Findhelp Information Services
Findhelp Information Services is a Toronto-based registered charity operating Ontario's 211 multilingual helpline and crisis response services, connecting residents to government and community health and social services via phone, text, chat, AI chatbot, and mobile crisis teams.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Findhelp Information Services does
Findhelp Information Services is a registered Canadian charity (Business No. 118870666RR0001) headquartered in Toronto that operates Ontario's 211 service, a 24/7 multilingual information and referral helpline connecting residents to government and community-based health and social services. Founded to bring 211 to Canada approximately 20 years ago, the organization employs 51-100 staff and delivers a portfolio that includes the core 211 phone, text, and chat navigation platform; the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS), a mobile mental health response program in partnership with the City of Toronto; specialty crisis lines such as the Victim Support Line and Male Survivor Support Line under the provincial Gender-Based Violence Crisis Lines Initiative; the Victim Support Directory (16,000+ records); and an AI-powered chatbot built on OpenAI and cords.ai for digital service discovery.
The organization's technology stack combines trained human information and referral specialists (compliant with AIRS Standards Version 9.0) with AI-augmented digital channels and a curated 16,000+ record resource database maintained through data-sharing partnerships with Ontario Health and United Way. Findhelp runs dedicated innovation tracks in AI Research, Data Sharing, Search Portals, and Data for Equity, indicating an intent to evolve from a phone-based helpline into a hybrid human-AI social services navigation platform.
Findhelp's business model is government-funded nonprofit operations. There is no charge to end users. Revenue is sourced from federal, provincial (notably the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services), and municipal (City of Toronto) contracts, supplemented by charitable contributions from organizations such as United Way. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Michael Anhorn and Agnes Santhosh Thomas, with Sue Wilkinson serving as Executive Director and Junie Facey as Deputy General Manager.
Findhelp Information Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Findhelp Information Services
- Legal name
- Findhelp Information Services
- Website
- https://findhelp.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Findhelp Information Services is a Toronto-based registered charity operating Ontario's 211 multilingual helpline and crisis response services, connecting residents to government and community health and social services via phone, text, chat, AI chatbot, and mobile crisis teams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Findhelp Information Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Information and Referral Social Services
- NAICS
- Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)
Keywords
Where Findhelp Information Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Findhelp Information Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Findhelp operates as a registered charity (Business No. 118870666RR0001) funded primarily through government contracts and grants from federal, provincial, and municipal agencies including the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS)
- Donor/Funder Contributions: Charitable organization receiving support from various funders including United Way, government agencies, and community partners
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels4 records
Findhelp Information Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Findhelp Information Services operates Ontario's 211 service, providing free, confidential 24/7 access by phone, web, and chat to a curated directory of social, health, and government services. It augments this core helpline with specialty helplines (Victim Support Line, Male Survivor Support Line), managed phone/chat lines for partner organizations, the Toronto Community Crisis Service mobile crisis response partnership, an AI chatbot built on OpenAI, and professional training for information and referral practitioners.
Product overview
Findhelp Information Services operates a portfolio of interconnected social services centered around the 211 platform. The core offering is the award-winning 211 phone (dial 2-1-1) and online service, which provides 24/7 multilingual navigation connecting people to government and community-based health and social services. Supporting the core 211 service are specialty helplines including the Victim Support Line (VSL) and Male Survivor Support Line (MSSL), as well as the AI-powered Chatbot Service for digital service discovery. The Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) provides front-door mental health services through mobile response teams. Additional offerings include Web and Data search portals, Training services, Community Connections programs, and the Victim Support Directory with over 16,000 resource listings. Findhelp also contributes to innovation initiatives including AI Research, Data Sharing, and the national 211 Canada expansion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 211 Canada Chatbot: AI-powered chatbot service powered by OpenAI and connected to cords.ai to help users discover government and community-based mental health, non-clinical health, and social support services.
- Victim Services Chatbot
- Youth Summer Jobs Initiative Chatbot
- Demo Chatbot
Products and services
- 211 Service
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 32,000 contacts handled in first four months of 2025 in Greater Toronto Area alone
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Findhelp Information Services
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Findhelp Information Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability3 records
Feature3 records
Findhelp Information Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS)corePrimary government funder supporting Findhelp's role in Ontario's Gender-Based Violence Crisis Lines Initiative (CLI). MCCSS provides funding and strategic direction for crisis line services across the province.
- BeendigencoreIndigenous women's organization providing shelter, counseling, and support services for women and children escaping abusive situations. Key partner in Ontario's Gender-Based Violence Crisis Lines Initiative.
- Assaulted Women's HelplinecoreOntario's 24-hour crisis line for women experiencing abuse. Partner in the provincial Gender-Based Violence Crisis Lines Initiative.
