Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto

What Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto does

Bereaved Families of Ontario – Toronto (BFO-Toronto) is a registered Canadian charitable nonprofit organization founded in 1978 and based at 202-355 Church Street, Toronto. It is the founding affiliate of the Bereaved Families of Ontario provincial network, which comprises 11 affiliates across Ontario. The organization's purpose is to support individuals, families, and groups experiencing grief from the death of a loved one, regardless of when, how, or to whom the loss occurred.

BFO-Toronto delivers services through a peer-support model rather than a clinical/therapist model. Core offerings include facilitated peer support groups delivered in-person and via Zoom, one-to-one peer support sessions, grief walks held in locations such as Cedarvale Ravine, and seasonal/specialized drop-in groups (e.g., 2SLGBTQIA+ cohort, spousal loss group, "Coping With the Holidays"). Educational assets include the "Seniors Supporting Seniors" self-directed 9-module e-learning program and a 30-hour volunteer facilitator training curriculum covering peer support, group facilitation, and bereavement theory. The organization does not operate a proprietary software platform; its technology layer is limited to Zoom, an online learning management system, and standard productivity tools. Service is provided free of charge to all participants.

BFO-Toronto is governed by a board of directors and led by Executive Director Sarah Garcia-Heller; it operates with a lean paid staff complemented by volunteer facilitators and committees. Funding derives entirely from donations, corporate sponsorships (notably funeral, memorial, and wealth-management sector partners), fundraising events such as the annual 5K Walk to Remember and Bids of Hope virtual silent auction, and grants including from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The organization maintains reciprocal referral relationships with crisis lines (9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline, Gerstein Crisis Centre, Kids Help Phone) and is a member of the Citywide Commons multi-nonprofit hub operated by Family Services-Toronto.

Name

Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto

Legal name

Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto

Website

https://bfotoronto.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bereaved Families of Ontario – Toronto is a Toronto-based registered charity, founded in 1978, that provides free peer-led grief support to bereaved individuals and families through facilitated groups, one-to-one sessions, and grief walks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Grief and Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI), End-of-Life Emotional & Spiritual Support (Chaplaincy/Counseling) In-Home (HSABAFAH)

Keywords

• Peer grief support
• Bereavement support groups
• Grief counseling services
• Community mental health
• Nonprofit support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual and corporate donations support the organization's free peer grief support programs. The organization emphasizes that no one should face financial barriers to receiving grief support.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Local businesses in the funeral, memorial, and wealth management sectors sponsor events and the organization, providing financial support in exchange for recognition.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including the Walk to Remember and Bids of Hope virtual silent auction generate revenue through participant fundraising and auction proceeds.
4. Government Grants: The organization has received grants from foundations such as the Ontario Trillium Foundation to support specific programs and pandemic recovery initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto is a registered charitable organization that provides free peer-based grief support to individuals, families, and groups who have experienced the death of a loved one. Core services include facilitated peer support groups (in-person and online via Zoom), one-to-one peer support sessions led by trained volunteers, therapeutic outdoor grief walks, and specialized drop-in groups for communities such as 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals and those grieving a spouse. Supplementary educational offerings include the Seniors Supporting Seniors e-learning modules and a 30-hour volunteer facilitator training program.

Product overview

BFO-Toronto offers a portfolio of grief support services centered on a peer support model. Core offerings include facilitated peer support groups (in-person and online) and one-to-one peer support sessions led by trained volunteers. Educational offerings include the Seniors Supporting Seniors E-Learning Modules (a self-directed 9-module course) and Volunteer Facilitator Training (30-hour program). Annual and seasonal events include the Walk to Remember, Bids of Hope Virtual Silent Auction, Grief Walks, Coping With the Holidays Drop-In Support Group, and the 2SLGBTQIA+ Grief Support Drop-In Group. The organization does not operate a software platform; services are delivered through in-person gatherings, video conferencing (Zoom), and an online learning management system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Peer Support Groups Facilitated mutual support groups for individuals and families experiencing grief, available both in-person and online. Groups are peer-led by trained volunteers who have experienced loss themselves.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Evergreen Brick WorkscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 November 2023Environmental charity collaborating with BFO-Toronto for the Good Mourning Festival: Together in Grief event. BFO-Toronto provides one-on-one grief support conversations while Evergreen hosts the event at their public space.
• BFO Halton Peel (Centre for Grief and Healing)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 September 2023Sister affiliate of Bereaved Families of Ontario that partners with BFO-Toronto to organize the annual Walk to Remember event, combining resources for the shared community.
• Citywide Commons (Family Services-Toronto)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-nonprofit community space hosted by Family Services-Toronto where BFO-Toronto maintains office space alongside other nonprofits providing counselling, settlement, mental health, and other support services.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bereavedfamiliesofontario
• Facebookfacebook.com/bfotoronto
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bereaved-families-of-ontario-toronto
• Instagraminstagram.com/bfotoronto

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto