Brenda Stafford

What Brenda Stafford does

The Brenda Strafford Society for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (operating as The Brenda Strafford Centre) is a Calgary-based non-profit charitable organization founded in January 1996 to address the gap between emergency crisis shelters and independent living for women and children fleeing domestic violence. The Centre provides a six-month second-stage residential program offering safe accommodation, individual/group/family counseling, child care, life-skills development, and community resource connections. Beyond the residential program, the organization operates an Outreach Program (launched August 1997 with FCSS funding), a Child & Youth Program using creative arts-based counseling (funded by United Way), and Progressive Housing — 51 two-bedroom transitional units opened in December 2010 offering up to two-year stays with subsidized rent via Calgary Housing Company. Services are accessed via referrals from crisis shelters, community agencies, and self-referrals.

The organization has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-intensive and facility-based. Revenue is generated entirely through donations (individuals, corporations, foundations via PayPal with tax receipts issued for $20+ donations), government grants (City of Calgary FCSS, United Way of Calgary and Area), corporate sponsorships (EFW Radiology, Mac's Convenience Stores, Sponsor Energy, Pulse Seismic Inc., Calgary Food Bank), and foundation support from The Brenda Strafford Foundation Ltd. Charitable Registration #830856464RR0001. A $4 million 'Building for Liberty' capital campaign was launched in 2008 to construct a new facility, with $500,000 contributed by Calgary Real Estate Board Charitable Foundation. The organization is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Dr. Barrie Strafford (President), with Tess Gordey serving as Executive Director and Sarah Stuebing as Communications and Fund Development Officer. Operating headcount is approximately 9 employees. All services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries.

Name

Brenda Stafford

Legal name

The Brenda Strafford Society for the Prevention of Domestic Violence

Website

https://brendastraffordsociety.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Brenda Strafford Society for the Prevention of Domestic Violence is a Calgary-based non-profit operating a six-month second-stage domestic violence shelter, progressive transitional housing (51 units), counseling, and child/youth programs for women and children fleeing abuse. Funded by donations, government grants, and corporate sponsorships, services are provided free of charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Shelter Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Domestic violence shelter
• Second-stage housing
• Transitional housing program
• Women children services
• Community support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The organization relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. Donations can be made via PayPal, and the organization issues income tax receipts for donations of $20 or over. Charitable Registration #830856464RR0001.
2. Government Funding: Core operational funding from government sources including The City of Calgary: Family & Community Support Services (FCSS) and United Way of Calgary and Area. The Outreach Program is funded through The City of Calgary: FCSS. The Child & Youth Program is funded through United Way of Calgary and Area.
3. Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership: Corporate sponsors provide support including EFW Radiology, Mac's Convenience Stores, Calgary Food Bank, Sponsor Energy (donates 50% of profits from referred customers), and Pulse Seismic Inc.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Brenda Strafford Centre operates a six-month second-stage domestic violence shelter in Calgary providing safe accommodation for women and children who have fled abuse, complemented by on-site individual, group and family counseling, a child and youth program using creative arts-based approaches, community outreach, and 51 two-bedroom progressive/transitional housing units with leases renewable up to two years. All services are delivered free of charge and funded through donations, government grants, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

The Brenda Strafford Centre offers a single integrated shelter and support service portfolio for women and children fleeing domestic violence. The core offering is a six-month Residential Program (second-stage shelter) providing counselling, support groups, and safe accommodation. This is complemented by an Outreach Program for follow-up and community-based support, a Child & Youth Program with creative arts-based counselling, and Progressive Housing providing 51 transitional two-bedroom units for up to two years. Community Support Services include health visits, literacy/parenting programs, youth volunteering, and student practicums. An I am Courage awareness campaign was launched in April 2013. All services are provided in a supportive yet independent environment designed to empower women to achieve long-term stability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Residential Program Six-month second-stage shelter providing safe accommodation plus individual, group, and family counseling for women and children who have fled domestic violence.
• Outreach Program Follow-up services for former residents relocating from the Centre and community-based outreach services for women and children who have experienced abuse, including ongoing support, counseling, referrals, and safety planning.
• Child & Youth Program Program employing a Child and Youth Counsellor providing individual and group counseling, family support, and Creative Arts Based Counselling using art, storytelling, music, and play for children impacted by domestic violence; funded through United Way of Calgary and Area.
• Progressive Housing Affordable independent living consisting of 51 two-bedroom transitional units for women with children impacted by domestic violence; leases renewable up to two years with six-month renewal periods, with subsidised rent via Calgary Housing Company.
• Community Support Services Suite of community support services including weekly Public Health Nurse visits, Literacy & Parenting Skills (LAPS) programming, Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) activities, and Social Work student practicum placements with Mount Royal University and University of Calgary.

Quantifiable outcome

• 432 abused women and over 700 children supported
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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 core and minor.

• Calgary Housing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner providing housing subsidies for Progressive Housing residents. Works with the Progressive Housing Coordinator to determine eligibility and qualify residents for rent supplements. Partnered with the organization to open the original Centre in 1996.
• Literacy & Parenting Skills (LAPS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with LAPS to provide parenting skills assistance in a supportive group format, combining literacy skills with parenting information.
• Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEncourages youth to volunteer in the community. Teens implement planned activities for children during summer months and provide childcare over winter. Provides positive role models and respite time for mothers.
• Mount Royal UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides practicum placements for Social Work students who receive hands-on work experience, instruction, and supervision at the Centre.
• University of CalgaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides practicum placements for Social Work students who receive hands-on work experience, instruction, and supervision at the Centre.
• Dreams Take FlightminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable organization that provided three children from the Centre with a trip to Disneyland.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCMHC featured The Brenda Strafford Centre as a project profile, highlighting the organization's innovative approach to domestic violence housing.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Awo Taan Healing Lodge Society: Calgary-based emergency shelter and second-stage housing for Indigenous women and children fleeing family violence. Operates a comparable shelter-plus-transitional-housing model with culturally grounded programming.
• Gillian's Place: Hamilton, Ontario-based women's shelter operating both emergency and second-stage housing with counseling and outreach programming. Closely comparable second-stage shelter model in another Canadian mid-sized city.
• YWCA Calgary: Calgary-based women's services organization offering emergency shelter, transitional housing, and support programs. Serves overlapping client populations with comparable residential and outreach service lines.
• Interval House Toronto: Toronto-based shelter and counseling service for women and children experiencing domestic violence. Operates a similar integrated residential, counseling, and transitional housing model in a major Canadian urban market.
• Sagesse: Calgary-based domestic violence prevention organization focused on awareness, education, and support. Provides complementary prevention-side programming and shares the same Calgary service geography and donor base.
• Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter Association: Calgary-based crisis shelter and counseling service for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Operates the front-end of the shelter pipeline that feeds Brenda Strafford's second-stage program, making it the most functionally comparable peer in the same market.

Broad incumbents

• Alberta Council of Women's Shelters: Provincial umbrella association representing women's shelters across Alberta. Provides sector coordination, training, and advocacy that complement the direct service operations of member shelters like Brenda Strafford.
• Women's Shelters Canada: National umbrella organization for women's shelters across Canada. Operates at the policy, research, and federal-funding level that shapes the operating environment for direct service providers including Brenda Strafford.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BStraffordCentr
• Facebookfacebook.com/117174065053459
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brenda-stafford

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Brenda Stafford