- Centre Victoria pour FemmesminorWomen's centre in Ontario providing support services for women. Partner in the provincial crisis lines network.
- Maison d'AmitiéminorShelter and support services for women. Partner in Ontario's Gender-Based Violence Crisis Lines Initiative.
- Oasis Centre des femmesminorFrancophone women's centre providing support services. Partner ensuring access for French-speaking communities.
- City of TorontocoreFindhelp partnered with the City of Toronto to deliver the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS), providing mobile mental health crisis response teams across the city 24/7.
- Ontario Health (Santé Ontario)coreThrough data sharing partnerships, Findhelp helps Ontario Health maintain up-to-date directories of community mental health services.
- United Way / CentraidecoreFindhelp collaborates with United Way on data partnerships and receives funding support, helping maintain community service directories for GTA municipalities.
- Ontario 211 Services / 211 CanadacoreFindhelp operates 211 Ontario and has been instrumental in establishing 211 service across Canada over the past 20 years, partnering with organizations throughout North America.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Findhelp Information Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ConnexOntario: Ontario-based helpline providing information and referral to mental health, addiction, and problem gambling services; operates a similar 24/7 navigation model in the same province with overlapping referral-network partners.
- Kids Help Phone: Canada-wide 24/7 e-mental-health service for youth offering phone, text, and live-chat crisis support; comparable in operating model (multilingual, multi-channel crisis helpline funded by government and donations) and in serving Ontario residents.
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Vibrant Emotional Health): US national 24/7 crisis line network with chat and text routing comparable to Findhelp's TCCS and crisis-line services; the closest large-scale analogue for how a 3-digit crisis number can be paired with back-end navigation and referral.
- Crisis Text Line: US/Canada 24/7 text-based crisis intervention service; comparable in modality (text-first crisis support), data-driven quality approach, and nonprofit funding mix including government and major donor support.
- HealthLink BC: British Columbia's government-funded 24/7 health information and referral service (811); comparable as a publicly funded, multi-channel health navigation service that combines nurse advice, general health information, and service directory lookup.
- 211 LA County (LA County 211): One of the largest US 211 operators, providing 24/7 multilingual information and referral to health and human services in the LA region; directly comparable as a 211 helpline and referral operator with government funding and a curated resource database.
- findhelp.org (Aunt Bertha): The leading US social-care navigation platform connecting people to community resources; operates an online directory plus referral platform with a very similar mandate to Findhelp/211 Ontario, and the closest direct peer in terms of function and target end users.
Emerging players
- United Way Greater Toronto: A core funder and community partner of Findhelp that also runs its own social-services navigation and community-impact programs in the GTA; adjacent rather than head-to-head, with overlapping target populations and partial overlap in service directory content.
Regional players
- 211 Calgary (Distress Centre Calgary): Calgary-based nonprofit operating the 211 service in Alberta and providing 24/7 crisis and information-and-referral support; directly comparable in operating model but operates in a different Canadian province.
Others
- Alzheimer Society of Ontario: Ontario nonprofit providing information, referral, and support services for a specific vulnerable population; comparable as a charity-funded information and referral organization serving Ontario residents, though with a narrower disease-specific mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Findhelp Information Services social profiles
Digital presenceFindhelp Information Services compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Findhelp Information Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Findhelp Information Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Findhelp Information Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Findhelp Information Services 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 Findhelp Information Services
What does Findhelp Information Services do?
Findhelp Information Services operates Ontario's 211 service, providing free, confidential 24/7 access by phone, web, and chat to a curated directory of social, health, and government services. It augments this core helpline with specialty helplines (Victim Support Line, Male Survivor Support Line), managed phone/chat lines for partner organizations, the Toronto Community Crisis Service mobile crisis response partnership, an AI chatbot built on OpenAI, and professional training for information and referral practitioners.
Is Findhelp Information Services a public or private company?
Findhelp Information Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Findhelp Information Services founded?
Findhelp Information Services was founded in 1970. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Findhelp Information Services based?
Findhelp Information Services is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Findhelp Information Services make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Government Funding is the primary driver. The others are donor/Funder Contributions.
Who are Findhelp Information Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ConnexOntario, Kids Help Phone, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (Vibrant Emotional Health), Crisis Text Line, HealthLink BC, 211 LA County (LA County 211) and findhelp.org (Aunt Bertha). United Way Greater Toronto is listed as an emerging player. 211 Calgary (Distress Centre Calgary) is listed as a regional player. Alzheimer Society of Ontario is listed as an others.
Does Findhelp Information Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for Findhelp Information Services.
What industry is Findhelp Information Services in?
Findhelp Information Services's product category is Information and Referral Social Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAK, Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services. Its NAICS code is 6242 and its SIC code is 8300.