, transitional and permanent housing, crisis lines, and counselling services for women, children, and families across Durham Region, Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services — Domestic Violence and Homelessness Support

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Other Community Housing Services (624229)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Affordable / Low-Income Assisted Living (Medicaid Waiver Focused) (HLADABAE), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Domestic violence services
• Emergency shelter services
• Women's housing programs
• Community counseling services
• Supportive housing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Oshawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Cash donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations provide the primary funding for YWCA Durham's programs and services including emergency shelter and 24-hour crisis line.
2. Venue Rentals: Rental of meeting rooms, event spaces, gymnasium, and historic venues (Drawing Room, Oak Room, Club Room, Gymnasium) in Adelaide House and Community Enrichment Centre. Revenue supports essential programs.
3. Event Fundraising: Annual fundraising events such as the Starry Nights gala generate revenue through ticket sales, event sponsorships, and silent auction donations.
4. Program Fees (Sliding Scale): Second Stage Housing and Interim Housing programs charge fees on a sliding scale based on ability to pay, providing partial cost recovery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

YWCA Durham delivers essential social services for women, children, youth, and families in Durham Region, Ontario. Its core offerings span a continuum from emergency response to long-term housing stabilization: a 15-bed Y's WISH emergency shelter with a 24/7 crisis line, Interim Housing (6 beds, up to 24 months), Second Stage Housing (region's only program for single women victims of violence, up to 24 months), and Supportive Housing (40 rent-geared-to-income apartments), coupled with counseling, crisis care outreach, employment support, and community programs such as venue rentals and Wado-Kai Karate.

Product overview

YWCA Durham is a non-profit social services organization (part of YWCA Canada) providing a comprehensive continuum of services for women, children, youth, and families in Durham Region since 1945. The organization operates as a unified service portfolio organized around three pillars: Emergency/Housing Services (Y's WISH Shelter with 24/7 Crisis Line, 2nd Stage Housing, Interim Housing, and Supportive Housing), Counselling and Support Services (Crisis Care Outreach, Transitional Support, Long Term Counselling, and Job Skills/Peer Mentoring), and Community Programs (Venue Rentals, Community Enrichment Centre, Wado-Kai Karate, and Community Resources referrals). The organization does not operate as a technology product company but delivers essential social services through direct client interaction, community partnerships, and facility-based programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Y's WISH Shelter: Emergency shelter program for women and children fleeing abusive situations, offering 15-bed shelter, crisis counselling, safety planning, and transitional support services. Acronym stands for 'Women In Safe Housing.'

Products and services

• Y's WISH Shelter and 24/7 Crisis Line Emergency shelter with 15 beds providing safe housing for women and children escaping abuse, combined with a 24-hour confidential crisis line offering support, safety planning, and referrals in multiple languages.
• 2nd Stage Housing The region's only second-stage housing program for single women who have been victims of violence, providing up to 24 months of accommodation with peer networks, counselling, advocacy, and job and life skills development.
• Interim Housing A 6-bed, up to 24-month housing program for single women (18+) who are homeless or at risk, located in Adelaide House, providing furnished rooms, daily nutritious meals, and support from a Community Housing Worker.
• Supportive Housing Permanent, rent-geared-to-income apartment building at 55 McGrigor Street with 40 one, two, and three-bedroom units available to single women and female-led families, with partnerships for on-site health care and social services.
• Crisis Care Outreach and Transitional Support Flexible support services including safety planning, short-term counselling, advocacy with agencies, legal services, housing referrals, court support, and outreach to women in rural communities.
• Long Term Counselling Ongoing longer-term counselling, safety planning, support, and advocacy for abused women living in Durham Region.
• Job Skills and Peer Mentoring Program Employment and life skills program offering workshops in community building, employment navigation, practical skills (financial literacy, digital competency), and self-growth through DBT concepts and trauma education.
• Venue Rentals Event and meeting space rentals including a Gymnasium (capacity 250-340), Club Room, Drawing Room (historic elegance with fireplace), and Oak Room, with revenue supporting YWCA programs.
• Wado-Kai Karate Traditional style karate classes taught by a black belt instructor for children (7+) and adults (16+), offered during Fall, Winter, and Spring sessions.
• Community Resources Directory Directory of external shelters, children's services, and counselling support services in Durham Region and surrounding areas.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shelter capacity: 15 beds at Y's WISH Shelter
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• YWCA CanadaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA Durham is part of Canada's oldest and largest women's multi-service organization. YWCA Canada serves as the national umbrella, with YWCA Durham existing in solidarity with the global YWCA movement serving 25 million women and girls in 125 countries.
• Durham Region Violence Prevention Coordinating Council (VPCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYWCA Durham is a proud member of Durham Region's Violence Prevention Coordinating Council, a network of agencies offering coordinated support to women navigating their journey away from abuse.
• Safe Pet OntariominorGTM or Marketing PartnerYWCA Durham is a Safe Pet Ontario member, providing reassurance to women concerned about what will happen to their pets if they leave an abusive situation.
• Global Coin SolutionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership allows donors to drop off foreign currency at YWCA Durham, which is converted to funds for programs. No tax receipts issued for currency donations.
• Durham Access to Social HousingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership allows YWCA Durham to maintain its own waitlist for Supportive Housing while also participating in the Durham Access to Social Housing waitlist system.
• Region of Durham By-Name ListcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorResidents can register with the Region of Durham By-Name List through YWCA Durham Interim Housing to be considered for housing. Referrals from agencies like Community Development Council of Durham, Back Door Mission, and Muslim Welfare Centre also support this process.
• Community Development Council of DurhamminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of several agencies that can help residents register with the Region of Durham By-Name List for housing referrals.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Canada: Large Canadian charitable organization operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and community support services nationally. Comparable in operating emergency housing and social services for vulnerable populations, though much broader in mission and scale than YWCA Durham's women-focused niche.
• YWCA Canada: National umbrella organization to which YWCA Durham belongs. Provides advocacy, policy, and brand infrastructure across member YWCAs; comparable as the broader network of which YWCA Durham is a member and whose mission and governance standards it follows.
• Women's Shelters Canada: National umbrella body representing VAW shelters and transition houses across Canada. Comparable as a sector-wide network and advocacy organization whose members include YWCA Durham's peers and whose priorities shape the funding environment YWCA Durham operates in.

Direct peers

• YWCA Hamilton: Regional Ontario YWCA chapter providing women's shelters, housing, and employment programs. Closely comparable in operating model (VAW shelter, housing continuum, job skills) and regional scope, serving a similar-size Ontario population.
• YWCA Toronto: Another regional YWCA chapter operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, and women's support services in Ontario. Directly comparable in service mix (women's shelter, housing continuum, counselling) and YWCA Canada affiliation, though at significantly larger urban scale.
• YWCA Metro Vancouver: BC-based YWCA operating women's housing, shelter, and child care services. Comparable as a multi-service YWCA chapter with a continuum-of-care model including shelter and transition housing, though in a different provincial funding environment.
• Nellie's Women's Shelter: Toronto women's shelter offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and community outreach for women and children experiencing violence and homelessness. Directly comparable service mix and target population, serving a nearby Ontario market.
• Interval House (Toronto): Toronto-based women's shelter and counselling organization serving women fleeing violence. Comparable in core VAW mission, 24/7 crisis line operation, emergency shelter, and counselling services; a direct competitor in the Ontario VAW sector.
• Ernestine's Women's Shelter: Toronto-area emergency shelter for women and children fleeing abuse, with culturally responsive services. Comparable VAW focus, shelter model, and Ontario regional context, though smaller and more culturally specialized.
• YWCA Ottawa: Regional Ontario YWCA offering women's shelter, supportive housing, and community programs. Comparable in integrated VAW service model and YWCA network affiliation, serving another Ontario regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/YWCADurham
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFrEmHpASS7XDlLSH8fj0rg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ywcadurham
• Instagraminstagram.com/ywcadurham/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 YWCA Durham